New Fields and New Recruits for the Kingdom

Surely, throughout the years, the great Heavenly Father has looked down with approval of the spirit and effort that Faith Stewart put into the work of the Kingdom. In spite of hardships and of false pretenders, who through the years came and went, each causing trouble and confusion and seeking only to make a place for themselves, she writes, speaking of new fields, “I scarcely know how to tell you where they are, for new fields are opening up all over the country with wide open doors. One new field was opened up a few months ago in an entirely Spiritualistic district.”

The story of this new field was given by Faith Stewart one day. At the mission in Los Pinos, ministered by a young couple who had labored faithfully, there came in one evening a stranger who quietly sat in their midst. After the service, they kindly inquired of this stranger and soon learned her story. She kept coming, and in due time, she was won for the Lord.

In her home town, many miles from Los Pinos, she had been doctoring for a huge tumor which was growing on her arm, and no hope was given her, except through an operation. When coming to Havana, the doctors asked her to wait a few days and build up her body. While thus waiting, she had become lonely, and hearing music in the mission, went in to see and learn. She did not know anything about Christianity, being a Spiritualist. When she was saved, she began to reason, “If God can wash away my sin, why can He not heal my body?” As she spoke thus to the young people, they assured her that nothing is impossible with God, and that His Word plainly says, “According to your faith be it unto you.”* (Matthew 9:29)

So after instruction and reading the promises and encouraging her to believe, she was anointed and prayed for in the Bible way. God undertook, and a miracle was performed. The tumor disappeared.

She had witnessed in Los Pinos as to what God had done for her, and when she went home, she told her friends about the wonderful salvation and healing of her body. A short time elapsed, and she sent for someone to come to Buena Ventura, her home, where she had gathered some people and was telling them the little she knew about Christ and salvation. Thus a new field was opened through the testimony of one soul.

Again Faith writes:

We also expect to visit other new places thrown open for us to enter, and as we go forth, we remember God’s promise to Joshua, “Every place the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that I have given to you.”* (Joshua 1:3) Bless the dear Lord, we go forth to new places with courage, knowing we are His ambassadors, and He has promised to be with us. Yes, in each of these new places, we shall in the future see souls of men and women redeemed from sin, and worshiping the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

Naturally we are confronted with many problems that you folks do not have in your work in the homeland, for you labor among a people who have had at least a nominal religious background, but thank God for the all-cleansing power of His message.

We thank all who have labored with us in this land, either by sacrificial gifts or by your fervent prayers. Our work in Cuba has never been supported by any Missionary Board, but has always been and still is supported by the Lord and His faithful ones who hear His voice. The whole work here is carried on by faith although the needs are great.

Reader, can you now see how utterly impossible it would have been for Faith Stewart to come under the Mission Board? God opened doors here and there, opened new fields, and each place was a challenge of faith in God. No, the hard way, as in this instance, was the only way in the sight of God and every just Christian with a vision. And, in spite of cruel criticism and suffering, she has forged ahead, ever planting the glorious message of salvation.

Another mission was also opened through ministration to the sick. Hearing of the sickness of a child in the Mesa home, she called and found a young boy of perhaps twelve or fourteen years of age slowly dying of tuberculosis. Day by day, as she had opportunity, she visited, talking to the boy about God until he gladly accepted Christ and looked forward to her visits as bright spots in the hard days that remained here for him. She told him about the healing power of God, but the loving Heavenly Father did not see fit to leave him here in this world. Day by day, he grew weaker and seemed to be nearer to God.

One evening she stopped by the home as she went on her way to midweek prayer meeting. He fixed his bright eyes upon her and said, “What times does the prayer meeting close tonight!”

“At the regular hour. Why do you ask?”

“I would like to hear them sing the songs of Zion before I go home tonight.”

As she gazed at his sweet face, she felt truly that he had neared the end.

“We will close early and come to sing for you,” she said, and hastened to the mission to make the arrangement. Later, they filed quietly into the room, singing the dear songs of redemption through the blood of the Lamb. He listened in joy, and a great peace lit up his young face as he closed his eyes and went to an eternal rest.

The family was also brought to Christ, and dedicated their home to God for the use of a new mission where a Bible school might be held and Christ brought to their neighbors. And even to this day, that mission exists in the Mesa home.

Before we leave this thought, we must mention another field opened, this time through the suffering of one of the Christian members of the Mission in Almendares. Those who live in a land of plenty where there are charitable organizations formed for the very purpose of caring for the worthy needy, can hardly realize the sufferings of the laboring class here. There was a time when the father had lost his job and had no money to pay his rent when it became due. They had made a desperate effort, but no relief came. He began to worry and to plan how to save the home and the situation, but all failed. The following day was the final day for him and his family. If he could not secure the rent, the furniture would be set out on the street at night, and his family be homeless.

