I RAQ
MR . BE LLINGH AM PREACHING A:--ID PRACT ICI NG AMONG BEDO UINS OF
Medical Wor k Am ong Arabs in Iraq*
--•~f \
HE vast expanse of the Shamiyah Desert,
T which lies west of the River Euphrate s in
Central Mesopota mia (the Kingdom of Iraq)
extends far into the Nejd (in Arabia). It is
bordered by the Syrian Desert to the north . and
by all the mystery of Arabia to the south.
' A trip into that supposed ly empty desert would
seem rather reckless to the ordinary individua l;
a sojourn over a period of years-wh atever one's
objective- would appear nothing short of mad-
ness. Yet people do travel there, though one often
wonders what attractio·n s those great arid wastes
have to offer, and why 'people endure untold hard-
ships, wanderin g about its vast empty spaces.
Some travelers seek somethin g new by way of
adventure : they experienc e queer itchings in the
blood know_n to many as wan~erlu st. Organized
partie_s of explorers , anthropol ogists, archreolo-
• Cond en sed from 7'he Ev angelical Olwisti.<in, Toronto.
By w. BELLING HAM I r:!E-•·-
gists, geologists, also search and journey with
high hopes of adding a little more to our knowl-
edge of the almost unknown .
There are a very few who are called and sent
to heal the sick and to preach the Gospel among
the widely scattered tribes of Nomad Arabs.
Nothing can turn them aside from their objective
once the "call" is upon them and so long as their
trust is in the Risen Lord. To them the way is
old yet ever new with new and exciting dangers
and difficulties. There are the unpleasant sensa-
tions in the burning sun at midday; terrible foot-
soreness, thirst, fevers, lonelines s-all new with
a grim unexpecte dness. The aches and pains, the
suffering s and anxieties experienc ed along the
wayside in the journeyin gs of a missionary are
never fully told. Nor need they ever be told, for
they are forgotten mid blessings derived from
ministeri ng to the greater sufferings of those to
whom they are sent. For those sick bodies and
[ 372 ]
1937] MEDICA L WORK AMONG ARABS IN IRAQ
373
sicker souls to whom they journey know not the women; they are moving off at the sight of us-
comforts and love of the Risen Saviour . single file, along a well-wo rn track, carrying skins
But come with me-or rather with .us, Christ of water. The water in the water-hole is dirty
and myself- if you would know somethi ng of the and stagnan t, but oh, how precious - water is
desert. We will take you into its unquenc hable Life! How sweet on the desert! ."Let us hurry
life as we live it, and as it really is. and tell them of the sweet water of Eternal Life."
The journey requires a little over three hours It is only a thought and cannot be done, for sud-
by either camel or horse and is just as uncom- denly we think of the unwritte n laws of the desert
fortable on either. Leaving our little home of and content ourselve s and follow on, not daring
dried mud, dwarfin g itself in the distance , we to mention them more than once to our Arab com-
sway off into the wilderne ss, soon to lose sight of
everything one connects with mankind . There is
not a structure , mechani cal contriva nce or human
being within sight. On every side is sun-scor ched
desert, dry, ~mpty, silent, uncanny and bare but
for the presence of a few clumps of camel-th orn
and ourselves .. The sun beats down with a pitiless
glare, and the surface of the desert becomes so hot
that it will fry an egg. Perspira tion oozes from
every pore; , a gentle breeze from the south lifts
up particles of sand that adhere to every incl). of
our uncovered skin. Even the thought of water
makes us thirsty, but we refrain from drinkin g~
we shall only perspire more freely if we do. Our
Arab companion comfort s us with an Arab prov-
erb: "Don't drink-l ess tbirst; don't eat-les s
hunger?" So we sway along to the rhythm of the
gurgling water in our watersk in. To talk is a
fatigue, so we rock and think, think and sway.
