Have you ever considered the lengths that some missionaries have gone for their passion to reach the lost? While exploring and discovering the interior of a “Dark Continent” isn’t an option today, there are still people that have never heard about salvation to be found. David Livingstone was one of the great missionary explorers of the past.
“Death alone will put a stop to my efforts!” is a famous and powerful quote of missionary David Livingstone. David Livingstone’s life spanned the years from 1813 and his birth in Scotland to 1873 and his death in Africa. From simple and difficult beginnings David Livingstone persevered and in 1840 he was ordained and received his medical diploma. While waiting to travel to China to become a missionary he met Dr. Robert Moffat who was a missionary to Africa, Dr. Moffat said that “I have sometimes seen, in the morning sun, the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been” in Africa. Immediately Dr. Livingstone decided he would go to Africa instead to be a missionary.
He began his work at Dr. Moffat’s missionary station and then he began traveling deeper into the heart of Africa. Dr. Livingstone found that his medical skills provided him with many opportunities to share his faith and were a great benefit to his missionary work. One of his many great missionary works might be considered his time spent with Chief Sechéle who eventually became a convert even though his faith brought him many trials with his tribe. Dr. Livingstone explored much of Africa sharing his faith as he went. Indeed it was only in death that Dr. Livingstone stopped exploring and sharing the gospel. While Dr. Livingstone chose Africa to serve as a missionary his strength of conviction to share God with the lost can be a testimony to us all in our everyday lives.
Photo by Chris Martin Studios
