Martin F. Hofman Diary 1946 January 1 Tuesday. Elders meeting. New Year’s services at home. Theme: the eternal grace of God our source of comfort and strength for the new year. In the afternoon we took some pictures then walked to August Faller’s to let the children see their Christmas tree. January 2 Wednesday. I rode to Domingos Martins where I took the train to Victoria to cash a check and to do some shopping for our trip to the states. January 3 Thursday. Finished the shopping then returned via train to Domingos Martins and from there to home on the mule stopping in Campinho to get the mail and to pay for the two cases of kerosene that I had ordered for two families in alto Santa Maria. Home at 7 o’clock. January 4 Friday. Worked on treasury books making the balances for the parish and arranging the books for this year. January 5 Saturday. I took down the Christmas tree and helped clean up the living room. Rode to William Schneider’s the Parish treasurer who is in bed with a hurt leg kicked by a horse, to balance the Parish treasury book. January 6 Sunday. Parish meeting. After the meeting several of the men stayed for a while to visit. January 7 Monday. Instructions at home. Helped a while repairing the schoolhouse, raising it on one corner. Worked on treasury books. Wrote letters to Rev L. C. Rehfeldt,. Rev. C Mundel, Reverend A. Gedrat. January 8 Tuesday. Rode to Camphino on business. Mailed the letters and spoke with the Delegado do Ensino about Reinhold Kloss’s taking over the school at Rapadura. He promised to nominate him. January 9 Wednesday. Instructions with the children who live further away. Worked on the garden fence. Worked on treasury books. Help the boys with their English lessons. January 10 Thursday. Help the boys with their English work. Worked on the treasury book for the Parish. In the afternoon wrote to William Schneider’s, the treasurer, to close the account and to make the balance for 1945. January 11 Friday. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Helped the boys with their English work. Edmond Huwer came to buy some of my tools. I work on statistical report toward evening Edmund Faller came to get his and Florian’s written release from this congregation. I worked on the Parish statistical report. January 12 Saturday. Packed and rode to Alto Santa Maria. January 13 Sunday. At Alto Santa Maria instructions. Services. Theme: The eternal mercy of our gracious God the source of consolation and strength for the new year. Christian doctrine. Road to Alto Jucu. January 14 Monday. At Alto Jucu. Instructions. Services. Same as yesterday. Christian doctrine in the afternoon rode to Alto Sapucaia. Helped the whole world children with their reading. January 15 Tuesday. At Alto Sapucaia. Instructions. Services. Same as yesterday. Instructions. Road to Boa Esperanca. January 16 Wednesday. At Boa Esperanca instructions. Services. Same as yesterday. Christian doctrine. More instructions after dinner. Meeting of the young people. Returned home. January 17 Thursday. Instructions with the children living more distant. Did some washing and helped with some of the other work. Ranimiro Kunzendorff and Otto Strey return from Rio de Janeiro where they had served a year in military services. January 18 Friday. Instructions with the children from where off the doodle. Worked on a new lid for the vanity box that I made for Sophia a long time ago. Walked to August Faller to bring some boards for making a steamer trunk and other boxes for our trip to the USA. Ulrich Schade and his neighbor from Alto Santa Maria came bringing the corn that I ordered from them and to take home the kerosene that I got for them from Campinho. Peter Ewald brought some pork. 19 Saturday. Up at 4 AM to help Mr. Mr. Schade and Mr. Schulz get off. Washed the bedding from their bed. Finished the lid to Sophie’s vanity box. Took “mula” to Oscar Hand’s to have him bled. Prepared for tomorrow’s trip. January 20 Sunday. rode to Ponte Jucu. Instructions. Services. Theme: The eternal mercy of God the only source of comfort and strength for the new year. Meeting of the youth. Rode to Melgaco. January 21 Monday. At Melgaco instructions. Services. Same as yesterday. Returned home. January 22 Tuesday. Instructions with the children. Work on statistical report. January 23 Wednesday. Happy birthday Doris and. Five years old. Instructions with the children who live more distant. Started on the steamer trunk. January 24 Thursday. Rain. Rode Campinho on business. Returned late. Letters from Leah, Clara and one from Texas containing the legal statement concerning our names. January 25 Friday. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Wrote some letters and took them to Ribet’s to have them mail them tomorrow. Also returned the legal statement to Texas because a letter is missing in my middle name. Outlined sermon text. January 26 Saturday. Cleaned out the organ to make it playable for Sunday. All of us went to William Schneider’s to attend a homecoming party for the young maen who a few days ago return from military services. We stayed all night. January 27 Sunday. All of us returned early from Schneider’s and got ready for services. Theme: The state of the kingdom of God in this world. Young People’s meeting in the afternoon. Read for a while in the evening before retiring. January 28 Monday. Cleaned out Mrs. Kloss’s clock. Worked most of the day on the steamer trunk. Pump the washer. Read in the evening. January 29 Tuesday. Instructions for the children of Rapadura. Continued on the steamer trunk. In the evening Gottlob Faller came to call me to the home of Albert Ribet whose wife is ill and asked for communion. She had improved some before I arrived. She is suffering with acute pains in her right leg. Home by 1130. January 30 Wednesday. Instructions with the children living more distant. Continued on the steamer trunk. January 31 Thursday. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Worked the rest of the day on the steamer trunk. NB. In 1946, we left Brasil for the USA, hence baggage building. Dad traveled the parish on mule back. An aside: In his 1945 diary, he wrote that it rained Christmas Eve, but that only 5 of 54 children were missing from that children’s service.
Martin F. Hofman Diary 1946 February 1 Friday. Packed, then rode to Alto Santa Maria. 2 Saturday. At Alto Santo Maria-instructions. Services with Christian doctrine. Sermon topic: the state of the kingdom of God in this world. After the services I explained the constitution of the congregation to several families who pretend to join the congregation. Road to Alto Jucu. 3 Sunday. At Alto Jucu- instructions. Services with Christian doctrine. Sermon topic as yesterday. Rode to Alto Sapucaia. 4 Monday. At Alto Sapucaia- instructions. Services with Christian doctrine. Sermon topic as yesterday. Returned home. 5 Tuesday. Rode to Boa Esperanca. Instructions. Services with Christian doctrine. Sermon topic as yesterday. Baptism of Izaura Littig. Meeting of young people. Returned home. 6 Wednesday. Instructions with the children who live more distant. Straightened up the bookshelves and desk after Florisbella, the maid had dusted them and had mix them all up on the shelves. Worked on the sewing machine because it was skipping stitches. Repaired the children’s tricycle. Read in the evening. 7 Thursday. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Wrote letters to Rev. Paulo Hasse, to Leah and Ida, to Rev. L. Zimmer. Chopped some wood. Read in the evening 8 Friday. Repaired a leak in the water pipe above the kitchen. Worked on the steamer trunk. Help the boys with their lessons in English. Read in the evening then packed for tomorrow. 9 Saturday. Rode to Ponte Jucu. Services with Christian doctrine. Topic: The state of the kingdom of God in this world. Instructions with the children before and after services. In the afternoon meeting with the young. Rode to Melgaco. 10 Sunday. At Melgaco instructions with the children. Services with Christian doctrine. Sermon topic as yesterday. In the afternoon returned home. 11 Monday. Pumped the washer. Worked on the steamer trunk. Mrs. Kloss came to buy of our kitchen utensils. Later William Schneiders came for the same purpose. I worked on the sewing machine because it was skipping stitches. Read in the evening. 12 Tuesday. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Cleaned out the water tanks at the head of the line. Singing practice for the four who are to sing for the meeting of the young people. 13 Wednesday. Instructions with the children are living more distant. Wrote some letters (to the Rev Wadewitz, Paulo Hasse, to the Women’s Mission Circle of St. Louis, thanking for a present of $5.00) and two to the states. 14 Thursday. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Help the boys with their English lessons. Rode to Campinho to shop and to mail letters. 15 Friday. Helped the boys with English lessons. Worked on steamer trunk. Studied sermon text. 16 Saturday. Prepared sermon. The elders came to buy some of our furniture for the parsonage, the saddle and my part of the mule. In the evening the young people had a surprise farewell party for us. 17 Sunday at home services with Christian doctrine. Sermon topic: That it depends entirely upon the condition of the heart of the hearer if the word of God bears fruit or not. Dinner at the Klosses. Young People’s meeting, then went back to the Klosses for the rest of the afternoon. 18 Monday. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Pumped the washer. Worked on steamer trunk. Read in the evening. Mr. and Mrs. Ribet called and told me of the desperation of Emil Koehler because Otilia Ribet will not accept him. Decided that Mr. Ribet go to speak to Emil Koehler and his parents early tomorrow. 19 Tuesday. Rode to Carl Degen’s to visit him before he will go to Victoria to be operated. On the way home passed by Schneider’s to have him sign the petition to Synod for subsidy. On the way home also stopped in Ribet’s to find out how matters turned out concerning the difficulty between Emil Koehler and Otilia Ribet. Glad to learn that Emil gave in and took back his threats. I worked on steamer trunk, also put in a new drain for the bathroom. 