Last winter, while in Bermuda, I had the interesting experience of teaching a class in Health Preservation and Home Nursing. In the group of people who enrolled there were those of meager educational advantages, and this necessitated much forethought and change in routine to meet their needs. To begin with, nothing of the sort had ever been suggested in Bermuda before, and I was somewhat dubious as to the reaction. Accordingly, I set out to put as much enthusiasm and interest as possible into my "advertising." Our kindly minister told how much a similar class had done for him. One young people's meeting was devoted entirely to explaining the purpose and content of the class and to demonstrating a few first-aid measures.
Interest grew, and a goodly number enrolled. I feared the folk were so poor that an admission fee would be unreasonable, but nevertheless, in order to create and hold their interest, it was thought advisable to charge $1 a member. Local workers helped pay this for those who were unable to pay. The class consisted of white and colored members of both sexes—high-school students, day laborers, retired older folk, and one teacher. The only segregation was between the white and colored: one group occupied one side of the room, and the other, the other side.
The regular weekly prayer meeting time was given to us, as we felt reasonably sure that the class members could not leave their other duties two evenings a week. We opened each class with song service and prayer, and endeavored throughout the instruction to maintain a spirit of prayer and service as we taught the measures that would prevent and relieve human suffering. The class was held in the church, and there was therefore very little necessary equipment on hand. The smaller articles were easily carried over week by week in our bicycle baskets, but the question of getting a bed for demonstration was not as easily solved. Finally, after much persuasion, one of the merchants of the town who sold furniture agreed to lend us a bed and charge us only for the cartage.
Many of the members already had in their possession a copy of "Ministry of Healing," and the local workers helped in supplying those who did not. Because of their financial condition, I did not require them to buy the text, "Health Preservation and Home Nursing." Assignments were made from "Ministry of Healing" each week. We covered the chapters as outlined in the regular text, and learned some memory gems besides.
The majority of the members did not know how to take notes, and some could not spell the simplest words. Therefore each lesson had to be condensed. The most important points were selected and written on a blackboard which proved of too meager proportions to allow amplification of many statements. The points were copied into their notebooks after each point had been duly stressed and carefully explained. Whenever it was possible, the principles or statements were demonstrated and then practiced by members of the class.
In reviewing the previous lessons, it was observed that they knew well the note material they had copied from the blackboard, but remembered very little of the theoretical instruction given. Demonstrations were the most appealing and the most easily remembered, and constituted the bulk of the teaching. Each one was told to practice at home, and a review demonstration was given the following week by the students. After the bed-making demonstration, one of the women, who did poorly in the written work, said that she had always wanted to know how to make a bed correctly. She remembered that part better than any other.
Missionary activities and the passing on of knowledge gained was stressed weekly, and the many reports of work done were encouraging. One young girl of sixteen years attended class regularly, and said that each week she taught to her non-Adventist mother everything that she had learned. Many had opportunity of witnessing for the health reform message through keeping the weekly health-habit check of their personal program of living, and in explaining questions on diet. Others had opportunity to help sick neighbors—giving bed baths, first aid, or treatments, or bathing the baby. All were eager to tell of their experiences. The one class member who was not of our faith gave up her former habits of eating and drinking and is trying to live a good Christian life generally.
There was only one insurance company in the United States that would send free leaflets to the island of Bermuda, which is a British possession. But this one company was most generous in supplying us with all the free literature we needed; so the class was well taken care of. Each member had leaflets on first aid, care of communicable diseases, care of the baby, postural exercises, and many others which should serve as good reference material for them.
The interest created remained and grew. Some of those originally enrolled had to drop out on account of illness, but each week there was a good attendance, and many came just to listen. The Lord truly blessed our efforts, and I am sure He will continue to bless the members of this class in furthering the gospel through their newly learned line of missionary endeavor.
