Tom Collins of Kenya
Son of Valour
By: Kenneth N.
Phillips (Retold by Malcolm B. Collins)
Reviewed by Pat Beaty
This book is a telling, and retelling in some instances, of
the life of one who has to have been one of the most loved and devoted
missionaries to have ever brought the gospel to one of the wildest areas of
Africa. Mr. Collins’ parents had
been missionaries in Kenya, and when Tom was saved, the Lord put in his mind to
bring the Word to the tribes in a very remote part of the country: the territory of East Pokot.
Tom Collins was sickly as a child and suffered from a number
of conditions throughout his life.
He had cataracts in both eyes as a mere tot, having to have his eyes
needled since this was the only treatment that early in the twentieth century. He became ill with rheumatic fever at
age ten, followed by heart complications and a nervous system disease called
Chorea.
This wonderful follower of Christ devoted himself over the
years to learning all he would need to be a competent missionary in an area of
not only physical danger but of detriment to his physical disabilities. However, Mr. Collins felt very strong
in his faith and determined he would not be denied what he felt was his
God-given life’s task.
This worthy Christian was turned down by the AIC (African
Inland Church) several times before he finally decided to go it alone. He became a nomadic missionary. Working in conjunction with the AIM (African
Inland Mission), Tom was eventually able to gain their respect and receive their
backing.
The determined child of God spent many years on safaris, not
only to East Pokot, but also to other nearby African territories. He had any number of bouts with his
physical disabilities and other illnesses. However, over the years, he brought the influence of Christ
and the Word to a large number of Kenyans and gained influence and recognition
in many theretofore-unreached regions of that great nation.
Tom Collins was advised often that, because of his declining
health, he should step down from his strenuous work for others. However, he was so devoted to Christ,
he would not stop for any reason, even his own physical well being. He died as an active missionary of God,
on the job for his Savior, and will be remembered from now on by the believers
in Christ in Kenya.
This was an excellent book that can serve as a primer for
missionaries of all kinds. It
demonstrates how to survive and flourish as a Christian in the most adverse of
circumstances. Because he was
British, the language was not as easy to follow as some of the books I have
reviewed in the past, but it was still an engaging read and will be well worth
your time.
Previous book reviews can be read at: http://patbeaty.blogspot.com/
