The archives is full of brief autobiographies of hundreds of North American Christians who went overseas a missionaries in the twentieth century. One such was Elizabeth Steven who served in Kenya (1921-1935) as a nurse and teacher. As part of her application process, she needed to write a brief autobiography that told how she herself became a Christian and why she wanted to be a missionary. Click here to read this 1920 document.

“For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.” Isa. 50:7

My heart is full of praise to God for the way He has answered prayed in my life and for the assurance I have in my heart that I am His and He is mine.

Seven years ago, in a little prayer meeting, the Lord called me to Africa and there was no peace nor rest for me until I left the office in which I was employed and began preparing myself for the work to which God had called me.

It surely has been wonderful to me to see how He has led step by step, and as I go forth I realize that He is indeed my strength, and goer-ahead.

Oh the joy of going forth in His name to tell the story of Jesus and is love, and the blessed and glorious hope of His coming again.

Inland Africa, September 1921, Pages 6-7.