20 Wednesday. Instructions with the children living more distant. Work on the steamer trunk. Read in the evening. Packed. 21 Thursday. Rode to Alto Santa Maria stopping in at Carl Steins to give his aged mother holy communion and also at the home of Anito Ramos a former member. 22 Friday. At Alto Santa Maria–instructions with the children. Services with holy Communion. Theme: It depends entirely upon the condition of the heart if the word of God bears fruit or not in the hearer. Instructed a family that wants to join the congregation. Rode to Alto Jucu passing through a hard thundershower. 23 Saturday. At Alto Jucu– Instructions with the children. Services with holy communion. Theme as yesterday. In the afternoon the rode to Alto Sapucaia stopping Bertoldo Discher’s to return some shirts that I had sewn there but that do not fit well. In the evening help the Huwer children with their reading. 24 Sunday. At Alto Sapucaia– Instructions with the children. Service with holy Communion. After services I had a meeting with the congregation concerning an illegitimate child whose father wants it baptized in our church. Several members oppose the baptism, at least did not want it baptized in the church. It took much explaining and talking to correct the wrong attitude. In the afternoon rode to Boa Esperanca. 25 Monday. At Boa Esperanca–services with holy communion. Theme as yesterday. Instructions with the children before and after services. In the afternoon meeting of the Youth, then left for home stopping on the way at Felipe Littig takes to give holy Communion to him. Home long after dark. 26 Tuesday. Crated the mimeograph that I sold to Pastor Zimmer of Teofilo Otone, Minas Gerais. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Repaired an old lock that Mr. Ribet gave me and made a key for it. Read in the evening. 27 Wednesday. Wrote a letter to Rev. Zimmer Teofilo Otone. Instructions with the children living more distant. Wrote a letter to Rev. Paulo Hasse in Rio de Janeiro and one to the mission board concerning the call that this parish sent in December of last year. Finished the steamer trunk and painted the interior of it. Read in the evening 28 Thursday. Arthur Kloss and I took the books and mimeograph that I sold to Rev. Zimmer to Marechal Floriano to the station. There was told by the agent that permission must be obtained from the secretary of war to send any used machinery over state boundaries, therefore I must return later to send the things off only waiting till permission has been granted. We returned by way of Campinho to bring along two cases of kerosene ordered by some men in Alto Santa Maria who will get it from our place. When we arrived at Kloss’s the men were already there. Read in the evening.
Martin F. Hofman Diary 1946 March 1 Friday. Painted the interior of the steamer trunk. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Repaired a leak and a water pipe in the bathroom. Cecilia Faller came with her sewing machine that did not work well and had me to look it over. Readjusted the needle then it’s sewed well. Read in the evening. 2 Saturday. Packed my things for the trip, then worked at odd jobs at the desk. Made another copy of a call to be sent to the Mission Board since no answer of the call sent off last December has come. Just at the moment when I wanted to leave, the pastor of Campinho you came to see about Sophie’s health. (He had some medical knowledge.) Since he left so late I had to postpone my trip to Ponte Jucu for tomorrow. Read in the evening. 3 Sunday. Rode to Ponte Jucu–Instructions with the children. Services with Holy Communion. Sermon theme: It depends entirely upon the condition of the heart of the hearer if the Word of God produces fruit in him or not. Most of the members of the choir of Rapadura attended services and sang two songs. Young People’s meeting with the young people of Rapadura as visitors. I rode to Melgaco. 4 Monday. At Melgaco–Instructions with the children. Services with Holy communion. Returned home stopping at Schneider’s to have him sign the copy of the call that I want to send to the Mission Board because no answer has been received of the call sent last December. Read in the evening. 5 Tuesday. Instructions at home. Rpde to Robert Koehler’s to have him sign the call (see yesterday). From there rode to Conceicao to the shoemaker’s. At home chopped some wood. Read. 6 Wednesday. Two classes of instructions at home. Helped the boys with their English lessons. Studied sermon text. Read. 7 Thursday. Rode to the railroad station at M. Floriano to send off the books and mimeograph that I sold to Rev. Zimmer at Teofilo Otoni, Minas Gerais and that I brought brought to the station last week Thursday. Still no permission to send them. Returned home by way of Campinho. Sent off second copy of call to the Mission Board of Porto Alegre. 8 Friday. Worked at routine jobs at the desk. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Studied sermon text. 9 Saturday. Outlined the text and wrote sermon for tomorrow and made other preparations. Practiced the song the four of us want to sing in Young People’s meeting tomorrow. 10 Sunday. At home– Services with Holy Communion. Theme: Two important truths that we learn from the story of Christ’s temptation. After services attended a meeting of the members of the cemetery. In the afternoon meeting with a Young People’s Society. Read in the evening 11 Monday. Some people came by to see about buying our sewing machine. I pumped the washer then rode to Marechal Floriano and sent off the books and mimeograph to Rev. Zimmer in Teofilo Otoni, Minas Gerais. Returned home by way of Campinho and arrived at home after 10 P.M. 12 Tuesday. Copied a Portuguese translation of the congregational constitution for the congregation at Alto Sapucaia. Instructions with two classes. Rain in the afternoon. Repaired the China cabinet. Read in the evening. 13 Wednesday. Road to alto Santa Maria stopping at Antonio Souza to visit his wife who for some time had not attended services. Farther on stopped in at Alberto Schulz a member of Ponte Jucu, to baptize his child. Arrived at Ulrico Schade’s after dark. 14 Thursday. At Alto Santa Maria– Instructions with the children. Services with Christian doctrine. Sermon theme: Two great truths that the story of Christ’s temptation teaches us Christians. Baptism of Dalira Guilherme.. In the afternoon road to Alto Jucu. Rain. 15 Friday. At Alto Jucu –instructions with the children. Services with Christian doctrine. Sermon same as yesterday. In the afternoon road to Alto Sapucaia stopping it at Bertolo Discher’s to get the rest of the sewing that we had done there. Rain 16 Saturday. At Alto Sapucaia– instructions with the children. Services with Christian doctrine. Sermon same as yesterday. Baptism of Matilde Klippel and Florentina Huwer. Meeting of the voters. Road Boa Esperanca. Rain. 17 Sunday. At Boa Espeeranca– instructions with the children. Services with Christian doctrine. Sermon theme as yesterday. In the afternoon meeting of the young people. Returned home. Rain. 18 Monday. Chopped wood. Helped the boys with their English lessons. Worked on an inkwell for the desk. Rode to Roberto Koehler’s to look at some Jacaranda boards that I had him Saw. Read in the evening. 19 Tuesday. Pumped the washer and helped with the rest of the washing. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Finished the inkwell for the desk. Wrote a letter to the Statistic Bureau of the Municipio sending in several requested statistical datas. Read. Rain. 20 Wednesday. Read most of the day. Instructions with the children who live more distant . Helped the boys with some of their English school work. 21 Thursday. Started making a suitcase for the trip home. Instructions with the children and this school (Rapadura). Rode to Wm. Schneider’s, where Henry Degen was working, to ask for the use of Degen’s mule and pack harness to get the jacaranda boards from Robert Koehler’s. Floriano Schneider will help me. 22 Friday. Floriano Schneider and I with two pack mules went to Robert Kohler’s to get the jacaranda boards that I ordered from Mr. Kohler. Chopped wood. Read in the evening. 23 Saturday. Rode to Ponte Jucu. Services with Christian doctrine. Theme: two important truths that’s the story of Christ’s temptation teaches us. Voters’ meeting followed. Instructions with the children before services. In the afternoon meeting of the young people. On the way to Melgaco passed by Vandelino Klippel’s to give Holy Communion to his sister who is partially blind. 24 Sunday. At Melgaco–instructions with the children. Christian doctrine. Services with Holy Communion. Theme as yesterday. Baptism of Elzira Klippel. Returned home 25 Monday. Did the laundry. Chopped some wood. Worked on the suitcase for the trip. Got some mandioca for the cow. In the evening read. 26 Tuesday. I started to get the jacaranda boards ready for making boxes. Walk to our third Day guns to get a haircut but since he was at Peter a walls making firing yeah I had to walk over there. Wrote a letter to Rev. Newman hey trace one choice. 27 Wednesday. Continued working on the Shawkat on the boards getting them ready for making boxes. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Helped the boys with English schoolwork. Samuel Kloss brought a letter from Ida. I wrote letters-one to my folks and one to Sophie’s mother, also to Rev. C Mundel secretary of the Mission Board at Porto Alegre. Also answered Rev. Winkler’s letter that he wrote from Fort Wayne, Ind. 28 Thursday. I rode to Campinho on business. Received $20 dollars at the post office that a man in the states sent through Pastor Emil Winkler. Did some shopping. Also paid the medicine that Mr. Robert Kautzke brought for Sophie from Victoria. Home after dark 29 Friday. Studied sermon text. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Chopped wood, got mandioca. Read in the evening. 30 Saturday. Outlined text and wrote the sermon. Made other preparations for tomorrow. Marion took sick with a sore throat. 31 Sunday. Services at home with Christian doctrine. Theme: The certainty of our salvation, a source of precious comfort for us Christians. Voter’s meeting followed. In the afternoon meeting of the young people. Marion still the same.