At last he spoke to his wife, saying that he would go into another part of the city and visit a friend there and see if he could not obtain a loan and return before the furniture would be set out on the street. They saw him off and could only wait and pray.

The wife and children at last became alarmed. They knew that he had no money and must walk the few miles to the other side of the city, and that his body was weak from the lack of food. The time when he was to have been home again came and passed, and he did not return. When sufficient time had elapsed and they still heard nothing from him, they decided that some misfortune had befallen him.

The mother came running to the mission door. There was fear and sorrow in her eyes as she told the story: “My husband, after a sleepless night, went to visit a man six miles away, hoping to get the money to pay the rent. We waited all day, but he has never returned. The landlord has thrown out the furniture into the street.”

Prayer was made for these fine Christian people that God would help. Other poor Christians could not do much for them, so they started the big struggle to exist alone and with this new sorrow on their hearts. Earnest prayer went up from sympathetic hearts from day to day. But days, then weeks, months slipped by, and with them no sign of the Cuban brother’s return.

Truly, “the eyes of the LORD run to and fro,”* (2 Chronicles 16:9) for God was watching over His child in pity. In his trials and anxiety to provide for his family, during the months before this incident, he had come to a place of nervous collapse, and when the peak of his trouble came, he could stand up under the strain no longer. With a long period of undernourishment for his body and worries and burdens on his mind, he had completely collapsed mentally while on the way to visit the friend. His memory suddenly failed, and he never fulfilled his original purpose, but wandered on to a strange town. He could not remember his home, his needs, or even his name.

Seeing his sad plight, the simple village people, in compassion, took him in and shared their scanty store with him, giving him food and employing him in the harvest whenever possible, letting him live in a humble little building not in use at that time. And as he walked among them harmless and gentle, all became his friends. As he received good, nourishing food from these kind people, his body began to gradually build up, and his mental condition became better. There came a day when his mind cleared and was normal, and he remembered that he had a family; he also recalled the sad memories of that day when he had left home. Naturally, he now had a deep anxiety to get back to them at once.

When he explained all this, these kind village folk said, “Bring your wife and children and make your home with us, and maybe we can help you.”

And so one day he appeared at the door of the Mission. Joy and surprise were mixed up in the greeting as they crowded about and asked the reason of his long absence. When the story was told, there was indeed rejoicing over the goodness of God who had brought him safely through again to his loved ones. And what happiness was theirs as they looked upon his face and heard his story of deliverance.

They accompanied him back to the little village. There they lived very simply from day to day, reading the Word of God at the evening hour and living a good Christian life in the village where there was no other Christians.

One day, a kind neighbor went to town after the harvest was in and brought back some needed articles for the family and some things for her daughters. She kindly remembered the two daughters of the stranger in their village and brought home some lipstick and such things. She had long noticed how plainly the girls were dressed and supposed it was because there was no money for the extra.

But when the mother saw the lipstick, she thanked her kind neighbor and explained that her daughters did not use the lipstick because the Bible plainly states that God’s children do not dress like the world, and they were Christians.

Also, when the tobacco crop was sold, a good neighbor came with a great roll of very fine tobacco to share with the newcomer. He also thanked them for their willingness to share with him, but stated that he did not use anything unclean since he was a child of God.

Upon hearing for the first time about being a Christian, the friends became interested, and asked that they be allowed to come to the home when the family read the Bible, and let them hear the good news.

The interest grew, and the number increased until the house could no longer hold the crowd. So one day the man returned to the Mission. He explained that he had come for a teacher or minister to go back with him.

“But,” said Miss Stewart, “can’t you come in and bring your family once in a while? It would be quite expensive to send someone just to visit one family.”

“Yes, that is true,” said he, “but there is a congregation waiting for a pastor to come, and they cannot all come this far to church services. We feel that they need to know more about the Lord than we can teach them.”

Thus a new field was opened in another section of Cuba. A harvest of souls have been gathered in and there are two or three congregations in that particular part.

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Sister Stewart writes again:

That time waits for no man is just as true in the field of missionary service as anywhere else, and those of us who are laboring here in Cuba are now confronted with the fact that we are just ready to cross our nineteenth milestone in the blessed work of our Master here in Cuba. This Island is truly a land of literal sunshine, but it is just as truly a land of spiritual darkness and superstition. And if ever a people needed the soul-saving, enlightening, life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ, this people needs it. Therefore, we rejoice to know that through this number of years, we have had the blessed privilege of laboring here in missionary work.

From the beginning of our labors in Cuba, God has blessed above all of our expectations. Did He not say that He would do for us exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could ask or even think? God’s working in our midst has been very marked. From among the early converts, the Lord of the harvest has chosen workers and put His hand upon them and filled them with His Holy Spirit’s power and has used them in active service, either in the ministry or in personal work among the people.