Oh, why were camels made to walk so oddly? · It's
such an upcomfo rtable ache we feel across the
belt. The glare hurts our eyes. We wish we could
talk; we wish we could drink. Oh, if only there
were one s,h ady tree where we could rest. If only
we could see somethi ng new or other nomads in
the distance. Why, oh why, do people waste so
much water over the simple washing of hands?
Athousand and one thought s flash on through the
mind-we str.aight en up-rela x, close our eyes-
meditate-.. We shall not get lost, Christ is at our
side and even if there is no track we are com-
forted sorp._ewhat for our Arab compan ion is with
us. On and on !
O;ver a ridge and down into an indentat ion. THE' MISSIO NARY JN ARAB DRESS

T_here is more thorn now: and there-a way in the
d1stance -camels -"El Hamdu ltllah"- unto God
be _praise.. Further on are flocks of sheep and
goats that appear to be grazing on sand for we see
no grass . .- we begin to wonder what the blac}s
bundles are that move, for from where we sit they
appear to be framed between the camels' ears.
It's a water-h ole-no need for the Arab to tell us.
1'.he camels smelled it long before we crossed the
ndge and had we been unconsc ious· from thirst
the camels would have taken-u s there··even if they
themselves did not want to drink. They are won-
derful, in spite of being awkwar d at times.
But there!· we see that the ..black bundles are
panion, who in the: 'roughes t voice he can muster,
is pidciing thein move from our path. "It's easy
f~>r us to go aroµnd," we protest with a feeling of
pity. But th~'y have scrambl ed aside. One has
fallen over, 'a:nd we pass on trying hard not to
hear the oaths muttere d by the Arab at our side.
The tents of the other Arabs are not to be seen.
The ·path winds and twists through the thorns for
another four miles and we .~ross a rift in the des-
ert, and there, to our relief, are the tents, black as
the lean goats moving around. Our thought s
flash to Genesis, and we think of J abal, Abraham
and Jacob, who were plainsm en dwelling in tents.
Surely they must have used tents like these even
374 THE MISSIONAR Y REVIEW OF THE WORLD
in those long ages past. There they stand in all
the stark loneliness of the desert.
Someone is running to· meet us; a shout goes
up, others follow. Several barking dogs race to
show their teeth, but the first to greet us are the
flies. We attempt to speak. Several flies are in
our mouth, but we soon get used to it.
The Arab at our side mutters: "Allah Wakeil"
(God our Trustee), and touches the camel's neck.
With a series of grunts it kneels at an alarming
angle, head down and forelegs first; we hold tight
until we ·get a jolt from behind and know then she
is properly settled. · We alight with relief and
have the feeling that it is good to be on mother
earth. But before the feeling has rushed around
our aching limbs we must give our greetings with
"Peace," which is answered by "And on you be
peace."
A dozen or more dirty palms are thrust into
ours and in our pockets with impunity. The bag
witl;i the medicines is in the safe-k~eping of the
Arab, who freely clouts one and then another of
the besieging crowd. A score of questions are
asked in as many seconds about our health and
welfare, and what we have brought. We are then
led to the Sheikh's tent where some measure of
peace is assured. Greetings and questions are re-
peated and a dusty rug is placed at our disposal.
So we relax. A new dung fire is lighted right at
our feet; coffee beans are roasted and pounded.
We ask someone to bring our water but sour milk
is brought in a filthy container instead, with flies
swimming on its surface and every inch of its ex-
terior covered. ,To brush them off would send
more diving into the beverage, so instead we blow
them to the . far side and take sucking drafts of
the milk until our thir's t is quenched. If we should
be weak in ~he st'omach and complain about the
flies, we may 'h ear comments to the effect that we
have been given both food and drink and that
they were sent by Allah.
