Jonathan Goforth,
Missionary to China.
Cruelly bullied at Christian school.
Loved the perpetrators so that, four years later,
They agreed to support him financially for life.
Lost all to a fire.
Rebuilt.
Lost all to a flood.
Rebuilt.
Lost most to theft.
Rebuilt.
Five. Children. Dead.
The others, along with wife and self,
Almost killed during the Boxer Rebellion.
Blind the last few years of life.
Ever evangelistic, optimistic.
Intent on furthering the kingdom of God.
I read his life story and think,
Like Noah and the prophets of old:
This man was hard core,
Persevering to an extreme I cannot begin to imagine.
I too read those testimonies and wonder...to lose more than one child and often as many wives, really?? I never know what to say to my children, can;t bring myself to commend their faith while they failed their family. A real dilemma.
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