Martin F. Hofman Diary 1946 April 1 Monday. Pumped the washer. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Worked on boxes. Also Norman took sick with a sore throat. 2 Tuesday. Rode to Soido to give communion to widow Maria Krueger from where I then went to Jacob Klippel’s where I gave communion to him and his wife and to Adolph Klippel and his wife. Heavy rain. Rode to Schneider’s store to buy some materials. Ruth Marie started with fever. Norman has a severe cough. Marion some better. 3 Wednesday. Rain. I rode to Campinho to get medicine for the children. Ruth Marie has fever, also Norman. The doctor was not there so got some medicine from the druggist. Also took the capes from the Post Office that I ordered for Carl Strey and Carl Werneke. Rain. 4 Thursday. The children about the same. Doris Ann started with fever. Ruth Marie began with vomiting. Did little more than help take care of the children. Rain. 5 Friday. The children about the same. Norman’s throat is more inflamed and his cough very hoarse. Doris Ann takes medicine constantly to keep her fever down. Helped to care for the children. Doris Ann also vomits. 6 Saturday. I was to leave for Alto Santa Maria but asked one of August Faller’s to go to the Kunzendorffs to ask them to bring word to Alto Santa Maria that I could not come and that the services would be postponed to next Saturday. Marion got up. Norman better with his throat and cough. The girls stop with vomiting, very little fever. 7 Sunday. All of the children much improved. The girls have no more fever and vomiting stopped. Norman’s cough better. I rode to Alto Juku stopping at Peter Ewald’s store to have Mula shod. Rain in the afternoon. I took a cold. 9 Monday. At the Alto Jucu– Instructions. Services with Christian doctrine. Sermon theme: The certainty of salvation, a source of comfort for the Christian in this life. Bad cold! Podeto A.S. Rode to Alto Santa Maria got caught in a strong storm. The wind broke a tree off and closed the way so stayed at Fritz Mundt’s for the night. 9 Tuesday. Rode to Alto Sapucaia. Instructions. Services with Christian doctrine. Theme as yesterday. Cold so bad that I hardly could speak. Returned home stopping at the shoemakers gets get Norman’s shoes that I had left for repair Sunday and also paid our bill. Found the children much improved. 10 Wednesday. Rode Boa Esperanca –services as yesterday. Voter’s meeting. Afternoon meeting of the young people. Returned home stopping at Schneider’s store to have Figurino shod. Found all the children up again. 11 Thursday. Pumped the washing. Instructions with the children living more distant. Wringed the washing. Made a tray for the trunk that I made. Read in the evening. 12 Friday. Left home for Alto Santa Maria. Stopped in at Otto Brown’s to see what kept him from attending services although a reconciliation between him and Mr. Romar Kunzendorff had been effected. Found that he still feels despised Kunzendorff because he did not pay his debt to Mr. Braun. Mr. Braun is in poor health and discouraged with life. He has permitted himself to sink in his own cares and biased judgments. Left him and the girls after praying with them. Also stopped at Henry Schneider’s in Tijucu Preto to administer the Lords Supper to several people in that territory who could not participate at church. I arrived at Ulrich Schade’s after dark. Also stopped at the home of widow Raesch, sick in bed. She is a former “United” member but was refused communion because she had not yet joined and paid admissions. I gave Communion to her since I found her penitent and desirous to become a member of our church. 13 Saturday. At Alto Santa Maria –instructions with a few children who came. (An early shower kept many away.) Services. Theme: The certainty of our salvation, a source of comfort for this life. Christian doctrine. Baptism of Nilo Ramas. In the afternoon rode to Kunzendorff’s where I spent the night stopping a few minutes at Hanibal Ramas, to encourage them to return to the church. Rain. 14 Sunday. Rode from Kunzendorff’s to Ponte Jucu. Instructions with the children. Services as yesterday. Meeting with the young people. Rode to Melgaco stopping in at Wm. Lenhans’s to see his wife who is rather sick after the birth of a daughter born day before yesterday. 15 Monday. At Melgaco–instructions with the children. Services as yesterday. Returned home. 16 Tuesday. Pumped the washer and helped with the rest of the washing. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Worked a little on the suitcase that I started to make. Read in the evening. 17 Wednesday. Instructions with the children who live more distant. Continued to work on the suitcase. Wrote a letter to the treasurer Dr. Rehfeld informing him of our intentions of starting on our furlough sometime at the beginning of May. 18 Thursday. Edmund Huwer called bringing bananas and to see if I want to sell my razor. Instructions with the children of Rapadura –the last hour. Worked a little on the suitcase then rode to the shoemaker’s to get my boots and Marion’s shoes that the shoemaker repaired. Prepared sermon for tomorrow – Good Friday. 19 Good Friday. At home– services Theme: The cross of Christ opens up the way for the sinner to return to paradise. In the afternoon Sophie had choir practice. I read the first number of “Today,” the new Mission magazine published by our church in the USA. Then went to the church and conversed for a while with Reinhold Kloss who arrived from Rio today with his sisters, Cecelia and Mathilda to visit at their home. Studied Easter text. 20 Saturday. Wrote Easter sermon. And made other preparations for tomorrow. 21 Easter Sunday. At home–a combined service of Easter- Mission-farewell. Theme: the Easter message of the Angels. Farewell meeting with the Young People’s Society. In the evening all of us attended the social evening of the young people in the schoolhouse. After dinner I gave Holy Communion to Mrs. Emil Ribet who leave Tuesday for Victoria for an operation. 22 Easter Monday. Rode to Ponte Jucu –services as yesterday. Meeting with the Youth Society. Rode to Alto Santa Maria going by William Lehnhause’s to baptize their child. Arrived at Ulrich Schade’s at 9 PM. 23 Tuesday. At Alto Santa Maria –instructions. Services as yesterday. Road to Alto Jucu. 24 Wednesday. At Alto Jucu– instructions with the children services as yesterday. Road Alto Sapucaia. 25 Thursday. At Alto Sapucaia –instructions with the children. Services as yesterday. Rode to Boa Esperanca. 26 Friday. At Boa Esperanca– Instructions with the children. Services as yesterday. In the afternoon meeting with the Young People’s Society. Rode home. Found Sophie sick with intestinal trouble but still up. 27 Saturday. Worked on boxes for our trip. Mrs. Kunzendorff and Ida came at dinnertime two visit Sophie once more. In the afternoon I rode to Melgaco. 28 Sunday. At Melgaco– instructions with the children. Services as day before yesterday. Returned home. 29 Monday. Went to August Faller’s to borrow a saddle for Marion. He and I rode to Campinho where we spent the night. 30 Tuesday. With Marion via bus to Victoria to cash the check and to do some shopping. At the bus met Emil Ribet who is in Victoria with his wife who was operated on. Returned to Campinho via bus. In the evening notices came of an accident that occurred with the truck which formerly belong to Felippe Schneider. He together with the owner and several others were returning from Victoria. A little below Santa Isabella, a village, the truck went off the road rolling down a steep hill killing one and injuring three others including Felippe Schneider who was driving the truck.
