With his heart at peace, ready to press on toward whatever his Lord willed for him, the missionary arrived in New Zealand. There he found everything changed. His brother, Hugh, had gone to be with the Lord. His sisters and brother, Frank, had married and all had little ones. He was saddened to find that some had not married "in the Lord."
He spent a few months with his father and mother in New Zealand. What a joy it was to be with them again! Gradually, however, he became more lonesome for his beloved Bolivian brethren. He kept in touch with some of them. It seemed that, as the Apostle Paul had said in Acts 20:29-3029For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:29‑30), grievous wolves had entered in among them, not sparing the flock. Also, of their own selves some were speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after themselves. He must return! Also, he was lonesome for the boys in the school and for those who had grown up in the schools.
The call to return to Bolivia was clear. With deep longings he prepared for the journey back to Bolivia, via the United States. He went directly to San Francisco to close out Rose's bank account.
Going to the bank officials, he told them he was her husband, and she had told him to withdraw all she had in the bank. He was concerned when they asked for identification which would prove he was her husband. Then the Lord brought to mind the newspaper clipping he had carried in his wallet! It read, "The wife of...," giving his full name. The bank official said it was sufficient identification. How thankful he was that the Lord had guided him to save this clipping! He had never thought of using it in this way.
While in San Francisco he had met a friend who was familiar with American cars and thus able to help him look for a suitable car. He knew Rose would be happy that he had fulfilled her desire to purchase a car with the funds in her account.
Next, he bought his ticket for the passage on a ship to Peru. He was able to buy a ticket on a freighter for both himself and the car as far as the Port of Mollendo, the most southerly port of Peru. From Mollendo he and the car traveled by train to La Paz.
When he arrived in La Paz, he found Bolivia at war with Paraguay. He had become a Bolivian citizen when he was there before, so he was required to report to the President before he could go any further into the interior of the country.
He rented a little room near the hospital where Rose used to work and visited the doctor who had helped him years ago when he first arrived in La Paz. A general physical check-up confirmed his general health was good but indicated he still had to be careful in the very high altitudes.
Next morning he went to the President's office to see what he should do about serving in the Army. The President greeted him kindly and asked him to sit down. The missionary explained to him that he was sorry but he could not with a clear conscience engage in active service as he was an evangelist, his desire being to tell others of the love of God and His grace in sending His only begotten Son to die for them. He further volunteered the information that he had finished part of a medical course and, if he could help at all in that way, he would be very happy.
The President suggested he might like to go right among the men, where they were fighting, as a Chaplain, and also as a Sanitary Captain. There was much malaria among them and there was no one to attend to them on the fields. The missionary told him that by the grace of God he would be delighted to serve in that way. He asked where he would be stationed and what his duties would be.
When the President asked him how he would get to the troops, the missionary told him he had a car outside which he had just brought from the States. The President asked him where it was and walked to the window so the missionary could point it out to him. Upon seeing it, the President exclaimed, "Why, it is a new one, and a good one, too! Are you willing to sacrifice it for such hard service? It will get a lot of use; it is needed there very much."
The missionary answered, "I am willing, Sir. I believe many of my school boys are there already, and I hope I will be able to help some of them, as well as other boys out there."
The President explained, "I will have a GREEN CROSS plate put on the front of the car, and you will be free to go in and out among the troops. You will be Sanitary Captain of 20,000 men and will be free to teach them about the love of God and to help them in other ways also." He touched a little bell and an officer entered the room. The President told him to put a GREEN CROSS plate on the missionary's car, and also to fit him out with the uniform of a Captain, and with ensigns for Chaplain and medical work among the troops.
The missionary was bewildered for awhile-everything had happened so suddenly-but he felt it was truly of the Lord. He was given his orders, and directions as to how to get to the troops, and what to watch out for. The President then embraced him and wished him "good success."
The President radioed the General in the front lines to tell him he was sending the missionary for the encouragement of the soldiers and treatment of the sick. When the General learned the missionary's name, he told the President, "Send him right away. I know him well. He will be a good help among the boys here."
The missionary then went to see the doctor who had been so kind to him before, to tell him what had happened and to ask about the best remedy for malaria. The doctor encouraged him and gave him other advice that he thought he might need.
Early next morning, accompanied by two other officers, he started out for the Chaco, a jungle area on the border of Paraguay. Along the route were young soldiers walking because they had no other transportation. The missionary and officers spent a week getting there by car. They were tired and weary when they arrived; the missionary wondered how the dear soldiers felt who had to walk all the way.
Upon arrival in the war zone, the missionary needed to get acquainted with the different officers, and learn what his duties would be, and how he could best help the boys. He also got his few belongings settled into a small bomb shelter built of heavy timber with earth on top. He was thankful for his own narrow cot and for the shelter of this place. Bombing was already very heavy-at times it was almost impossible to hear anyone speak. One trying aspect of his living situation was the great difficulty he experienced in trying to find a few moments to pray or to quietly read God's Word, which he needed so much for his own spiritual nourishment and encouragement.
The object of the Paraguayan Army was to capture Bolivia's rich petroleum wells in that district. The Bolivian Army had purposely retreated when the missionary arrived, its strategy being to suddenly advance on the Paraguayan Army. This battle plan was a great success. But the missionary's heart was deeply grieved that many young men on both sides were killed in this battle. He did what he could to relieve some of the boys and to comfort those who were dying, telling them of the Savior's dying love.
The climate was very hard on most of the Bolivians. They were accustomed to the high mountains of Bolivia and cooler weather. Here it was all jungle and steaming hot. The Paraguayan soldiers did not even wear shoes while the Bolivian soldiers had heavy boots on. Many of the Bolivian soldiers became ill from the heat as soon as they arrived there.
For three months a continual battle raged between the two armies. Thousands of soldiers died on both sides, many from malaria. Both governments finally agreed to call in the League of Nations to settle the conflict; thus the war ended. Bolivia paid a high price to keep her petroleum wells-the lives of 60,000 soldiers, besides many wounded.