JUNIOR KING’S BUSINESS
Examinethese EASYTOTEACH EASYTOLEARN SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS
Cod Watches Over Mutumoqa by Betty Russ, I N t h e l a r g e Itari forest of the Belgian Congo, in the heart of Africa, lived a little black boy about eight years old called Mutumoya. “Mama, please let me go with you,” he cried. “ No, my child, I cannot take you; you must stay here.” Mama Maria’s heart was heavy. She loved her two children. She did not want to leave them and she could not take them along. Her hus band, Mutumoya’s father, had been killed while hunting elephants, and her father, Sulamani, had sold her to another man. Her new husband worked for the gold mines and had paid ten goats for her. A woman in the Congo is sold to the man who offers most. So Maria had to obey or be beaten. Mutumoya was so very young to be left alone, and Lakese, his broth er, was lame. But she had to go and she had to tell Mutumoya to stay. Sobbing hard, the little boy sat down under a big tree. He loved the jungle and it seemed that the trees and birds and stones were sad with him. His was a great responsibility now that Mama Maria had gone away. He had to care for Lakese and he would do it well. Wasn’t he a man? Didn’t his name Mutumoya mean a man? Yes, he would be brave and care for his brother well, Lakese was older than Mutumoya, but he had been lame for a long time. His legs grew worse in spite of all that the witch doctor could do. Many a chicken had been sacri ficed and the blood sprinkled on the leg, but it did not help. “Hi, Mutumoya, why are you cry ing?” shouted a voice near him. It
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Congo was Daniele, a friend who had just come from a long voyage. He had worked for the strange white people and was not like the people in the village. He wore clothes and also owned a blanket. In his pockets he had shining pieces of metal which he called makuta (money). Mutumoya explained what had happened and sobbed because he was all alone with Lakese. “ I’ll help you,” Daniele said to Mutumoya. “Next week I go back to work. You and Lakese came along. On my way I will take you to a place where people of God take care of boys like you. Perhaps the white doctor can make Lakese’s leg well.” Mutumoya was afraid of the white people. He had never seen any but he feared they would eat him and Lakese. “ Don’t be silly” , said Daniele. “ I work for them myself.” The next week they went with Daniele and soon arrived at Witcha, the mission station. The doctor put Lakese’s leg in a plaster cast and a kind African Christian nurse took care of him. Days went by. Lakese’s leg was still in a plaster cast. One day when the missionary lady was typing in her little mud house, skinny, naked little Mutumoya stopped in front of the door and watched. When she stoppped to change the page, he said, “Ninatake Kazi,” which means, “ I want work.” The missionary called Dambute, her faithful native helper. He gave the little boy some roasted bananas and corn to eat and showed him where he was to work. Mutumoya worked well. He pulled THE KING'S BUSINESS
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