· But we have come to preaeh the Gospel, but
preaching, in the ordinary sense of the word,
ca11l}qt be done, so we shall have to win them by
tact. If we ca:n first attend to their sadly-neg-
lected bodies they will then lis.t en with eagerness
to the, wonderful healing power of the Great Phy-
sician, for they_never forget a kindness. ·
First we must -have coffee and discuss the latest
news; then follows a general talk. They know
why we are here but Ws beyond them to know
why we are not afraid. Governmen t officials visit
them on rare occasions, but always with an escort
of several armed police.
." Ar-e you not afraid of being stabbed -and
robbed," they often ask, for they love talking. of
such subjects. We tell them briefly that our trust
[July-August
is in God. "God is great," they mutter, and now
is the time to tell them of God's greatness. They
love a goqd story and will listen with patience·
but in like manner we have to listen to theii'.
stories, with patience equally as great, or they will
not listen to our next. Usually their stories are
about the prophet Mohammed and Jimree and
what they lack in propriety they soon g~in in
amusement . . The Arab has perfected the art of
telling a story; . much gesticulatio n, gasping and
repetition goes with every one. The following is
typical -o f the kind that tickle their imaginations
and this, by the way, is believed by them to b~
true.
One mu:Ilah, such a good mullah he was, never was there
a mullah lik.e him. Never!
He was always most careful in his ablutions, and always
washed his JJ.ands before going to pray. And as was his
ha.Jit he always held out his hands, always held out his
hands he did. But the sparrows belonging to the mosque
knew, and at prayer time always flew down to rest on his
hands and cling to his fingers to drink the drops of water
that gathered at his finger ends, until not even a drop re-
mained and his hands became dry.
At the end everyone gasps, and the teller to 1
confirm it, will swear by his Prophet that it is not
false.
Finally we tell our story, a guest's, privilege.
Then comes our time for medical treatment and
more Gospel. These Arab nomads suffer from al-
most every ailment it is possible to imagine-sore
eyes, open sores, the only covering of which are
the flies; infected wounds; cuts, burns, skin dis-
eases and internal complaints too numerous to
mention. Very seldom do they wash and never
with soap. They are so poor that one cannot
imagine how poor until .they are seen-no money,
no stores. They live mostly on dates and the
meagre supply of milk from their flocks. Perhaps
twice a year they take wool, hair and skins to the
town, which may be a hundred miles away, and
there they exchange their produce for clothes and
cheap luxuries.
Those diseases for which we have no cure we
commend to God in prayer and He honors the
faith of His servants. The men and boys are
treated first; then .we go to the women and girls.
a
It is pitiful: But half can never be told. We
leave messages of comfort and promise to come
again, if God so wills. "lnshallah" they repeat
from their hearts.
After givi~g our treatments we return to the
Sheikh and ask permission to go. He presses us
to stay the night, but we have had the experience
before. . We pick off a few lice that are visible on
our dress and make excuses. We return home as
the coming night chases another passing day to
 1937] HANS EGED E-MIS SIONA RY TO GREE NLAN D
the west, to bathe in four gallon s of water . If
that is not avail able- be patien t, Broth er! Chris t
bore our suffer ings on Calva ry and made one sac-
rifice once and for all ; theref ore· no sacrif ice is too
gteat for us to make for Him. We think of the
Arabs we have left behin d, and our hearts ache.
Hans Egede-Missionary to Greenland
Last year was the 250th anniver sary of Hans Egede's birth.
10 the News Bulletin of the Nation al Luthera n Church for
the followi ng sketch of this interest ing and inspirin g
sionary of long ago.
1
HANS EGED E, the Apost le to Green land,
was born Janua ry 31, 1686, at Senje n,
North ern Norw ay, 250 years ago. This
busy world will do well to pause a mome nt to
listen to a brief tale about his life and labors . He
was a hero and saint whose monu ment is the
Church of Green land, of which every perso n in
Greenland, excep t two, is a baptiz ed memb er.
Next to Austr alia, Green land is the larges t island
in the world. It is more than one-f ourth as large
as the United States . It is the most north ern
land in the world, and perha ps the coldes t, for its
interior is covered with an imme nse shield of ice
rising from 4,000 feet to 11,000 feet. Its mon-
strous fjords discha rge numb erless iceber gs, some
of them ten miles long and a mile or more deep.
