Each morning patients gathered outside the clinic to see the doctor. So many suffered from the most painful medical conditions Albert could imagine. An old African man told him, "Among us everyone is ill. Our country devours her own children." Albert found himself agreeing. Nothing could have prepared him for the conditions here.Growing up on the French-German border, son of a Lutheran pastor, Albert Schweitzer adopted a peace-loving approach to life. He studied theology, music, an...

Born into slavery in Maryland, Frederick Douglass was separated from his mother during infancy, then taken from his grandparents at the age of six to serve at the “Great House” on the Wye Plantation in Maryland. He never imagined the cruelties he would witness or the indignities of his family being treated like cattle to be sold, divided, and scattered far and wide.Escaping from slavery, Frederick Douglass became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in America, the greate...

This is the powerful story of Gladys Aylward. Without formal education or a missionary organization to back her, Gladys raised her own finances for the overland trip that would bring her to the country and people that God had etched so deeply on her heart.... China!What follows is an amazing adventure of faith and determination. Gladys Aylward, a housemaid from England, dared to trust God in the face of dire and seemingly hopeless circumstances. Her amazing adventure of faith and d...

Written for ages 10 and up -- enjoyed by adults!Behind George were enemies; in front, a raging ice-packed river. Poling across had seemed his best chance, but now large blocks of ice slammed into his makeshift raft, twisting it off course. Just as George dug his pole in and pushed with all his might, a block of ice hit the raft -- the raft slammed into the pole -- and George was overboard.On a dangerous mission for the British army, young Major Washington had no idea that o...

The icy Arctic cold stabbed at Wilfred's fingers and toes. A howling wind was pushing the ice pan he was stranded on out to sea -- and with it hope of rescue. His clothes, soaked when his dogsled fell through the ice, were now frozen. Lying near his sled dog for warmth, Wilfred fought off sleep, knowing he might never wake up.Adventurous Wilfred Grenfell was no stranger to danger. As a new Christian, this English doctor ministered to fishermen on the deadly North Sea. And when her ...

Watching his father perform medical procedures back in India had convinced Paul that medicine was about blood and guts and ulcers. To his amazement, he found that it was really about causes and cures, alleviating pain, and treating ill people with dignity.The son of missionary parents, Paul Brand did not plan on becoming a doctor. After training as a builder, he was called by God into medicine and spent a lifetime treating leprosy and restoring hope to thousands of sufferers.

The spiritual needs of the Muslim world, long neglected by Christian missionaries, came to the world's attention again when Samuel Zwemer dedicated himself to the advancement of the gospel in Arabia. It was a tremendous task, but a pledge the young American kept despite opposition, difficulty, and death.Zwemer founded the Arabian Mission in Bahrain to serve Muslims through medical care, Christian literture, and preaching. With a heart on fire for Muslim people, he relentlessly share...

The mainsail cracked above them in the ferocious wind as a group of red-faced men descended on John. "You have brought a curse on us. Overboard with you," one of the men yelled. A chorus of cheers went up. It was the last sound John heard before he was dumped over the side of the ship and engulfed by the dark, roiling ocean."Thrown overboard, enslaved by the Turks, captured by pirates, rescued by a princess-the story of Englishman John Smith (1580-1631) would seem unbelievable were...

Meriwether Lewis had been commissioned by President Jefferson to lead a daring expedition so remarkable it would become one of the most famous explorations in history. He chose as his co-captain William Clark. Their mission - to find a land route to the Pacific Ocean while learning as much as possible about the thousands of miles of unexplored territory they struggled through (1774-1809).Heroes of History is a unique biography series that brings the shaping of history to life with ...

As a fourteen-year-old intent on living a “modern” life, the last thing Isobel Kuhn wanted to grow up to be was a missionary. But as it turned out, this young agnostic’s life was redirected―from crisis and doubt to hope and strength.Convinced that God wanted her to preach the gospel as a China Inland missionary, Isobel bravely served among the Lisu people in remote mountainous regions of China and Thailand. After twenty years of ministry Isobel returned to the United States, writin...

Seventeen-year-old Dwight Lyman Moody changed his name, moved to Boston, and began pursuing dreams of becoming a wealthy businessman. But God had other plans for him. Instead of business, evangelism was to be his life's work. D.L. devoted his life to proclaiming the gospel, serving the poor, and mentoring fellow ministers. A leader of great vision, D. L. Moody served his fellow man through Civil War outreach, his Sunday school and church, and revival campaigns in America and abroad. His pa...

David's father stood beside the stone chimney and spoke to his son. "It's time to grow up, lad," he said. "Mr. Siler has hired you to go to Virginia with him. He's run ragged trying to keep the cattle with him, and he needs a young 'un with strong legs and keen eyes to help him out. Better hitch the wagon and say your good-byes."Growing up in Greene County, Tennessee, Davy Crockett's education came from the toil of hard labor. Working as a farm hand and wagon driver, he learned abo...