Anna V. Blough letter to home folks, Feb. 24, 1917

              Le Ping, Shansi, China
February 2 4, 1917

Dear Home Folks, 
The last letter from home you said you had just received my letter written at this place and had read it to Eliza Miller. I am sure she can appreciate some of the things connected with a touring trip. Last week when I wrote I said I was coming this week. Somehow it took a great deal of courage to come this time, yet the Lord has been with me and helped in the difficult places. In writing to you before I have told both sides, the encouraging and the hard things and I shall do so this time for I think you should know both sides that you may the better pray for me. A month ago there were some changes made in workers here around the Chinese. There were some difficulties which it was hoped would be overcome by shifting workers around to different stations. In doing so, not all here were pleased tho I think it will work out alright soon. 

On Monday I came, Lai Hsi our cook came along and staid [sic] with me here to cook and go along out to villages. On the road here I stopped at Pu Kou the home of two Christian boys, one of them at school in Ping Ting. He was very pleased to have me stop at his home and gave a letter to hand to his father. They were very nice to me, but the women could not understand anything I said, tho the men understood all. They gave me a hearty invitation to stop whenever I go past and I shall do so. Will stop at Han Lous village on the way back, he too is a Christian. 

This week I spent the forenoon in the homes of the city and the afternoon out in villages of Christians, averaging a village for each day. In some homes I found, they have been growing in interest and knowledge since last visit. I mention the Sung home again where the three brothers are Christians. I found all the women much interested, understood more than the average and all were trying to read. Then I asked them what they could sing and they name a hymn, and I started to sing but instead of solo singing as in many places, it was congregational singing the whole household helped to sing, men and women and sang about four hymns. Then as I asked that we pray they all knew what that was. They were very warm hearted and begged me to stay all night but I thot [sic] best to come back to my own bed in cold weather. Then there is Chao Fu Cheng�s mother who too has made progress. It is a great job to visit again some of these homes where they look for your coming and take you in as a friend. In the Shao home where father and son are Christian I had a pleasant time. I did not see a trace of idolatry about the place. They received the message open heartedly. The girl, thirteen years old is interested in reading and has been making some progress along that line. They insisted in