Martin F. Hofman Diary 1946 May 1 Marion went to the dentist while I prepared the necessary papers for starting the process of obtaining permission to take our children out of Brazil. Marion and I left Campinho at noon and arrived at home toward evening. Marion vomited. 2 Thursday. Put a lock on the steamer trunk that I made and a grip on the suitcase that I made. Worked on boxes for the baggage. Marion is suffering from dysentery. 3 Friday. Put the locks on one of the boxes. Washed the blanket. Made grips for the steamer trunk and put them on, then varnished it. Chopped wood. Took the saddle back to August Faller’s that Marion used. 4 Saturday. Rode to Ponte Jucu to officiate at the wedding of Nicolau Krueger and Matilde Braun. Home at dinnertime. Prepared in a number of copies of the formula for reading services and made preparations for the parish meeting tomorrow 5 Sunday. Parish meeting to send another call and to make other arrangements to keep everything in motion while the Parish is vacant. It was decided to direct the call again to Rev. Edgard Klein of Toropi, R. G. S. In the evening I wrote letters: one to Rev. Zimmer of Teophilo Otoni, M. G., one to Rev. Kruse, one to Rev. R. Hasse in Rio de Janeiro, one to Rev. H. H. Rosenketter of McCook, Nebraska, one to my folks and one to Sophie’s folks. 6 Monday. Finished the letters then prepared for the trip to Tres Pontoes to speak to Rev. Newmann to ask him to serve this parish as vacant pastor. Road to Kunzendorff’s where I spent the night and from where one of the boys will company me. After talking it over with Mr. Kunzendorff it was decided that it was not necessary for me to make the trip, but that I could present the case to him by letter which Ronimiro will take up to Pastor Newmann in the morning. Time hardly permitted my making the trip the since we are busy preparing for our trip to the States. 7 Tuesday. Left Kunzendorff’s in the morning and arrived at home at 1 PM. Started one more box for the trip. Marion had been feeling better, but by evening was complaining again about pains in the abdomen. 8 Wednesday. Made another box, then packed one box with books. Marion improved. 9 Thursday. Packed the second box with books. Put on hinges and locks. Chopped wood. Marion got up. 10 Friday. Wrote a number of letters. Varnished the steamer trunk that I made. Packed a number of things. Studied sermon text. 11 Saturday. Rode to Campinho on business. Also went to speak with Dr. Gerhardt to see if he would send the Prefectura truck to get our boxes. Being the only narrow truck, it is the only one that can pass over our road. Prepared a sermon for tomorrow. 12 Sunday. Services at Rapadura. In the afternoon rode to Campnho to tell Dr. Gerhart that we shall expect the truck early Thursday morning because the congregation decided to repair the road instead of carrying our boxes to the road. Home by 10 PM. Norman took high fever. Perhaps a sore throat. 13 Monday. Slept little because of Norman. He too developed a case of dysentery. I took the living room table chair and sofa apart to make a box of the four ends of the chair and sofa. Edmundo Huwer called to pay a few things that he bought from us. Norman had high fever in the evening and during the night. 14 Tuesday. The men came to repair the road. I finished the box and enameled two black suitcases. In the afternoon rode to Campinho to change the date to Monday for the truck to come. Also mailed a letter to Rev. Luiz Neumann, one to Rev. E Schmidt, and one to Rev. Rudolph Hasse. Home by 10:30 PM. Norman still the same. 15 Wednesday Norman slept better. Fever gone. I helped with the washing. Painted over two suitcases. Pack some. I scrubbed the soot off the copper and packed it into one of the boxes. Packed a number of other items. Chopped some wood. Our cow’s calf died and I helped to bury it. Norman better 17 Friday. Packed all day. Made a lid for one of the boxes. Henry Degen called to pay for the lamp he bought. 18 Saturday. Norman up and went to school. I packed most of the day. Got suitcases ready. 19 Sunday. At home. Services. In the afternoon rode to William Schneider’s to settle accounts with him. Home then packed till 4 AM. 20 Monday. Packed the rest of our things and left by truck at 3 o’clock for Marechal Floriano. Rain on the way so we who are riding on the boxes got partially wet together with some of the baggage. At Marechal Floriano we left the boxes and trunks then continued to Campinho where we spent the night at Huelle’s hotel. 21 Tuesday. At Campinho– I rode to Marechal Floriano to the station to look into the baggage to see if it got wet. Dried all of what got wet then return to Campinho where I met Emil Ribet and William Schneider who had come from Sapucaia to see us again and to bring a few things that were left. 22 Wednesday. At Campinho– went to Campinho (?Victoria) to obtain some papers necessary for our trip home to the States. First I went to the Consulate where I learned that the law demanding special permission to take our children out of Brazil has been revoked, therefore I alone can arrange all of the necessary papers. The Vice-Counsel also told me that there are practically no possibilities of obtaining passages on the ships. These conditions now change our entire plans. I returned to Campinho without doing anything concerning the papers and talked things over with Sophie. We then decided that all of us go to Rapadura again, and I go to Rio to see how the situation is. 23 Thursday. In the morning went to the station in Marechal Floriano to withdraw our baggage from the station, then returned to Campinho again. Arranged with a different truck to take us to Rapadura Saturday. Samuel Kloss came to Campinho, therefore we sent notices with him to the people in Rapadura to meet us at the cross road to carry our suitcases to the house. Toward evening we attended a funeral on the cemetery of the United Church. 24 Friday. We did little more than wait for the day to pass. Sophie and the children went to the seamstress and I read for some time. In the afternoon, came a heavy shower. In the evening we watched some children to acrobatic acts in the street, then we retired after having repacked our suit cases. 25 Saturday. All of those returned by truck to Rapadura. At Marechal Floriano we took the most essential items out of the boxes and left the boxes in the store for the time being. At the cross road we found many of our members waiting for us, even had mules for us to ride. The house we found all cleaned up and the place hoed and swept. But what a depressing sensation to find the house all empty. Later some of the members came and return some of the household goods that they had bought from us. By evening the essential things had already returned. In spite of the disappointment it seemed good to be back again. May 26 Sunday. Spent the day getting the house somewhat in order and receiving visitors who came to return things that they have bought. Pressed my suit and packed for tomorrow. 27 Monday. Left for Marechal Floriano where I boarded the train for Victoria to see what is to be done about the registration papers of the children’s births that were burnt with other papers in the house after we had left. No information since Consul himself does not know. On the train I met an American from South Carolina and a Swede who is here buying lumber. I spent the evening with them taking a walk looking over the city with a man of the Ford concern of Victoria. 28 Tuesday. Boarded the train at 10 AM to Rio de Janeiro. 29 Wednesday. Arrived in Rio de Janeiro at 9:30. Walked to the house of Rev. Hasse to obtain the necessary information concerning the trip to the States. Learned that only two lines are traveling between Rio and the States and that with only freighters only that carry only up to 20 passengers, but there are about 3500 passengers on the list of these two lines. After dinner Rev. Paulo Hasse went with me to the Embassy where I delivered the mail that Mr. Rae vice counsel in Victoria gave me to deliver to Mr. Blocker. Also learned that it will not be necessary to obtain copies of the registration papers of the children’s birth papers burned accidentally. After some shopping we return to the Rev. Hasse’s home where I repacked and after supper left for the railroad station to board the train for home. 30 Thursday. After a very dusty and disagreeable trip arrived at 6:30 at Marechal Floriano where I spent the night in a filthy hotel. 31 Friday. Left Marechal Floriano in the morning and arrived at home at noon. Cleaned up then did odd jobs about the house.