The habitable portio n is a thin fringe along the
southwestern and the south easter n coasts , an area
of 46,740 miles, or 5 % of the total island .
The first settle rs in Green land were the ancien t
Norsemen. GunnbjS?5rn, Ulf Krage 's son, the sages
say, was driven by a storm to the coast of Green-
land in 876 and winte red there. Erik the Red
made a settlem ent there in 983, and called the
land Greenland, hopin g to attrac t settle rs. At
one time there were six thous and Norse men liv-
ing there.
In 999, King Olaf Trygv asson of Norw ay sent
Leif Erikson to Green land to Chris tianiz e it. In-
cidentally he made a voyag e of discov ery and
found Vinland, and his name is best know n as the
discoverer of Amer ica in 1000. In the Norse
sagas and the Vatic an archiv es are found occa-
sional notices of the Churc h which Leif establ ished
in Greenland. Thus, in 1112, Pope Pasch al II ap-
pointed Eric Knuts son Bisho p of Green land. In
1121, Bishop Eric left Icelan d for Vinla nd. The
bishops after him are menti oned in the Icelan dic
vellums by name in regul ar succe ssion down to
1409. In a letter of Pope Alexa nder VI, dated
l492, the year of Colum bus' discov ery of Amer ica,
t~e sad condition of neglec ted Green land is re-
viewed and Matth ias is appoi nted Bisho p of
375
Their trust is in a dead proph et while ours is in
the Risen Lord.
When next we visit the spot we find the water
hole dry and the deser t empty and bare. All is
quiet. They have gone, Gone! GONE ! BUT
WHE RE?? ?
We are indebte d to Dr. 0. M. Norlie of Luther College
, and
Luthera n mis-
Garda r, Green land. Then, for a long and drear y
stretc h of over three hundr ed years, nothin g is
said about Green land.
It was Hans Egede who broug ht the questi on up
again . A gradu ate of the Unive rsity of Copen-
hagen at 21, he at once marri ed and accep ted a
pasto rate in the fishin g town of Vaaga n, Lofot en
Island s, Norw ay. While there he read about the
Green land settle ments and the Churc h that had
once been plante d on that remot e island . He be-
gan to think about it and to talk about it, and,
after much carefu l and praye rful consid eratio n
concl uded that he ought to go there as a mission-
ary · to his count rymen . He laid the matte r be-
fore the bishop s of Trond heim and of Berge n, but
their replie s, which were delayed a whole year,
were just honey ed words . His parish ioners at
first thoug ht his views intere sting, then they pro-
tested , later becam e angry and finally regard ed
him as deran ged. His wife, Gertr ude Rask of
Berge n, at first did not share with him his desire
to go to such a desola te and unknown field, but
throu gh praye r she became convinced that God
willed it and never afterw ards waver ed in bet
suppo rt of him. To this day she is reckoned as
one of the noble st missio naries in all the annal s
of ninete en hundr ed years of missio n work.
In 1715, Egede wrote a pamp hlet defen ding his
idea as to the need of mission work in Green land
and resign ed from his pasto rate in order to arous e
intere st for the missio n cause. Peopl e regard ed
him as a madm an. Churc h people would not listen
to him anym ore. He turned to the merch ants.
He went to Berge n to enlist the merch ants in an
exped ition of trade with Green land. It was all
in vain for they dared not make the ventu re.
Now, fortun ately, the King of Denm ark-N orway ,
Frede rick IV, had starte d a missio n college and
had sent two missio naries , the Germ an Pietis ts
Ziege nbalg and Pltitsc hau, to be missio naries
amon g the Tamil s aroun d the Danis h tradin g set-
tleme nt at Tranq uebar , South India. The sendi ng
of these two to India is consid ered as the begin -