Isobel Kuhn

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Isobel Kuhn , b. Isobel Selina Miller , privately called "Belle", (born December 17, 1901 in Toronto , † March 20, 1957 in Wheaton , Illinois ) was a Canadian evangelical missionary among the Lisu people in the Chinese province of Yunnan . As a member of the China Inland Mission , she worked with her husband, John, as a Bible translator, Bible teacher, and church planter. In the German-speaking world, she became known for her books, in which she describes the life of the missionaries and the locals in China .

Childhood and youth

When she was 11, the family moved to Vancouver , British Columbia . Her father was a radiologist and lay preacher in a Presbyterian ward, and her mother was the long-time president of the Women's Mission Society, the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Her grandfather was an ordained Presbyterian minister.

She studied English language and literature at the University of British Columbia. Although she grew up in a Christian home, she decided to give up her parents' faith after falling under the influence of a skeptical university professor. Although she was an agnostic on the inside , she was considered a good Christian on the outside because, unlike her friends, she did not smoke or drink alcohol. She had secretly got engaged to one of her fellow students, but then noticed that he had a closer relationship with another student and did not intend to give this up even after the marriage. They came by in a deep crisis and one night was about to take his own life . But before she could carry out her decision to drink a bottle of poison, she heard her father sigh in his sleep in her parents' bedroom. She thought of the grief he would have if she were dead and did not want to do this to her dear father. Back in her room, she thought of a Latin quote from Dante , the translation of which was “In His Will is our Peace” ( Dante Alighieri : Divine Comedy, Paradise, 3.85). Despite her doubts, this prompted her to pray: "If you let me know that you exist, and if you want to give me peace, I will hand over my life to you." Time to sleep again.

After graduating from university in 1922, she attended school for teacher training for five months. She then worked for over a year as a teacher at the Cecil Rhodes School in Vancouver. In the summer of 1924 she attended a Christian mission conference in the Föhrenwald in Bellingham, Washington for the second time. One of the speakers was James O. Fraser , a missionary among the Lisu , who had a great spiritual influence on them. Through him she saw herself called by God to work as a missionary among the Lisu. In preparation for the mission, she graduated from the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago , which she graduated as one of the best. There she met her future husband, John, who was sent to China before she married.

Her mother, who had long been opposed to her daughter becoming a missionary, died while studying at the Bible Institute. Shortly before her death, however, she was able to accept this decision, and Isobel had the impression that she was going on her way with her mother's blessing. After graduating from the Bible Institute, she applied to the China Inland Mission . However, it was not immediately adopted as it was not recommended by a person because of alleged negative character traits. Even when these concerns were allayed, she was forced to spend two more years in Vancouver because of the difficult political situation in China and an illness caused by overwork. During this time she worked as the director of the Vancouver Corner Girls' Club, an evangelistic association that cared for young, working girls and women.

Missionary service

Isobel Kuhn began her voyage to China on October 11, 1928. On November 4, 1929, she married John Kuhn in Kunming , the capital of Yunnan Province. They began their joint ministry in Chengchiang, Yunnan. From 1930–1932 they worked in Tali, Yunnan. Their daughter Kathryn was born in April 1931. In the years 1932-1934 they worked in Yongping. In 1934 they began their work among the Lisu in the very inaccessible gorge of the Salween River. In 1936 the couple went on their first home leave. In August 1943 their son Daniel was born in "Lisuland". After the Communist Party came to power in China in 1949, the working conditions for missionaries became increasingly difficult and all missionaries of the China Inland Mission had to leave the country over time. Isobel Kuhn traveled with her son to Wheaton, Illinois, in March 1950, where her daughter was studying at Wheaton College . Her husband followed her 18 months later.

Because China remained closed to missionaries, the couple continued their service among the Lisu in northern Thailand from 1952. They retired in 1954. In that year Isobel Kuhn was diagnosed with cancer. She spent her final years with her husband in Wheaton, where she died of illness on March 20, 1957. The funeral service was held at Wheaton College Church.

