Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

921. In Constantinople she served as Di- rector of the Mennonite Home for Russian Women until the work was finally closed in May, 1922. After her return to America in July, 1922, she again took up her teaching. In May, 1927, she was married to Earl Salz- man, who is pastor of the Mennonite Church in Topeka, Indiana. RussIAN GIRLS IN MENNONITE REFUGEE HOME AT CONSTANTINOPLE Vinora Weaver Saltzman Our interest in the refugees in Constantinople seemed at first to center itself in the men and children, but as we became better acquainted with the situation, we found a group who seemed to be in more immediate need than the men, and those were the girls and women who had been separated from their husbands, fathers and mothers and all those who were dear to them in their homeland. There was little work to be had, and what was available was 366 FEEDING THE HUNGRY far from desirable. These Russian girls had much the same ideal of womanhood as the average American girl. However, rather than to starve some had accepted work which at first was revolting to them. The first girl to enter our “Mennonite Home for Russian Girls in Constantinople” was eighteen years of age. When filling out the customary questionnaire we found she had the opportunity to work and earn money to support herself. After making inquiries into the type of work she would be compelled to do, it was discovered to be a lottery—the gambling places one finds in so many ori- ental and European cities. This institution because of its character had been out-lawed in Great Britain and the United States. The girl’s duty would have been to serve the wine to the men who came to gamble, and not to deny them any of their wishes. This girl is to-day living with her husband in one of our American cities. One after another the girls were admitted until finally the building was too small. Because of this and in order to get the girls away from the city a house was rented along the shores of the Bosphorus in the small village of Yeni Keuy. Here fifty-five girls were accommodated, and, as much as possible, made happy. Among this group were about twelve “girls” who were more than fifty years old, most of these were mothers, who besides trying to care for themselves were anxious to care for sons and daughters. The oldest of these mothers was seventy and she had three sons in Constantinople to worry about. The work in the Home was carried on by the girls themselves. They cooked, scrubbed, swept and washed dishes, under the efficient management of the Russian ma- trons who were always with the girls in the Home. It would be difficult to have fifty-five American girls in one Home and keep them contented and satisfied if they had nothing to do from morning till night. Russian PERSONAL REMINISCENCES 367 girls were no exception to this rule. They were restless, nervous as a result of their experiences, and eager for something to do. Efforts