Kanchi Doctor

While the boys napped today, I sat in the rocking chair by our woodstove and finished reading a book: Kanchi Doctor: Ruth Watson of Nepal by David Hawker. Ruth Watson was a British woman doctor who was called to the mission field, so after she finished her medical training in England, she headed to Nepal; she was 25 years old. This was in 1951, and Nepal had just opened its borders to foreigners. Ruth was literally one of the first Westerners, and certainly one of the very first missionary doctors, to enter the country. The book describes the challenges and joys of her work and life there, as well as giving some history of the country and the religious, political, and economic situation in Nepal at that time.

The best way I can describe this book is inspiring. Although I did not read this book when I was growing up, it reminded me of other books that I did read during that time in my life--books which fanned the flame of desire within me to sacrifice everything for God and for the sake of taking the Gospel to every corner of the world. From my earliest days, whenever anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say, "A missionary." To think about leaving the U.S. for the foreign mission field was as natural to me as breathing. I am sure the books I read and stories I heard during my formative years played a huge part in birthing that desire within me.

This book, Kanchi Doctor, is the kind of book I want my boys to read as they get older. I'm realizing more and more how powerful biographies can be; they open the world to us in new ways as we look through someone else's eyes...a real someone...someone who lived and breathed and died and, hopefully, laid down everything for the sake of Jesus, no matter where and when they lived or what their occupation was. I want my boys to read about great men and women of the faith, whether famous or "unknown"...and by doing so, for their horizons to be broadened as they dream about how God can use them someday.

As I look back on my life, it strikes me as funny that I ended up in Tel Aviv in an urban missionary setting. I NEVER pictured my life being that way! I always imagined myself in the jungle somewhere, walking for miles and miles to get anywhere (it does seem like we did that in Tel Aviv!), washing my clothes in a bucket, living in a hut, etc. I felt particularly challenged by the thought of dealing with snakes--snakes in my living quarters, snakes along the path as I walked, snakes hanging from the trees. I was sure there would be snakes on my mission field. I was also sure that the people with whom I would be sharing the Gospel would be a virtually unreached people group, and I would be one of the first to ever tell them about Jesus. I guess God had different plans...and I don't mind a bit missing out on the snake part!