A busy morning, phones ringing, impromptu meetings, a personnel crisis unfolding – then we were asked somewhat apologetically, if we had time for an elderly couple who had just walked in off the street, asking to “see someone in OMF”. Jim & Kaye had recently discovered that Jim’s great-aunt had served with the CIM. We heaved the old CIM registers out of a drawer, searching until we came to her name, number 917 to be entered. Against her name was the laconic entry, “Died, Sept. 1900”. Jim told us more of her story. Emma Georgiana was 32 when assassins came looking for foreigners & Christians. She escaped the initial assault together with three colleagues & two children. They were hidden by local Christians in various mountain caves, trying to keep a step ahead of the soldiers. Emma wrote & hid letters in the caves, hoping they would be found & sent back to London (which they were). Her last letter reads in part “ ..we can only say God rules over all & must have some wise purpose in allowing all this to come to pass .…. it would be nicer to be taken & be with so many who have laid down their lives; but for the sake of the dear ones who may read this , & for the sake of the many who are still without Christ, one would like to stay for further service. The Lord is keeping one’s heart in perfect peace during this time of trial. We have heard that the people are coming, so we are going home to our Heavenly home. There I shall see you. Do all repent & meet me there. I have no time for more. The will of the Lord be done. Your loving sister, Georgie.” Emma was found by the armed men, dragged from the cave & killed by the road somewhere near the Ai-k’eo mountain ranges, not far from what was then Peking. A waste of a life? From the lives & witness of such people came the Chinese church. With China today becoming a global superpower, the presence of tens of millions of Christians to be “salt & light” in that society is a stark reminder of the wisdom & timing of God. Reminded of Acts 13:36 “for when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep”, together with Jim & Kaye, we thanked God for Emma’s life, asking to serve God’s purpose in our own generation.
Steve’s Mum recently joined us for a two week visit in Singapore. It was a whirlwind time but she womanfully pressed on through the full days! She enjoyed the IHQ team morning prayers, hearing the testimonies of the new OMFers as well as joining in the mid-year Day of Prayer. She mingled & helped out with the often noisy home visits with OCers in our flat. She went to Sentosa beach, joined the OC barbecue, was taken out for lunch to Little India, enjoyed evening walks with us in the Botanic Gardens & was also treated to a sumptuous Shanghai-ese meal with the Fung family.
We have a lot of speaking engagements coming up in August & need your prayers. Anna will be leading a day retreat for the ladies of Prinsep Street Presbyterian on the 4th entitled “A Woman after God’s own Heart”. Steve will be speaking at Bethesda Katong on Acts 13/14 (!) on the 12th & leading a workshop at the combined English Presbyterian Mission Conference on the 18th, tackling the challenging issue of “Integrated Mission”. Then we’re enlisting Josh & Aimee’s help to lead the family service at our church, Adam Road Presbyterian on the 26th. Anna will be speaking again on 28th to the ladies of Bethesda Frankel Estate Church. We will study the Bible with 2 doctors from a large country near us starting on 8th August. The wife believes but not her husband. Please pray he comes to faith.
Josh is hard at work at the Anglo Chinese School – even starting the day with a ½ hour of extra science to make sure that there are no gaps with the others in his new class. After a month he has settled well – we’ll hear more about it at a meeting with his teachers next week. Meanwhile Aimee enjoys her holiday, helping out at Kidzone at the July OC, looking after younger children. Steve & Josh received their clarinet exam results. They both passed comfortably, although the teacher told us the external examiner marking was tough this year. Phew! Onwards to the next level. With our love & thanks for your prayers,
Steve Anna, Josh and Aimée