Martin F. Hofman Diary 1946 (Back in the saddle again) June 1 Saturday. Outlined text and wrote sermon for tomorrow: John 15:26-16:4. 2 Sunday. At home– services. Theme: The Holy Spirit our true comforter in this hostile world. 3 Monday. I wrote a letter to Dr. E. C. Streufert, the Mission Director of Home Missions asking him to arrange passage to USA via air. Also wrote a letter to Rev. R Hasse informing him of the letter that I wrote Dr. Streufert. Wrote also to Rev. Paulo Hasse in Rio de Janeiro asking for more information on the steamship lines. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. 4 Tuesday. Rode to Alto Jucu looking for a milk cow to also to see if Mr. Discher who bought our “Singer” is willing to let it here until we shall leave. Spent the night with the Dischers. 5 Wednesday. Returned from Alto Jucu stopping in at Ludwig Huwer’s at Alto Sapucia to see if they have a cow for sale and to return the horse that I had borrowed yesterday. They have a good fresh cow but they ask Cr. $1500.00 for her. Also stop at Adolph Ewalds, a taylor, to have a riding outfit sewed. Home by 4:30 PM. Read in the evening. 6 Thursday. Rode to Oscar Hands to see the cow that he offered for sale. She is rather old-milking and gives little milk. Asks Cr. $1000.00 for her. Sophie wrote letters to the folks in the states to inform them concerning the delay of our trip. Samuel Kloss took these letters and the letters to Dr. Streufert, Rev. R. Hasse and Rev. Paulo Hasse to Campinho. Read in the evening 7 Friday. Instructions with the children living more distant and later after dinner with the children of Rapadura. In the afternoon road to Alto Sapucaia to see about some cows. Huwers will not sell their cow for less than Cr. $1500.00 and that is more than we want to pay. Spent the night there. 8 Saturday. Early in the morning I walked two Mundt’s to see about the cow that they will sell. It givess from 2 to 3 liters. The price is Cr. $800,00. On my next trip I shall see how much milk she gives before I decide to buy. Returned home. Packed my things for tomorrow. 9 Sunday. Pentecost. Rode to Ponte Jucu. Services. Theme: The Holy Spirit our true comforter in this hostile world. Rode to Melgaco stopping in at William Linhauser’s to see about a cow. They offered to lend us a cow for our use. Spent the night at Carl Wernecke’s as always. 10 Monday – Pentecost. At Melgaco – instructions with the children. Services as yesterday. Returned home bringing along a small a small puppy from the Wernecke’s for the children. Floribella Kunzendorf, our maid, was ordered home by her father to stay and help for several weeks, so I helped with the work. 11 Tuesday. Early in the morning I took down the water piping in the bathroom because several members came to repair that part of the house. Helped with the work in the house since Sophie is alone. Opened the boxes to see if our luggage is still okay. Prepared for tomorrow’s trip. 12 Wednesday Rode to Alto Santa Maria stopping at that Carl Dittberner’s to visit his wife was operated several weeks ago. She looks well and is doing fine. Arrived at Ulrich Schade’s at dark. Learned that the notices of tomorrow services did not reach them therefore services cannot take place. 13 Thursday. At the Alto Santa Maria –services could not take place because the notices did not arrive. Read the Epistle to the Hebrews and other parts. After dinner rode to Alto Jucu. 14 Friday. At Alto Jucu – instructions with the children. Services. Theme: The Holy Spirit our true comfortor in this hostile world. In the afternoon rode to Alto Sapucaia where I spent the night at Friedrick Mundt’s to see about a cow that he has for sale. 15 Saturday. At Alto Sapucaia– Bought the cow from Mundt’s for çr. $800,00 then road. to the church. Instructions with the children. Services as yesterday. Rode to Boa Esperanca. 16 Sunday. At Boa Esperanza–Instructions with the children. Services as yesterday. In the afternoon meeting of the Young People’s society. Returned home. From Melgaco had some notices of the death of Erica Januth, seven year old daughter of William Januth. Funeral at 9 AM a.m. tomorrow. 17 Monday. At 5 AM left for Melgaco to bury and Erica Januth daughter of William Januth. Home after dark. Text: John 11 25.26. Theme: Death is swallowed up in Victory. 18 Tuesday. Helped with the washing. Changed the stall for the cow. Read in the evening after washing dishes for Sophie. 19 Wednesday. Two classes of instructions at home. Reconstructed the stansion for the new cow that we bought. Helped with the work in the house. Studied sermon text. 20 Thursday. In the morning I rode to the shoemaker’s at Conceicao to get my shoes. Returned and rode to Campinho where I stayed overnight. 21 Friday. From Campinho to Victoria via bus. Had our “carteiras para estrangeiros”visade at the police station. Did some shopping. Bought a new rain cape for myself. Return to Campinho then home. 22 Saturday. Prepared a sermon for tomorrow and made other preparations. Helped Sophie with the house work. 23 Sunday. At home. Services with Christian doctrine and baptism of Julia Klippel. Sermon topic: Let us always be prepared for death.” In the afternoon meeting of Young People’s Society. Read after washing the dishes for supper. 24 Monday. Instructions of the children of Rapadura. Cleaned out the water pipes to the house. Started the laundry. Read in the evening. 25 Tuesday. Finished the laundry. Made a bed in the garden then planted lettuce and sowed carrots, radishes and colerabis. Doris and took fever with a swollen gland on her right leg. Read in the evening. 26 Wednesday. Henry Huwer, Vitalino Faller, and Gabriel Schneider came and fenced a piece of brush in for the cow to pasture the grass in them. I have two classes of instructions.. Doris Ann better and fever gone. Looked over the fence of the calf pasture. Read in the evening. 27 Thursday Helped the boys with their English lessons and got ready and left for Alto Sapucaia to get a riding suit that I had sewed by Adolph Ewald. At Pedrinho Ewald’s store was informed that the suit is not finished. Got Norman’s shoes from the shoemaker’s then return home. Soldered the pipes for the bathroom and also several pots of the kitchen. Read in the evening. 28 Friday. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Rode to Conceicao de Paraju to buy some materials. Read after supper. 29 Saturday. Installed again the pipes in the bathroom and did a few other jobs about the place. Read after washing the dishes. 30 Sunday. Rode to Ponte Jucu–Instructions. Services. Theme: Let us always be prepared for death. Christian doctrine. Meeting with the young people’s society. Rode to Pedrinho Ewald’s and bought an old “Aladdin” lamp for Cr. $50.00. Then returned home.
