Pioneering for Christ in the Sudan – Johanna Veenstra

Johanna Veenstra tells the story of her life of service in Africa. Note that Sudan at that time referred to huge tract of land stretching across the centre of Africa and not just the boundaries of the modern nation of that name. There are a number of unique photographs contained in this volume which I have attempted to reproduce as clearly as possible. My thanks to Redcliffe College for providing me with a copy of this book to scan. This title is in the public domain.

Johanna Veenstra [1894-1933], Pioneering for Christ in the Sudan. London & Edinburgh: Marshall Brothers Ltd., [1926]. Hbk. pp.190. [Click to download in PDF]

Contents

Farewell
The Call to Service
Preparation for Service – I
Preparation for Service – II
“In Journeyings Often…”
The Call of the Sudan
Getting Acquainted
Entering the Cannibal District
The Power of Spirit Worship
The Moral Life of the Dzompere
“In Perils in the Wilderness – I”
“In Perils in the Wilderness – II”
The Task of a Pioneer Missionary
The Dispensary Work of Lupwe
The Boarding School at Lupwe
Evangelistic Work
First Fruits
The First Convert From Among the Dzompere
“Suffer the Little Children to Come”
A Few Questions Answered
Problems and Difficulties
“Is it Nothing to You?”

Preface

When coming home for this second furlough, there was not even a remote desire in my heart to write a book and tell of my experiences during five years of service in the Dark Continent; I have never thought myself capable of performing such a task; and even now I hesitate to set this work before the public.

One day this summer our kind Director of Missions, Dr. H. Beets (Christian Reformed Church), approached me on this subject of writing a book. At first his suggestion made no impression whatsoever upon my mind. Later on I was confronted with the fact that I was compelled to refuse many invitations to speak in the different churches and tell of the Lord’s work in the Sudan. For lack of time it became impossible to travel about in so many states of the Union and in Canada, to reach all the people interested in the spread of the gospel in this needy field. A physical complication – overstrain of the vocal cords – also forced me to limit the amount of speaking appointments. [Continue reading]