12 Years in Kenya; A Sampling of Missionary Quotes

“Obedience to God was the reason for this journey. It was a good thing for me to remind myself of the reason because, on top of everything, it was really great fun. It was an adventure and held the thrill of adventure... It was the thing I was made for and I was full of gladness.”

Elisabeth Elliot
writing about her first year as a missionary in Ecuador
early 20th century

“People talk of the sacrifice I made in spending so much of my life in Africa. I never made a sacrifice. We ought not to talk of sacrifice when we remember the great sacrifice which [Jesus] made who left his Father’s throne on high to give himself for us.”

David Livingstone
missionary to Africa
19th century

"Go, send, or disobey."

John Piper 
modern-day pastor and author

"A missionary is created for the purpose of being God’s servant, one in whom God is glorified."

"The missionary’s secret is truly being able to say, 'I am His, and He is accomplishing His work and His purposes through me.'"

Oswald Chambers 
evangelist, teacher, and author of 'My Utmost for His Highest'
early 20th century

"As for ourselves, yes, we must be meek, bear injustice, malice, rash judgment. We must turn the other cheek, give up our cloak, go a second mile."

Dorothy Day 

American journalist and social activist, 

working with the poor and homeless

20th century

“Here am I, send me; send me to the ends of the earth; send me to the rough, the savage lost of the wilderness; send me from all that is called comfort on earth; send me even to death itself, if it be but in your service, and to promote your kingdom.”

David Brainerd, 
missionary to American Indians
18th century

"I wasn't God’s first choice for what I've done for China. I don’t know who it was. It must have been a man, a well–educated man. I don’t know what happened. Perhaps he died. Perhaps he wasn't willing. And God looked down… and saw Gladys Aylward. And God said, ‘Well, she’s willing.'" 

Gladys Aylward
missionary to China
early 20th century

“All God's giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on God being with them.”

J. Hudson Taylor
missionary to China, and founder of the China Inland Mission
late 19th century

"You can give without loving. But you cannot love without giving." 

Amy Carmichael
missionary to India
early 20th century

"Prayer is the mighty engine that is to move the missionary work."

A. B. Simpson
Canadian preacher, theologian, author, and founder of the 
Christian and Missionary Alliance
late 19th century

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."

Jim Elliot
missionary to Ecuador
martyred in 1956