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HOME MISSION BOARD 313
SECTION II
REPORT OF WORK IN CANAL ZONE AND CENTRAL
AMERICA
PAUL C. BELL
At the beginning of 1945 there were eighteen organized churches and
16 mission stations on our field. These were two American churches and
three West Indian churches in the Canal Zone; one Spanish and 12 West
Indian churches in the Republic of Panama; and one Spanish church in Costa
Rica. There were eight mission stations in the Republic of Panama and eight
in Costa Rica. We had eleven workers.
During the year two new couples were added to our force, Rev. and Mrs.
Jeronimo Campos in Limon, Costa Rica, and Mrs. Fred L. Jones, Gatun, Canal
Zone, to work with the West Indians.
We are especially grateful for Rev. and Mrs. Fred Jones. This fine couple
from Missouri, have endeared themselves to all of our people of all races. They
have good training and many excellent qualities that equip them in an unusually
fine way for their work. They are devoting most of their time to the
West Indian work, but have made a great contribution to our American work
also.
We organized a new church at Limon, Costa Rica, one at Alajuela, Costa
Rica, and a third at Chorrera in the Republic of Panama. These three new
churches have begun in a splendid way to reach out with their influence into
the by-ways and hedges with the Gospel message. We make special mention of
the Chorrera church. Under the leadership of the pastor, Brother Gomez, and
Paul Bell Jr. missions have been opened far out in the jungle areas among the
most neglected of the Republic of Panama, with the result of many being won
to the Lord. In one area in particular the natives have built a very attractive
chapel of bamboo and palm fronds, of which they are very proud.
Four monthly periodicals have been published each month during the year.
"El Mensagero" is t'he organ of the Spanish churches in the Republic of Panama.
"La Lumbrera" is published by the San Jose Baptist Church and serves
the churches and missions of Costa Rica. "La Nueva Era" is published by the
Baptist churches of Guatemala. The "Baptist Messenger" is published in
English for our West Indian churches in the Canal Zone and Panama. These
papers have served a good purpose in our work. We trust that all of them
can be enlarged.
The following are some of our urgent needs. Church buildings and parsonages
are needed for Cocoli, Canal Zone; Chorrera and Panama City in the
Republic of Panama; San Jose, Limon and Alajuela in Costa Rica. A central
building to house the Spanish church and a training school for future workers,
in Panama City. This building with necessary lots will cost not less than
$150 000 00 Three American missionary couples are needed for the Englishspeaking
work in Canal Zone and Republic of Panama. One American missionary
couple is needed for Spanish SECTION work in Panama III . and another in Costa Rica.
Last but not least, we need the interest and the prayer of Southern Baptists.
COOPERATIVE MISSIONS WITH NEGROES
ROLAND SMITH, Assistant to the Executive Secretary
TJie Home Mission Board during its long and eventful history has manifested
for over a half century a definite interest in the Evangelism and the Ministerial
training of the Negro. In this phase of its work the Home Mission Board has
approached the problem from two angles: Evangelism and Ministerial training.
In recent years the objective has centered around the idea of Ministerial training.
In this way we have fostered a program of cooperation with Negro
colleges and organizations in Ministerial training, Religious Education, Insti-