Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: FRUIT (05/26/22)
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TITLE: Dying for Christ - Is It Worth It | Previous Challenge Entry
By Dale Buchanan
06/02/22 -
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Intriguing! One young man from New Jersey and a missionary’s daughter, born in the US, but raised in China, met in Chicago at the Moody Bible Institute. They fell in love but waited on God to show them His will. For both of them, God’s will included China.
Betty graduated a year ahead of him and applied to China Inland Mission for missionary service. Before proposing, John wanted to make sure that he could pass the medical tests and receive approval from the mission.
Upon approval, John went to China and was now ready to propose. Betty had gone on assignment to a remote mission station in Fowyang. However, she was in Shanghai when he arrived. He proposed. She accepted. One more hurdle to go. John had to go for a year of language school first at Anking.
A year later, they married on October 25, 1933. Shortly afterward, they were stationed at Tsingteh to begin their ministry. Their daughter Helen was born on September 11, 1934, at the hospital in Wuhu,
During the Fall of 1934, they heard more and more reports of the approaching Communist armies. The Nationalist forces and the Communists were actively at war during the Chinese Civil War between 1927-1949.
John and Betty Stam received a warning of Communist bandits approaching their city. As they prepared to leave with their three-month-old daughter, the band of bandits captured them on December 6. Betty hid the baby. On December 8, 1934, the Communists announced through the town that they would execute foreigners because “the foreigners have ruined China.”
John was made to kneel before his wife and was immediately executed by beheading with a sword. As Betty fell over him, they executed her with the same sword.
Two days later, a Chinese pastor found and rescued baby Helen.
Was it worth it?
As news of their martyrdom spread, the impact was incredible! Many recruits volunteered for missionary service; spontaneous new student prayer meetings started, and donations poured in to the China Inland Mission.
Jesus said in John 12:24, “Verily, Verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Ecuador 1956
In 1956 the world was stunned by the martyrdom of five missionaries to the Auca Indians in Ecuador. Five young men, Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, and Roger Youderian, gave their lives so that these primitive, savage Indians might hear the gospel. All five were married, and four of them had young children.
The missionaries had prepared the Aucas for their coming. They preceded the whole operation with several months of prayer and planning.
Between October 6 and December 23, they made 13 flights over Auca territory, scouting the area and dropping gifts: aluminum cooking pot, buttons, pants, shirts, ax head, knives, photos, and machetes. The Indians were happy with the offerings, showing their pleasure with smiles and laughter, and had even sent return gifts: a headband, woven thread, smoked monkey tail, two squirrels, and a parrot.
By this time, the missionaries were confident that they could land and make personal contact with the Aucas. God had given them an “open door.”
In early January 1956, they landed on the shore of the Curaray River. The first contacts seemed to be friendly. But the Aucas, believing that all outsiders would shoot them with guns, speared all five men to death on January 8.
Was it worth it?
After their deaths, Elisabeth Elliot and daughter, Valerie, and Nate’s sister, Rachel, went to live among the Auca’s. Dayuma, an Auca Indian woman, assisted them. Many in the tribe converted to Christ, including several of the murderers. Linguists translated The New Testament into their Wao language. Later Steve Saint, the son of Nate, and his family lived among them for a year.
Countless young people surrendered their lives to missionary service. They replaced, many times over, the five young missionaries who sacrificed their lives. A multiplied eternal result of their sacrifice occurred.
In October 1949, Jim Elliot penned this journal entry: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
Jesus said in John 12:24, “Verily, Verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Bible quotations are from the KJV Bible.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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