Country Served:

Africa

Date:

1813-1873

Famous Quote:

“ The end of the exploration is the beginning of missionary enterprise.”

Major Influence:

Opened doors of opportunity across Africa for other missionaries to start works.

Short Story:

          If you are discussing missions in Africa you will soon come across the name of David Livingston.  He will live forever in the annals of history as a great doctor, a famous explorer, a devout missionary, and a celebrated discoverer.

         David Livingstone grew up in a Christian home and was taught the Bible from a early age. In fact at the age of 10 years of age he received a prize for reciting the whole 119th Psalm. When Mr. Livingstone was a teenager, a desire in his heart for missions began to emerge. He made a decision to give everything that he made to missions. Shortly thereafter he read the  “Life of Henry Martyn,” after which he said , “ It is my desire to show my attachment to the cause of Him who died for me by devoting my life to His service.” From this point on as a young man he resolved to become a missionary. He studied hard, for he desired to be a physician as well as a missionary.

         With education finished he decided to go to the country of China to serve. How-ever, by the time he was ready to leave there was a closed door. So having heard of the great African missionary Robert Moffat, he decided to go to Africa – “Where the smoke of a 1,000 villages could be seen that had never been visited by a missionary of the gospel.”

        In 1840 Livingstone left his native country, and first went to Moffat’s main station, called Kuruman. He then went to the interior of Africa, which was something that was new to the white people. Before him everyone had basically stayed on the outskirts of the continent.  As he went into the interior he did a lot of exploration as he also carried the gospel to many villages that had no gospel witness. In fact he found 43 different kinds of fruits, and 32 edible roots in one district. He informed a London college and sent specimens of his “finds” to England. And so as he traveled from village to village he gave them the gospel, gave them medical attention and also discovered many wonderful things, including the beautiful Victoria Falls.

         Many people followed David Livingstone in starting works in the interior of Africa. When David Livingston died in the interior of Africa, the natives found him and eventually his body was shipped back to his homeland some 1500 miles. When the body was inspected it was found that his heart had been taken out and buried on African soil. What a story!

 Written and Prepared by Jon Allinson 2001