A powerful story of a mother’s courage- 1934

Betty had to find within herself a mother’s courage. Answering God’s call, Betty went to China in 1931, then John went a year later but to a different region. They went as a part of the CIM (China Inland Missionaries). Then in 1933, they were married. They had a daughter Helen and settled as a family in Tsingteh. It was 1934 and was a time of civil war and challenging times for Christians in China. It was December. They heard rumours of communist raids through the city but didn’t have enough time to leave.

John Stam’s Speech

“Should we retreat?” and turn back from our high calling in Christ Jesus, or dare we advance at God’s command in the face of the impossible? Remember that the Great Commission was not qualified by clauses calling for advance only if there was plenty of funds and no hardship or self-denial involved. On the contrary, we were told to expect tribulation and even persecution, but with its victory in Christ.”

John Stam

John Stam gave this speech at the Moody Bible Institute; little did he know what would transpire two years later.

A Mother’s Courage in the face of persecution

The communists caught up with the Stams, arrested them and took them to the headquarters, where they held them for ransom and demanded John write a letter to the CIM. John did this knowing full well the missionary organisation was not allowed to pay ransom demands. In his letter, he quoted Philippians 1:20 “May Christ be glorified by life or death.”

They spent the night in prison. Betty was holding their 3-month-old baby Helen who cried. Because of the sound of the crying, they were almost discovered and killed. They were bound tightly and stripped of their outer garments in the morning and forced to march about 19 km to Miaosheo. The group stopped for the night where Betty was allowed to tend to Helen.

Betty must have known her fate and hid Helen in a sleeping blanket, along with provisions, hoping that someone would save her baby. Paraded in front of the town where all the people gathered, the couple witnessed the execution of the Christians. A Chinese shopkeeper pleaded for their lives but to no avail. Seeing the Bible in his hand, the communists forced him to walk alongside the Stams for mass murder. No one else dared to intervene. They marched a little further on where John, Betty and the shopkeeper were beheaded.

The Stams bodies were found by A courageous Reverend Lo Kechou the next day. After searching, they found baby Helen miraculously still alive. The Reverend concealed her in a rice basket and made a dangerous journey over mountainous terrain. There he delivered her to her maternal grandparents, the Scotts.

A mother’s courage and love

What must have been going through Betty’s mind when she had to leave her baby behind, we will never know? But what incredible faith and courage it must have required. Maybe God whispered comforting words in her ear? Maybe He filled her with peace? I know that kind of faith and courage is available to all of us. We may not ever have to face the same persecution that Betty did, but we can apply it in our everyday lives. A mother’s courage! An act of supernatural mother’s courage from God.

I don’t think we understand the depths of what happened there in Miaosheo that day! To undergo that kind of extreme persecution but what amazes me is how prepared they were. Their love for their God was even greater than the risks they faced! It was not in vain or for selfish gain. They chose to live and die for others. They stood firm to the end.