Reformátusok Lapja, 1971 (71. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1971-11-01 / 11. szám
4 REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA MISSION IN KENYA It was a wonderful experience to receive answers from twenty-one countries to my letter written a year ago. Many thanks for your reassurance, prayers and readiness to help. You were keenly interested in the work for the Maasai people, therefore, I wish to share with you some of our experiences. In June, Rev. and Mrs. J. L. Anderson retired after working forty-five years in the mission at Africa. In their place, we have Rev. Samuel Pulei, who is a respected Maasai pastor, who returned from England after a year’s study-tour. It is a great pleasure to feel the revival here. More and more people are becoming Christians. The Maasiland is open for the Gospel. We are most happy to travel far distances to tell the Good News for those people who have not had the opportunity of hearing the name of Jesus Christ. A beautiful church of stone was built in Olooseos. At present, Mr. Denny Grindall is the Acting Director. He works together with the Maasai people on water development. His help in this area is of utmost importance. Mr. Grindall and his wife, who works in the office, are volunteers from the United States who have been here for the past six months. The nurses work hard in the Dispensary and even go outside to the bush area day and night to heal the sick. For four months, my wife and I have been learning the Swahili language at the Church Missionary Society Language School. This helps us to make a brotherly and friendly contact with the people of this country. Each week we invite our fellow-workers in to talk over the problems of the people. It is a new experience for them to even search for ways to change their lives. Previously, there was a wall against any change, and the answer to each change was: “this is the custom!” Now the farm workers in Olooseos are convinced of the value of their work and tell this to the other Maasai people. We saw real Christian action when the farm workers proposed going together after their own work was completed, to a poor village where there was no food, to prepare gardens for the villagers there. We make fences from the surrounding thorn trees to prevent game from ruining the gardens. But since we have no tractor, we do not know how we will be able to plow the fields. I could train workers to drive the tractor, but as yet, we have not been able to find any help in securing machines to alleviate the hunger problem of these people. From the money sent to us when our home burned down, I was able to buy a baler for $2,015.00. This baler has been of great help and is used by the Maasai people. With this baler we are able to handle a great deal of hay to save the cattle. The baler is used twelve and a half hours a day by two shifts of people. The Maasai people have always tried to keep as many cattle as possible for the more cattle you owned, the more important you were. Now I am teaching them to sell some of the cattle and buy machines. This will be the start from the nomadic- extensive animal keeping to farming. We are also training the oxen to pull the oxcart which helps the women who carry heavy things. In the middle of the Maasai hut there is a place for fire. We have been trying to find a suitable chimney and window for these huts. Also many of the small children fall into the fire and are burned. My wife helps with the medical work, bandaging the one and two year old children who have been badly burned. Here in this country we see many different denominations working together and helping each other; and now I know that you in all the different countries, are striving to help us in the work of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. István Csákány----------------o --------------------TO: CONFERENCE EXECUTIVES OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST October, 1971 Dear Friends: In April, 1971, we sent you our salary study for 1970. Now through our computer program, we can give you the 1971 study based upon the salary reports of the Annuity Fund and the MRAF. We hope in future years to have the study ready in September each year. Here are some highlights: 1971 1970 Number of parish ministers reporting 4,049 4,067 Average Salary ...................................... $9,453 $8,936 Median Salary ........................................ $8,947 The report shows cash salary plus a cash parsonage allowance, if such an allowance is furnished, or plus 20% if the free use of a parsonage is provided. The full 11% recommended payments into the pension funds were being made with respect to 91.86% of the ministers reporting compared with 91.44% in 1970. Attached is the state by state summary, showing the average 1971 salary in each state compared with 1970 and the median salary in 1971. (Our 1970 survey did not show the median salary.) Additional pages show the breakdown in salary groups of ministers serving churches and the percentage with respect to whom the full 11% dues are paid, both nationally and for your Conference. The Nixon wage freeze may seriously affect our ministers. Many feel that it will continue in 1972. Churches should provide salary increases in their 1972 budgets with the understanding that they will not take effect until it becomes legal. If this is not done, and if the freeze is terminated, it may be too late for churches to change budgets. Cordially, Wm. Kincaid Newman Executive Vice President