Martin F. Hofman Diary 1946 July 1 Monday. Rode to Melgaco – Services as yesterday. Instructions with the children. Returned home. 2 Tuesday. Two classes of instructions at home. In the afternoon rode to Campinho on business. Home after 9 o’clock. 3 Wednesday. Instructions with the children of the school. Pumped the washer and helped with the rest. After washing supper dishes wrote a letter to deliver to Rev. Luiz Newman of Tres Pontoes and made a copy of the 10 Commandments for a child in Alto Sapucaia. (Catechisms are not coming.) 4 Thursday. Left home for Alto Santa Maria stopping at Henry Schneider’s in Tijucu Preto for a short devotional for his family and some other members living in that neighborhood. 5 Friday. At Alto Santa Maria – Instructions. Services. Christian doctrine. Theme: Let us always be prepared for death. Voter’s meeting followed in which the construction of a chapel was discussed. Poor hopes of realizing this since there is no spirit in the people. In the afternoon rode to Alto Jucu. 6 Saturday. At Alto Jucu – Instructions with the children. Christian doctrine. Services as yesterday. Rode to Alto Sapucaia stopping in at Fr. Mundt’s to pay for the cow that we bought from them. Started a letter to sister Ida and Leah. 7 Sunday. At Alto Sapucaia– Instructions. Services as yesterday. Christian doctrine. In the afternoon rode to Boa Esperanca passing by the taylor’s to return the riding breeches that I had made there but that do not fit. 8 Monday. At Boa Esperanca–continued on the letter to Ida and Leah. Instructions. Services with Christian doctrine as yesterday. After services discussed with Carl Krueger and several members the domestic case of Mr. Krueger who wishes to join the congregation but cannot because he is separated from his legitimate wife and living with another woman. His case has not yet been investigated to see who is at fault. He agreed this time to do his part to get the case cleared up. Meeting with the youth then returned home where I found Norman in bed with a bruised back as the result of a fall in the house after which Sophie picked him up unconscious. He is okay again only suffering a little from bruises. Read the letter from Ruth that arrived while I was on my trip. 9 Tuesday. I did most of the laundry. Worked some on an old handsaw given to me that I am reforming for my use since I sold mine. Helped about the house at odd jobs. Read in the evening. Norman better, but took a sore throat. 10 Wednesday. Two classes of instructions. Olga Klipple came to tell us that she will take over the school of Rapadura since she has been appointed. I rode to Schneider’s to visit Mr. Schneider who is sick in bed with fever and a sore leg. Also brought some corn and stopped in at Ribet’s and bought some butter. Read in the evening. 11 Thursday. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Straightened up desk and bookshelves. Studied sermons text. Took parasitic vines down from one of the orange trees and then got mandioca for the cow. Wrote letter to Ida and Leah in California and one to Rev. Kruse at Itapina, Espirito Santo. 12 Friday. Sophie and I rode to Campinho to have the enlarged veins in Sophie’s legs treated. Home after dark. Studied sermon text. 13 Saturday. Outlined the text and wrote sermon. Luke 6:36 - 42. Made other preparations for tomorrow. 14 Sunday. At home– services with Christian doctrine. Theme: Be Merciful even as your Father in heaven is merciful. In the afternoon meeting with the young people. 15 Monday. Sophie and I rode to Campinho for the second treatment of the enlarged veins in her legs. Home after dark. Letters from sisters Clara and Elizabeth. 16 Tuesday. Helped with the laundry. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. Read in the evening. 17 Wednesday. Instructions first with the children living farther away, then practiced a hymn with all the children. Helped Olga Klippel, the teacher with some arithmetic. Received notices of the death of Henry Schneider’s daughter, Elsa, who is to be buried tomorrow in Tijucu Preto at 10 AM 18 Thursday. Left at 6 AM for Henry Schneider’s in Tijucu Preto to bury his infant daughter, Elsa. Returned home by evening. 19 Friday. Sophie and I rode to Campinho to have Dr. Gerhardt start the treatments of the enlarged veins on Sophie’s legs. Also did some shopping and Sophie had some dental work done. 20 Saturday. Rode to Ponte Jucu passing by the shoemaker’s at Conceicao de Paraju.. Intended to have instructions with three children of Carl Kalk but they were already returning from the church when I got there and they had not brought lunch along. Therefore I had to permit them to return home without instructions. Visited Otto and August Stumm two boys who do not attend services. They insist on being free to go where they chose as long as they are single considering all churches are alike. Apparently they are lost to the church as happened with one brother and two sisters in the past. Spent the night at Otto Garcke’s. 21 Sunday. Rode to Ponte Jucu – Instructions. Services with Christian doctrine. Theme: Be merciful even as your Father is merciful. P.M. meeting with the Young People’s Society, then rode to Melgaco. 22 Monday. At Melgaco – Instructions. Services with Christian doctrine. Theme as yesterday. Returned home. 23 Tuesday. Sophie and I rode to Campnho to have the doctor continue his treatments of the veins in Sophie’s legs, but he was not home. Sophie returned with the Kloss’s and I walked to Domingos Martins where I took the train to Victoria to do some shopping and to have a crown taken off a tooth so I can continue the treatment with the dentist in Campinho. 24 Wednesday. In Victoria – Continued shopping. Met the Gruells who are on their way to Rio where are Mrs. Gruell and the children will embark for the States. I returned to Campinho via bus and home by mule. 25 Thursday. Sophia and I again rode to Campinho for another treatment of Sophie’s legs but the doctor could not make the inoculation because of menstruation that started on the way. We returned home. 26 Friday. Left home for Alto Santa Maria. Heavy shower and my new cape proved unsatisfactory. Stopped in at Otto Garske’s and borrowed his for the trip. Instructions with the children of Karl Kalk at Albert Schulz. Arrived late at Ulrich Schade’s. 27 Saturday. At Alto Santa Maria–Instructions. Services with Christian doctrine. Theme: Be merciful even as your Father is merciful. PM role to Alto Jucu. 28 Sunday. At Alto Jucu - Instructions. Services as yesterday. Accompanied Galdino Velten to his home to visit him. In the evening conducted a short devotional service for the neighbors that went to the neighbor’s to listen to the “Hora Luterana” but the reception was so weak that I understood nothing. 29 Monday. After dinner left Galdino Velten’s for Alto Sapucaia where I helped the Huwer children with their reading. 30 Tuesday. At Alto Sapucaia – Instructions. Services as the day before yesterday. Returned home stopping at the shoemaker’s to get Marion’s shoes. 31 Wednesday. Rode to BOA Esperanca. Services as yesterday. Instructions with the children. P.M. meeting with the Young People’s Society. Returned home stopping at Schneider’s store to have the mule shod.
