In 1957 Sisters Daphne Crum, Olga Rodríguez and Louise and Frances Stubbs were assigned to the northern part of the country. Though there had been no Witnesses in the city of Calama when they arrived, they had 100 persons present at the first meeting held in the missionary home.

Sister Olga Rodríguez was a member of this group of four missionaries, and the way she became imbued with the missionary spirit is interesting. Her mother, Sister Ana Rodríguez, related: “The principal help that I have been able to give to my daughter has been that of building up in her the missionary spirit. After a year as a publisher following her baptism she entered the regular pioneer work. I urged her to be orderly and to persevere in the service and not remain home when it rained or when it was hot or when she had some little pain. I tried to help her appreciate that the service of God is the most important thing in life.

“Later came her invitation to the special pioneer work, which meant we were to be separated. Many tried to discourage Olga, saying that she had the responsibility to stay home and look after her aged mother. Even some of the Witnesses stated the same. However, I said to her: ‘Are you my only child? Don’t I have five other children who have the same responsibility? Think of the mothers of the missionaries who have come from the United States, Canada and Europe!’ After this conversation she was much encouraged and went on to become not only a special pioneer but also a graduate of Gilead and has been a source of joy and happiness to me.”