Called to Medical Missions Congo
Helen Roseveare, a missionary doctor from England, embarked on a journey of faith and service in the Congo in the early 1950s. After becoming a Christian in 1945 at Cambridge, she felt a strong calling to use her medical skills on the mission field. In 1953, Helen arrived in the Congo, then known as the Belgian Congo, where she built a hospital and training center in Ibambi and later transformed an abandoned maternity and leprosy center in Nebobongo into a 100-bed hospital.
Surviving Persecution and Suffering
In 1964, during a period of civil war, Helen was captured by rebel forces and endured horrific abuse, questioning God's presence in her suffering. As she later recounted, "On that dreadful night, beaten and bruised, terrified and tormented, unutterably alone, I had felt at last God had failed me." Yet, in that darkness, she experienced a profound encounter with God, who reminded her that her sufferings were not hers alone but His. Helen felt an overwhelming sense of privilege that God would choose her for such a purpose.
God's Miraculous Provision Returns
Despite her ordeal, Helen returned to the Congo in 1966 to continue her work. She witnessed God's provision in remarkable ways, such as when a young girl prayed for a hot water bottle to save a premature baby, and a package containing just such a bottle arrived that same day, sent months earlier from England. Helen's life and work were marked by God's faithfulness and protection, as she built hospitals, trained medics, and shared the love of Jesus with those around her.
The Privilege Greater Than Price
Helen Roseveare's story is a testament to the power of faith and the incredible ways God provides even in the midst of suffering and trials. Her life exemplified her belief that "the privilege is greater than the price," as she served tirelessly, giving glory to Jesus for every miracle and moment of grace.