Martin F. Hofman Diary 1946 August 1 Thursday. Repaired my saddle. P.M. spent with the boys helping them with their lessons in English. Read in the evening. 2 Friday. Studied sermon text. Instructions with the children of Rapadural. Rode to Ribet’s to see if one of them could go to Campinho on Sunday morning instead of Saturday to Campinho to accompany Sophie who has an appointment with the doctor for Sunday morning. Rainy and very cold. Read in the evening. 3 Saturday. Studied sermon text and prepared sermon and confessional address for tomorrow. Fair. 4 Sunday. Services at Rapadura with Holy Communion. P.M. Meeting with the young people. Read in the evening. Sophie left for Campinho at 6:30 AM where she will keep an appointment with the doctor to have the treatment of the veins in her legs continued and keep an appointment with the dentist in the morning. I will go to get her in the morning. Very cold and fine rain at times especially in the evening. 5 Monday. I rode to Campnho to see the dentist and to get Sophie who went yesterday to take a treatment. She did not get inoculation since it would bother her in riding the next day. She took it this morning. Home at dark. Some rain. 6 Tuesday. Returned the saddle and cape that I borrowed from August Faller’s for my trip of yesterday. Left the mule there for treatment since he seems sick. Two classes of instructions and singing practice with all the children. Repaired the mule’s halter. Hoed in the garden. Read in the evening. 7 Wednesday. Together with Alfred, Reinhold and Humbert Faller left home on our way to Tres Pontoes for conference. In the evening we arrived at Ulrich Schade’s in Alto Santa Maria where I spent the night while the Fallers went to the neighbors for the night. 8 Thursday. On our way at 7 AM and arrived at Tres Pontoes at 1:30 where I met Pastor Hasse, president of our church of Brazil. In the evening pastors Schmidt, Kruse and Zimmer arrived. Pastor L Neumann was the host of the pastors. All of us retired late. Pastors Neumann and I the visited the small caves in the rock “Tres Pontoes.” 9 Friday. Opening session of conference. Rev. Kruse opened with a devotional. After the necessary preliminaries I read the rest of my paper on “The relation between the congregation and synod.” The afternoon session was again opened by Rev. Kruse with the devotional. Rev. L. Zimmer read his paper on “Unionism.” In the evening the first session of the pastoral conference was held. Rev. Zimmer read a sermon on Jeremiah 23:29-32 which was discussed. Then followed a part of Rev. Kruse’s paper: t “The practical application in the cure of souls of the doctrine of election.” Rev. M Flor arrived during the session. 10 Saturday. Rev. Kruse again opened with a devotional. Rev. Schmidt read his paper that he wrote for Pastoral Conference: “The Christian church.” Only a part was read. Pastor Hasse then followed with a number of subjects of importance for our church in general. P.M. we held one session. In the evening session of pastoral conference. Rev. Kruse finished his paper. 11 Sunday. Dedication services of the new church. The speaker was President Hasse of Rio de Janeiro. The collection was raised to help liquidate a debt on the church. P.M. Mission services. The speaker was Rev. Flor. Mission collection was lifted. In the evening took place the pastoral services with Holy Communion. Rev. Smith was the speaker. In the evening session of pastoral conference PastorHasse presented a number of topics and made suggestions. 12 Monday. Mr. Ramar Kunzendorff and I left Tres Pontoes in the morning and arrived at Kunzendorff’s after Dark where I stayed overnight with the three Faller boys who had gone with me to the conference. Cold rain since noon 13 Tuesday. The Faller boys and I left Kunzendorff’s for home where we arrived at noon. I cleaned myself up then washed my suit and later cleaned in the garden. 14 Wednesday. Prepared a sermon for tomorrow and made other preparations. Mr. Emil Ribet called in the morning, also Edmund Huwer. 15 Thursday. Happy Birthday, Sophie. Services at home commemorating the dedication of the church. Voter’s meeting after service. Sermon theme: “Which hearers returned to their home justified.” 16 Friday. Chopped wood. Rode to Ponte Jucu to instruct three of Karl Kalk’s children who are very dull and understand very little Portuguese. Spent the night at Otto Garcke’s. 17 Saturday. Rode to Ponte Jucu. Instructions. Services with Holy Communion. Sermon topic: “Jesus is the Divine Savior also of the bodily needs.” Meeting with the youth then Rode to Melgaco. 18 Sunday. At Melgaco – Instructions. Services with Holy Communion. Sermon as yesterday. Returned home stopping in at the Ribet’s where received letters one from Ortwin Streger, one from Anna, and one from Dr. Streufert informing us that the Board granted us passage to North America via plane. 19 Monday. I left for Victoria to get information on matters connected with the trip in case we should decide to travel. Rode to Domingos Martins from where I took the train. Also did some shopping 20 Tuesday. Left Victoria at 5 AM via train to Domingos and from there rode home stopping in Campinho to write to Rev. Hasse in Rio concerning our trip. Also had an appointment with the dentist. Home by evening. 21 Wednesday. Instructions with the children living farther away. Singing with all the children. Rode to Ewald’s store to get house supplies. Read it in the evening 22 Thursday. Wrote on the report of our Conference for the Mensageiro Luterana. P.M.Instructions with the children of Rapadura then helped Olga Klippel, the teacher, with some arithmetic. Also helped the boys with their English lessons. Read in the evening. 23 Friday. Finished the report of Conference and started to work on the program for our planed youth Sunday writing too short addresses: “The Christian Youth and His Church,” and “The Christian Youth and the Young People’s Society.” Then did several jobs outside. 24 Saturday. Rode to Alto Santa Maria stopping on the way at Albert Schulz to instruct the Two Kalk boys and their sister. Arrived after dark at Ulrich Schade’s. Rain along the way. 25 Sunday. 38-years-old today. Instructions. Services with Holy Communion. Theme: “Jesus the Divine Savior also of the bodily needs.” P.M. rode to Alto Jucu. 26 Monday. At Alto Jucu – instructions. Services with Holy Communion. Theme as yesterday. Frederick Stein asked for his release to join the German Union Church since he moved and is now living near one of their chapels. This of course was refused to him. No doubt he will leave. He is given to drinking and at times mistreats his family. P.M. rode to Alto Sapucaia. 27 Tuesday. At Alto Sapucaia– Instructions. Services with Holy Communion. Same as yesterday. P.M. Rode to Boa Esperanca. 28 Wednesday. At Boa Esperanca– Instructions. Services with Lord’s supper. Thme as yesterday. After services at a short meeting with Young People’s Society. After dinner visited first Mrs. William Littig and then Mr. Philipp Littig III to give both communion Mrs. Littig is sick spitting blood and Mr. Littig is suffering severely with congestion of the lungs asit as it seems. Arrived at home late where I found all well. 29 Thursday. Instructions with the children living farther away, then singing with all the children. Rode to Edmond Huwer’s to get the little seat to strap on the saddle head, also stopped in at Alfred Faller’s to get the other seat. Later went August Faller’s to borrow a saddle. Tomorrow Sophie, the girls and I plan going to Campinho. In the evening packed the things. 30 Friday. Sophie the girls and I left for Campinho. Sophia had to try on a suit that she is having made. The girls and I had work done at the dentist. Returned home where we arrived after dark. Received a letter from Rev. R. Hasse advising us to travel via air as the Board gave permission. Also a letter from sister Clara and one from sister Leah from California together with the birthday greeting card for Sophie and I 31 Saturday. Took the saddle back to Faller’s. I outline sermon text and prepared the sermon for tomorrow. I got some mandioca in the evening. Also helped end Reinhold Faller’s rain cape that Sophie tore on the fence last night coming home from Campinho.
Martin F. Hofman Diary 1946 September 1 Services at Rapadura. Theme: The unfaithful steward, an exhortation for the Christian to use his temporal goods with prudence. Meeting with the young people. After the meeting the young people, lead by Sophie, had a surprise for me–a belated birthday surprise. Mrs. Jacob Klippel and her grandchild spent the night here. She is the mother to Olga, the teacher. 2 Monday. Wrote letters, one two the Rev. Martin Flor of Sao Jose Puquero concerning books that he bought from me, and one to the Rev. E. Schmidt of Baixo Gundu to concerning my typewriter that he wants to buy. Several visitors called. Instructions with the children of Rapadura. After instructions rode to William Schneider’s the parish treasurer to get the necessary data for a financial report. Read in the evening. 3 Tuesday. Soldered the large water kettle and a pot. Pumped the washer. Worked on the program for the Youth Sunday. Committee meeting for the program in the evening. 4 Wednesday. Instructions with the children who live farther away. Wrote letters to Dr. Streufert, Rev. Paul Hasse, Rev. R. Hasse including a call, two to the states, to Dr. Rehfeld giving a report of our expenses up to this date. 5 Thursday Sophie and I left for Campinho where she tried on her suit at the seamstress and I called at the dentist. On the way home passed by Ulrich Schneider’s to baptize their infant son. 6 Friday. Weighed the suitcases, then worked the rest of the day on a large box for the trip. 7 Saturday. Rode Ponte Jucu –services preceded by instructions with the children. Theme: The unfaithful steward and exhortation to the Christian to use wisely his material blessings. A Short meeting with the young people. Returned home going past Conceicao to get Sophie’s bedroom shoes and to buy nails, hinges and tacks. 8 Sunday. Road to Melgaco – services. Theme as he yesterday. Returned home stopping at William Schneider’s to straighten up the treasury book. 9 Monday. Happy birthday Ruth Marie I worked all day making a box for baggage and crates for the two trunks. 