The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-11-14
RESIDENTS OF AFRICA
UNCONVENTIONAL SAYS
FRIENDS MISSIONARY

zone can be most unconventional in
Africa, for there plain khaki suit
will do for most any sort of function, !"
said DR.. A. A. Bond, medical mission
airy under the American Friends
Board of Foreign Missions, who ar.
rived Tuesday from a period of six
years service in the Kaimosi hospita.
in Kenya colony of British East At
RIGA
The colony is only five miles from
the equator and $50 miles from Bonn
hasa, the seaport It is located on the
northeast side of Lake Victoria, the
second largest body of fresh water in
the world and which is the source of
the Nile river.
DR.. Bond came direct to the Friends
Central offices here after his arrival
at New York City Monday morning
He will be in Richmond for bries
time only and will visit his former
home at Westfield, Ind His future
plans are not known at the presen;
time.
Glad to Get Home
The medical missionary expressed
his happiness in getting back to Amer
lea yet stated that he was somewhat
reluctant to leave Africa, having be
come absorbed in the work which he
has been doing there. He says this
is characteristic of all missionaries
who are working in that field.
Dr. Bond has many interesting re
marks to make in connection with tbs
people of East Africa, who, he says
are yet, for the most part, in a saw
age state of civilization. They live
in circular mud houses some Is OF
20 feet in diameter, right along with
their domestic animals which are
principally sheep, goats and cattle.
A man may have as many wives as
he can afford in Africa, says DR.. Bond
the number depending upon the NUN
Der and quality of his cattle. The mis-
sionary explained this from the fact
that cattle is the medium of exchange
in that country, and the men mus
buy their wives, usually with cattle
He says that most men can affort
only one wife but some Of the more
wealthy herders and tribal chieftain,
have large numbers of wives.
Women Do Work.
The doctor also stated that the won
en- of the colony do most of the heavy
work, such as keeping the house, car
ry the water and firewood, pillow III
the soil and plant the grain. Tht
men cultivate the ground after the
women break it and also aid in the
harvest The tendency of the old mer
to congregate and gossip is just a!
common to that country as to an.
other said DR. Bond.
The East Africans have but ont
main meal during the day and that il
in the evening This meal consist,
of a sort of porridge made of grail
which has been ground to powder be
| tween stones. When cooked thi
ground meal makes a Cruel which tn
natives consume in large quantities
The Africans are very fond of meat
but seldom get it, for the animals ar
the chief wealth of the land, and, IN
til very recently, was the only medium
of exchange.
Work is Evident
In speaking of the work OF tn
Friends missionaries in this section O
! the world, the doctor stated that tn
results of the mission work are yer
apparent, especially inthe last FEY
apparent, especially in the last fey
| learning to read and write under tn
tutelage of the native instructors VIII
have been trained at the mission an
the missionary estimated that ther
are now from 1000 to 5000 schoc
children in the colony. The native
are beginning to wear clothing ais
and several other elements of civil
DR.. Bond is in charge of the medica
hospital at Kaimosi and is very niue
attached to his work there, he Stain
j that he anticipates being returned {
that post. The country, he says,
not hea1thful for the white person
there because of the menace of m.
1aria. The greatest dangers to tn
health of the natives, the doctor sail
are smallpox, chickenpox, a form {
plague, and pneumonia, the latter ma
ady being the cause for the create,
number of deaths among the blacks
|, The doctor stated that at first th
treatment of disease among the nativ
: was made extremely difficult owing
their extreme superstition. Thes
! pagan people worship evil spirit
, pleading with.them not to destroy the
, homes and their people. Until the r
suits of scientific medical treatmer
were shown to them, the natives r
fused to throw off their witch doctor
and their ceremonials, says DR.. Bon
He says the most striking result
which he has obtained were from b
surgical work. The medical trea
ment is not so effective because il
!. results cannot be seen as can thos
of the surgical operations.
DR.. Bond is a graduate of Earlha,
college, his class having been that
1906. He was member of the foe
ball team at Earlham in the year 100
: but was reticent as to his accomplis
ments along this line.