Throughout the ages, men and women have had to answer the divine call and go forth to foreign lands with His message of salvation from sin, and these have had to sacrifice, to labor, and to suffer, that others might enjoy the rich blessings that come to them through a knowledge of the wonderful plan of God for their redemption.

Cuba has been, and still is, a Catholic nation. Therefore, the very power of darkness and superstition that always accompanies this religion fills the minds and hearts of the people in general. And this same power actually controls most of the activities of their lives. And because of the dissatisfied condition of most of them, they become an easy prey to the deception of the religion of Spiritualism.

This dreadful religion was, no doubt, brought over from Africa by the slaves. We have seen on the streets of the city of Havana, poor souls walking the streets in sackcloth or plain coffee sacking, the regular burlap, which is almost unbearable to wear in any climate, and more so in a warm climate. These people were wearing this as penance required by the spirits and begging pitifully.

Just a few visits to wayside shrines, and one begins to wonder which of these national religions are the most superstitious. The people are reaching out for something that satisfies and have become more deeply engulfed than ever in the awful darkness of a heathen inheritance. The work of the Church in Cuba is one outstanding example of what the real truth will do in the hearts and lives of those who wholeheartedly accept the Gospel.

For many years, Miss Stewart labored alone in the harvest fields of Cuba, where her feet trod day after day along country roads and under trees where stand today hundreds of houses, stores, and places of business. She was there with no car for the first few years and most of the time with no bus fare. So she walked day after day, and even at night, when necessary, to answer a call to the bedside of some sufferer who, hearing of her ministration to others, sent for her in their hour of need. One cannot conceive how one soul ever covered so much territory and held single-handed for years so great work. Since the very first volunteer that had come to Cuba had so utterly failed her, it is reasonable to believe that perhaps there was a dread of new experiences. Yet she never turned one such away until they had had a chance to prove their consecration and calling.

Through the years, a few have done this, and she has accepted their statement and tried them. But the mission in Cuba is one truly directed by the Holy Spirit, and if one or more came and their call was not of God or the consecration not sincere, sooner or later, they have dropped out of the picture. Furthermore, all who come must trust God, and this makes the test more severe. Only recently she spoke of such an experience:

One day a message was received over the phone that a missionary was at the dock waiting for someone to meet her. There had been no word before this, and no explanation or correspondence whatever.

So, a little surprised and deeply concerned, they made arrangements to meet this new missionary to Cuba. The newcomer arrived in due time at the mission with boxes and boxes, having come prepared to stay on indefinitely. The mark and stamp of the world was on her attire, but she was kindly received. Then explanation of her sudden appearance was made. She had attended one of the schools for speedy preparation for the mission field which are becoming quite popular. After finishing, she had come directly to the country she had chosen. She heard the stewardess on the boat tell about the mission at Los Pinos, so on the spur of the moment, she decided to come to that mission.

All the training at home cannot train one for the daily grind of the hardships and discouragements, and in a short time, the new experience grew old, and she returned to her home in the United States. Others came, and in time, they too left.

One year at the annual convention, two young people from the States, one a young man with a wife and three children, from a good Christian home, and another, a young girl, were praying earnestly that God would lead them so they would know His will. Finally, a decision was made by the young lady in question, Phyllis Martin, from the state of Michigan.

She was a young woman in her late twenties, level-headed, and settled in her profession of salvation. After praying until she felt sure that it was the will of God, she returned to Cuba as an assistant to the missionary. She assumed her duties, and working hand in hand with Miss Stewart, she began to study the language and take over the office work. Perhaps it will be hard to realize what a load was lifted from the shoulders of Faith Stewart. Young women are rare in our day, who will give up their lives to go to the fields and live a life of faith.

There are also many native ministers out in the fields under the supervision of the mission at Los Pinos. There are now 38 congregations.

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Let us turn again to her own words:

Our Sunday School work has been the hardest part of the work here. It never has been easy to get the children of Catholic or Spiritualist parents to the Sunday School, and from the beginning, we had to labor hard for the children we did get, but the last two years have been our very hardest.

When they began to realize what we were doing for the children, the Catholic priests and nuns began laboring harder than ever. Then, about two years ago, an order came from their headquarters for them to make every child in Cuba a Catholic, and also every home.

As they began working on this program, they gave orders for groceries to be given to every poor child that left us and went to their own schools, which they opened up in order to combat our work. This order of groceries was given weekly and made a temptation which few poor mothers could resist as the pangs of hunger made the offer a real test. They also furnished garments and shoes in many cases, and they gave weekly a little paper to each child who attended their Sunday School. This paper gave each child entrance to a movie in the afternoon. Can you see what this did to our work?

If such an offer were made in America where high wages are paid to the laboring men and where so much food is wasted regularly, even there the offer of free packages would cause a great exodus from one Sunday School to another. So it is easy to see that, to a mother always just short of supplies, this offer would indeed be a boon.