Mission Methods

The missionaries tried as much as possible to adapt to the living conditions and the culture of the Lisu, which meant a life under the most primitive conditions. At the same time, however, they also tried to improve these conditions, e.g. B. through a different attitude to cleanliness or through the rejection of the consumption and cultivation of opium .

They preached the gospel by calling upon each individual to make a personal choice for Jesus Christ . Those who made this decision could be baptized . After their conversion , the converts were encouraged to further spread the gospel within their tribe. Christian congregations were founded in the various places that were supposed to make their own decisions without the interference of the missionaries. An example of this is deciding who should preach during Sunday services. This decision was made by the local community leaders. The missionaries did not claim priority and subordinated themselves to these decisions.

Isobel Kuhn and her husband had a considerable influence on the spread of the Christian faith among the Lisu. Her organization of so-called "rainy season Bible schools" contributed in particular to this. Since no agricultural activity was possible in the rainy season , the Lisu were able to take time off for lessons. Following the example of the apostles , the students were then sent out to spread the Christian message in areas where it was not yet known.

Writing activity

Isobel Kuhn wrote several books about her life and work. As a basis, she could use the regular newsletters that she and other missionaries had written to supporters of the missionary work. Isobel Kuhn's books made her and the missionary work in China known not only in English, but also in German-speaking countries. Even decades after her death, her books were repeatedly reprinted.

Works

  • By Searching: My Journey Through Doubt into Faith. In the arena. (German. Those looking for me - In der Arena. 4th edition. Brunnen , Gießen and Basel 1998, ISBN 3-7655-3984-8 . Double volume with the first and second part of their autobiography.)
  • Stones of Fire. (Eng. Feurige Steine. Brunnen, Gießen and Basel 1953.)
  • Nests Above The Abyss. (Eng. Nests above the abyss. Publishing house of the China Inland Mission, Merligen 1950.)
  • Green Leaf in Draft. (Eng. Green leaves in the drought. Brunnen, Gießen and Basel 1968.)
  • Precious Things of the Lasting Hills. Later published under the title Children of the Hills. (German. At the end of the world with God. Schweickhardt, Lahr-Dinglingen 1984, ISBN 3-501-00279-3 .)
  • Second-mile people. (German people of the second mile. Schweickhardt, Lahr-Dinglingen 1988, ISBN 3-501-00373-0 .)
  • The Vision Pursued. In: Carolyn L. Canfield: One Vision Only. Moody Press, Chicago 1959, pp. 49-131.

literature

  • Carolyn L. Canfield: One Vision Only. Biography of Isobel Kuhn. Moody Press, Chicago 1959. New edition under the title The story of Isobel Kuhn. One vision only. Overseas Missionary Fellowship, London 1975, ISBN 0-85363-092-5 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Canfield: One Vision Only. 1959, pp. 17-22.
  2. ↑ Kuhn: Those looking for me. 1998, pp. 11-13.
  3. ↑ Kuhn: Those looking for me. 1998, p. 50ff.
  4. ^ Kuhn: People of the Second Mile. 1988, p. 27.
  5. ↑ Kuhn: Those looking for me. 1998, p. 85ff.
  6. ↑ Kuhn: Those looking for me. 1998, p. 113.
  7. ^ Canfield: One Vision Only. 1959, p. 162ff.
  8. ^ Canfield: One Vision Only. 1959, pp. 190-191.
  9. ↑ Kuhn: Nests over the abyss. 1950, pp. 115-116.
  10. ↑ Kuhn: Nests over the abyss. 1950, p. 157 ff.
personal data
SURNAME Kuhn, Isobel
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Kuhn, Isobel Selina (real name); Miller, Isobel Selina (maiden name); Belle (private nickname)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Canadian Christian missionary (Protestant) in China and Thailand
DATE OF BIRTH December 17, 1901
PLACE OF BIRTH Toronto , Ontario, Canada
DATE OF DEATH March 20, 1957
Place of death Wheaton , Illinois, USA