Die Welt-Post, page 3, Thursday, the third of April 1924

Splawnucha, 7 Febr. 1924,

To Mr. Georg Kreick in Portland, Oregon.

   My dear, true former student and friend Georg Kreick!

   Accept my apology for taking so long to answer your letter. I wanted to wait until all of the pledge money for the support or church organization was brought in so that could send you a clear and correct report. On the sixth of February of this year, I have from the last shipment/consignment I received from Flint, Michigan the sum of $43 for our church, $12 for me and $10 for a widow to receive information. From Lincoln, Nebraska we received a check for 16 Pounds Sterling that was sent to the Saratov Post Office. We were not totally pleased about having to recover these sums from Saratov, because for us, this involves circumstances requiring large obligatory expenditures. You with your manner of sending things have made things much easier, indeed it was thus that I received your shipment directly from Balzer. From there I received $35 quite handily. In adherence to your wishes, $25 went to the church, $5 for me and $5 for old Ludwige Johann Adam. Old Ludwige Johann Adam died here on 13 February 1923 so I gave the money to his son Oswald, with which he spent his last hours handling. And that is how your affairs were correctly handled.

   All of the following distinguished persons made donations, as I loudly proclaim, here to you in this letter:

 1.  Georg Kreick $5,

 2.  Georg Philipp Sittner $5,

 3.  Philippa Philipp $5,

 4.  Adam Niederhaus $3,

 5.  Georg Michael $3,

 6.  Philipp Kreick $3,

 7.  Georg Schäfer $2,

 8.  Peter Gebhart$1,

 9.  Heinrich Wilhelm $1,

10. Konrad Leichner $1,

11. Margarethe Knis $2,

12. Jacob Eckart $1,

In total $32 dollars, of which two we said, were used to pay for the shipment. I especially, and the entire church congregation, our heartfelt thanks, for the understanding and support you have freely given to us. We can see through this, that you are still interested in your old motherland and entirely deep regard that you still have for the church. God, the Father of all that is good, bless you and everyone, in the here and the hereafter. When you opened your hearts to us we were imprisoned by a weak church administration; I believe that we must all undertake to do God's work. Praise God and give thanks that he through my petition to you has awakened your hearts and allowed you to come to our aid. In return for your valued donations, we can do nothing more than to send you our feeble thanks, and call out to you "May God reward you."

   We will not forget and henceforth will think of you with love, Remember the village, where once your cradle stood, as well as the church and the prayer house of your motherland, in which you were taught about salvation and before the alter accepted the promise of heaven, and henceforth also forget not to honor and esteem, and also forget not what your goodness and praiseworthy work has done for your comrades. In such a difficult time as this the church has the special mission to intercede on behalf of the needy.

   Dear Georg! your mother has in her advanced years still another difficult misfortune to put up with. She has already suffered for a long time a bad case of cancer. I haven't seen her yet but it is said she has the shakes. Your brother Johannes and Philipp have reported and are still living on a farm. Your wife's brothers Jacob and Johannes are likewise living at an old farmstead. As far as I know, the rest are all well.

   For the rest, at the present time, things are not going as hoped but are still perservering. There much need still with us here. both bodily and spiritual. What the future has in store for us lays dark before our eyes. Yet, God will watch that things are to our well being. Let the waves rise, when you only need to be with Jesus. Keep a good thought for me and remember us when it pleases you.

   I wish all of those from Huck in Portland and in Oregon much good fortune and God's rich blessing, good health and serenity. Right hearty greetings to all from me.

   Special greetings to you, from your dear remembered schoolmaster,

                                              J. Rusche