Often these poor women wept as they explained the reason their children had been withdrawn from the Church of God and placed in the Catholic Sunday School. She writes:

We cannot possibly give these things to our children, and have lost numbers. But thank God, those that remain with us will have the blessed truth planted in their little hearts and minds, and this will be an eternal blessing. Thank God, by the power of prayer and hard work, we have maintained a great number, and we feel sure in the near future, we shall see numbers of older boys and girls enjoying the blessings of real salvation.

In fact, as we look out over our groups of young people today, we see numbers that have been definitely gathered in through the labors of the Sunday School. Some of the students in our Bible Training School this year are the products of the Sunday School. Looking on this, we know that our labors have not been in vain in the Lord.

From the Sunday School, we turn to the Mission Home again and note her words:

You may ask, “What future do you expect for such children?” Our definite answer is—the very same thing that we expect for the children who have been more fortunate in life, for these children should have the very same opportunities as others have. By surrounding them with loving influence and placing opportunities before them, they soon begin to adjust themselves to the new conditions of life, and the change is wonderful.

Several of our girls that entered the Homes at the beginning are now married, and have the preparation that makes them ready for their responsibility of home life. One of our girls, Luz, is married to a faithful, consecrated Gospel minister, Francisco Lopez, and is able to fill her place in a commendable way.

One of the oldest girls (who came to the Home on the very first day it was opened, out in a little country mission), has been, for a period of a year, efficiently caring for the work in the Girls’ Home, as the former matron had to leave the work because of broken health, and no other was available. This fine girl stepped willingly into the place and has carried the responsibility in a very commendable way. The training she has had in the Home has fitted her for this responsibility far better than any other we have been able to secure. For her, we thank God.

Several of our older girls are developing noble Christian characters and are filling places of usefulness both in the Home and in the activities of the Church work.

Some of our older boys are also reaching the place where they, too, are fitting into places of usefulness in the work. One of the boys is cook for the Boys’ Home, for workers, and visitors. He has also handled the cookhouse for our convention guests for three years and has cooked our big Christmas dinner for the poor children whom we bring in from the streets. Last year he handled the cooking for over three hundred and served them a real Christmas dinner. Another boy makes the mattresses for the Home in a very efficient way.

The past year, three of our older girls, having finished the grades in our own public school No. 165, attended another school some distance from the Home, and all three received special honor for their outstanding characters and their wonderful spirit of cooperation in all school activities. These were namely: Luisa Castillo Perez, Ruby Elinor Gilkes, and Esther Gonzales Burges.

How we do rejoice in what God has done for these children, but we are now facing a day when something must be done to properly prepare all the older ones for life after they leave the Home. Step by step, we have seen the great loving hand of God leading the way and taking us forward in our efforts to prepare these boys and girls for filling a place in the world.

Already commercial classes have been started with a very efficient teacher in the person of Phyllis Martin, our new missionary to Cuba. Some of our older boys and girls are now taking a course in bookkeeping, and other studies will be added as time goes on. One of our own Cuban workers is preparing, under the Government, to open a vocational school as soon as possible in connection with the Home.

We hope to see that new vocational school started, and then with our public school source, our commercial course, and our vocational school, these boys and girls will have a wonderful opportunity of choosing the vocation they want and preparing so that life will hold more opportunities for them.

The sorrow of the early life experiences is rapidly being wiped from the walls of memory, and the influence of past circumstances is being broken down by the happy uplifting Christian influence during the years they have been in the Home. We have among our children today, boys and girls who are developing into manhood and womanhood who will live in honor in the community where they are.

If you are one who has carried a burden for this work, are you not glad you have had the opportunity?

At that time Communism, Spiritualism, and Catholicism were raising up in greater force than ever against Christianity (of the true type), and doing everything in their power to make it impossible to continue. In some places where a congregation has been raised up, it was impossible to rent anything, and in other places where buildings were rented, the workers were constantly molested, so much that it was impossible for them to do their work. An outstanding case of this was in Elia, Camaguey, and steps had to be taken to get up a humble building so the work could go on unhindered.

She reports in the late forties:

Our work has outgrown the capacity of our meeting house in Almendares, Havana. Before we can have another large gathering (such as a convention or other large general assembly), we shall have to enlarge the building. We have a fine location and the building is clear of indebtedness. There must be some addition to the front and an upstairs over the whole which will be used for a Bible Training School during the week and for Sunday School rooms on Sunday, and sleeping rooms for the brethren during the conventions.

This is an absolute necessity if God’s work is to keep going forward. In our last convention many who had come a long way and paid carfare were turned away because they could not get inside.

The Children’s Home property is held by the Registration Board of the First Church of God, National, as is all our other property. It is absolutely safe, and others cannot lay hands on the property.