10 Tuesday. In the morning I continued on the crates while Arthur Kloss road to the shoemaker’s to get Sophie’s shoes. He also brought word from the owner of the truck who is to take us tomorrow to Victoria to the fact that he will not come since his partner contracted another trip. Consequently I had to ride to Campinho to hire another. After much running around finally found one in Marechal Floriano through telephone who promised to be at Rapadura on Thursday morning. 11 Wednesday. Happy birthday, Marion! We packed all day and into the night till 4:30 A.M. Many visitors interrupted our work too much. 12 Thursday. The truck came at 5 AM. Packed the rest then left Rapadura at 9:30 via truck. Rain threatened but soon the weather cleared up. Dinner in Campinho where are we bid many friends “Good-bye.” Arrived at Victoria around 4 P.M. thanking God for the good trip. Huld and Arthur Kloss and Floriano Huwer came along. In Victoria we registered at the Hotel Imperior. Then I went with the truck to store our boxes. After supper we retired early. 13 Friday. In the morning went to see the dispatching agent with whom I went to the Custom House. Then went to see a transport company. This company told me that it would be necessary to dispatch everything from Rio. So I went to see another company if it will help me to dispatch the baggage from here. I am to return tomorrow at 8 AM. The dispatching agent Reginaldo Pesson started the process of obtaining the Certidao Negativa de Importo de Renda from the Custom House. I then went to the American Consulate to request a statement to the fact that Doris Ann and Ruth Marie Marie were duly registered at that office as American citizens. This I can get tomorrow. Things do not look so promising as far as getting started for Rio de Janeiro by Sunday morning. 14 Saturday. At the transporting agent at 8 A.M. as agreed upon, but the man did not come till 12 noon, In the meantime I went to see how the process of the Certidao was going. It will to be ready by 11 A.M. After dinner I went out to get the baggage with the transport agent. We got only a part. Then we went to speak with the Custom Agent to see if he will examine the baggage before will be taken on board September 27. He agreed. At noon everything closed so there is nothing more to do. After dinner allof ust rode out to Vila Velha on the streetcar. Before we went we went to the public health department to get a vaccination attestation. In Vila Velha we met Richard Warneke of Sao José Pequeno who is in military training in Vila Velha. He came along and visited us at the hotel. 15 Sunday. I wrote a letter to Rev. Kruse and one to Reinhold Faller. Richard Wernecke came again bringing with him Arnold Ewald also of Sao Jose Pequeno. Both are members of our church. They ate dinner with us. After dinner we went to the Praia Comprida wanting to show the open ocean to the children, but we were disappointed so we decided to go to Praia the Coasta near Vila Velha where we’ve enjoyed the scene of the open ocean and all the large waves rolling in. Returned and retired after supper. What a wedding anniversary! 16 Monday. The transport company got the rest of the baggage, then we weighed and measured it to compute the cubic meters. Then we went to the ship agency where we were told to return tomorrow at 11 A.M. So another day without accomplishing anything. 17 Tuesday. At 11 AM we were at the ship agency. There we were soon done. I also obtain the the Certidao Negativa de Importo de Renda. But the people in charge of the baggage fooled around till the dock closed, so the baggage could not be taken. Another day lost. And tomorrow will be a national holiday during which the new national constitution will be signed. 18 Wednesday. Everything is closed to being a national holiday during which the new national constitution will be introduced. We spent it doing nothing except taking a walk and packing. Tomorrow we want to leave, if possibly we can get our baggage taken care of before the departure of the train at 10:10 A.M. 19 Thursday. Our trip for today is off. Ran all day from place to place again, and only at 5:30 P.M. finally got the baggage dispatched. However we plan to remain here in Victoria until Sunday, then travel with them night train that will take us to Rio Monday morning. By leaving tomorrow morning via “Mixto” we would have to remain overnight at Cachociro de Itapimirim and wouldn’t arrive in Rio Saturday night. 20 Friday. Little to do today. Paid the transport company. We had our pictures taken for the passports that we intend to obtain in Rio de Janeiro. 21 Saturday. Immediately after breakfast I went to the station and bought tickets for tomorrow’s trip from Victoria to Rio de Janeiro. Then went to the photographer to get the photos. The group picture is not satisfactory because Sophie’s glasses have a glare. Also got Sophie’s shoes from the shoemaker’s. Returned to have another group picture taken. In the evening we packed. 22 (Domingo) Sunday. All of us left Victoria via train for Rio de Janeiro leaving the station of Victoria at 10:10 AM Took a sleeper for the night. 23 Monday. Arrived in Rio at 8:30 AM. Took a taxi to the home of Pastor Hasse where we met the Rev. Paulo Hasse and the family in the family of the Rev. Rudolph Hasse. He is in Rio Grande do Sul. Mrs. Hasse served coffee. They insisted that we stay with them instead of going to a hotel. All objecting on our part was useless. In the afternoon Pastor Paulo Hasse and I went downtown to get procedures agoing to obtain the necessary papers and documents for our return trip to the USA. No water for a bath– same story as in Victoria in the hotel. Doris Ann took a cold, cough and had fever in the evening. 24 Tuesday. In the morning all of us went to have other pictures taken because those taken in Victoria do not serve. In the afternoon went downtown with Pastor Paulo Hasse to make reservations on the plane of PAA. Were told that before October 13 there is no place. Finally got to take a bath. Doris Ann still in bed. Had fever again in the evening and during the night. 25 Wednesday. Still at Pastor Hasse’s in Rio. Sophie and I took Doris Ann to the pharmacist to get medicine against her cough. She still has fever. In the evening her cough let up some. I went to buy some oranges for her in the afternoon, then went and got the pictures for our passports from the photographer. In the evening watched Doris Ann till after midnight. 26 Thursday. Doris Ann improved. Had only a little fever in the evening, In the afternoon Sophie, Pastor Paul and I went to get the procedures for our passports agoing. Returned in the evening. Received the pictures that we left in Victoria for developing. 27 Friday. Left in the morning for the American Consulate to get the passport. The Consulate now demanded a statement from our church in Porto Alegre to the effect that we have been released from the concentration (internment) camp of Victoria in 1942. I returned to the home of Pastor Hasse where Pastor Paul Hasse I looked through the files for the letter from Prof. Paul Schelp in which he informed Pastor Hasse that the police had given permission for us pastors in Espirito Santo to continue our work. Pastor Paul Hasse and I then took the letter down to the Consulate where we learned then that it was satisfactory– they demanded two copies of it. We returned. Doris Ann improved– had no more fever but Ruth Marie started. 28 Saturday. Since everything closes on Saturdays, we could not continue with our papers. I studied sermon for tomorrow. In the afternoon I helped to clean up the church from the dirt left by the painters. Ruth Marie had fever again. I wrote letters: to my folks, to Sophie’s folks, to CPH, to the Rev. Naw at New Orleans, asking him to receive our baggage and send it on. 29 Sunday. At Rio –I preach for Pastor Hasse in the morning. The boys took colds and it rained, therefore we could not go sightseeing as we had planned. 30 Monday. In the morning went to the Consulate and obtained the American passport $9.40 and in the afternoon we went to get the necessary identifications for the passports (Brazilian) for the children
Martin F. Hofman Diary 1946 OCTOBER 1 Tuesday. The afternoon I went and got the Brazilian passports for the children. The entire process cost Cr. $700.00. 2 Wednesday. In the morning pastor Paulo Hasse and I went to buy the tickets to New York. There we also learned that we could get places on the plane (surprise, surprise!) tomorrow. After buying some presents for the folks at home we returned home and then we packed till 3 AM to be ready for our departure. 3 Thursday. [After going through customs and crossing the bay on a launch to the airport] we boarded a Douglas 4 motor at 10 A.M. for the States. Sophie and the girls became sick on the plane and I suffered with a terrible headache. Flying at times was rather rough. In the late afternoon we landed for little over an hour at Belem, Para, Brazil. At about midnight we landed at Trinidad, Port-of-Spain. 4 Friday. In the early morning we landed at Puerto Rico where are our passports were examined and our temperature taken. At 12 noon we landed at New York. After our baggage had been examined we took a taxi to the “Lutheran Inner Mission” in the charge of Rev. Wm. Stieve who received us and helped us along. He had funds waiting for us and had Pullman reservations for us for the 11:40 PM train to Chicago. We repacked some of the things so that we could check the three large suitcases and take the rest with us on the train. At 11 we boarded the train and enjoyed the sleep. 5 Saturday at 3 PM Central Time we arrived at Chicago where we had to change trains. The Rev. Pieler had Pullman reservations for us at the station for the “Zephyr.” At the train we also were met by the Rev. ?? a member of the Mission Board for South America. At 4:30 PM we were on our way for McCook, Nebraska. 6 Sunday. We arrived at McCook at 5:40 AM where we were met by my parents, Bertha, Ida, Clara, Victor, and Henry. We rushed home then got ready and attended services. The afternoon we visited with the folks. N.B. I couldn’t go on any longer, and just had to send it!