Dad, mom!
This land, Chosun, is truely a beautiful land. They all resemble God. I see their good heart and zeal for the gospel, and I believe that in few years it will be a land overflowing with the love of Christ. I was children walking over 10 miles on barefoot to hear the gospel and the love of God in them encourages me.
But the persecution is getting stronger. Two days ago, three or four of those who have accepted Christ less than a week have been dragged away and were martyred. Missionary Thomas and James were also martyred. There were orders from the mission board to return, but the most missionaries are in hiding and worshiping with those whom they have shared the gospel with. It seems that they are all planning to be martyred. Tonight, I have strong desire to return home.
I remember you mom who resisted to the last moment of me leaving the port because of the stories of the hate of foreigners and opposition to the gospel.
Dad, Mom! Perhaps, this may be the last letter I will be writing. The seed that was sown in the backyard before I came out here must be filling our neighborhood with flowers. Another seed bear many flowers in the land of Chosun and they will be seeds to other nations.
I will bury my heart in this land. I realized that this passion for Chosun that I have is not mine but God’s passion toward Chosun.
Mom, Dad! I love you.

This was the last letter Ruby Kendrick sent to her parents before she died in modern day Korea as a missionary. Yesterday was the 2nd time I heard her testimony, a young 26 year old girl who went to Korea as a missionary for only 9 months before she died. This time was just as powerful as the first time I heard it back in 2014, and since then I have been made more aware of the Cross and the Cost a Christian faces when following after Jesus. The average lifespan of a missionary back in the late 80's/early 90's was only 2 years after setting out. That means...every single man and woman knew that when they committed to preaching the Gospel overseas, they were going to die doing so. That means no need to go to school, no need to build a career, no need to find a wife or husband, and no need to plan out a future.

May I haven even a fraction of the faith the nameless, faceless martyrs who carried the Cross daily and crossed cultures and oceans to preach the Gospel had.

“If I had a thousand lives, Korea should have them all.” - Ruby Kendrick

Yanghwajin Foreigners’ Cemeter 

 

https://pastorqkim.wordpress.com/2013/02/13/thinking-of-ruby-kendricks/