evangelism

Ella Marie Maddock

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A Life of Faith and Service in India

Ella Marie Maddock was one of the earliest trained missionary nurses who served in India on behalf of the Disciples of Christ. She was born in 1865 in Ohio, United States of America, into a faithful Christian family. From a young age, she was raised with strong values of faith, service, and devotion to God.

Ella lost her father when she was very young. As the eldest child, she carried the responsibility of caring for her family. Even with these challenges, she continued her education with determination. After finishing high school, she studied nursing and became a registered nurse in Ohio. She worked for several years with dedication, gaining valuable experience in her profession.

Later, she felt a clear call from God to serve as a missionary. To prepare herself spiritually and practically, she joined the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. There, she received biblical training and also took part in hands-on missionary work. During this time, her burden for foreign missions grew stronger.

Ministry in India

After prayer and preparation, Ella applied for overseas missionary service. Her request was accepted, and she was sent to India to work mainly among women. In 1898, she arrived in Bina, Madhya Pradesh. She first spent time learning the local language so that she could serve the people more effectively. After this, she worked as a nurse in Bilaspur, caring for the sick with compassion.

Later, she moved to Deogarh, a well-known Hindu pilgrimage center in Odisha. There, she served faithfully among women and children. She provided medical help, cared for people in the leper colony, and taught children about Christ. She also spoke with pilgrims who visited Deogarh and shared the message of the Gospel with them. Her life reflected Christ’s love in both words and actions.

Ella worked with great passion and often pushed herself beyond her physical limits. The harsh climate, constant travel, and heavy workload weakened her health. In time, she became seriously ill with a deadly disease. In 1909, at the young age of 44, she peacefully went to be with her Lord.

Her life of sacrifice did not end with her death. Her example deeply inspired her sister Mary, who later came to India and served as a missionary for a short period. Ella Marie Maddock’s life remains a powerful testimony of faith, courage, and selfless service to God and humanity.

Charles Stewart Thompson

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Charles Stewart Thompson is remembered as the first medical missionary to the Bhils, one of India’s oldest and largest tribal communities. His work in Kherwara Chhaoni (Rajputana, now Rajasthan) reshaped the region through medical care, education, and famine relief. A man of deep faith and remarkable perseverance, Thompson dedicated his life to bringing healing—both physical and spiritual—to some of India’s most marginalized people.

Early Life and Calling

  • Birth: 17 August 1851
  • Home Call (Death): 19 May 1900
  • Native Place: Easington
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Place of Vision: India

Born into a Christian family in Easington, Charles Stewart Thompson grew up attending his local village church, which nurtured his spiritual growth from an early age. His passion for service eventually led him to pursue medical studies at the College of Islington.

Following his training, he was accepted into the Church Mission Society (CMS) and appointed as a medical missionary to the Bhils of Central India—a people group with very limited access to education or healthcare at the time.

Arrival in India and Early Challenges

In 1881, Thompson arrived at the Kherwara mission station in Rajasthan, ready to begin his ministry. His initial strategy—to use medical work as a bridge to share the Gospel—was met with resistance.

The Bhils were suspicious of Western medicine. Many believed English doctors violated their bodies, and therefore they stayed away from the mission hospital.

Realizing that formal structures would not work, Thompson took an extraordinary step of humility:
he abandoned the hospital building, sat under a tree, and treated people there.

This simple gesture changed everything.

Winning Trust Through Service

As the Bhils saw his sincerity and compassion, they slowly began to trust him. Soon, hundreds of people from surrounding villages came daily for treatment under that tree.

For the next 16 years, Thompson tirelessly traveled across Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra, providing medical care in remote villages, establishing clinics and dispensaries, and building relationships.

While treating the sick, he gently shared the Gospel—never offering physical care as a condition for conversion. His approach to evangelism was personal, respectful, and sincere.

He also contributed to education by establishing several schools and even published a prayer book in the Bhil dialect, helping the community grow spiritually in their own language.

Fruit That Came Slowly—But Endured

At first, conversions were rare. For years, Thompson saw little visible spiritual response. But he remained faithful, believing that seeds planted in love would one day bear fruit. Over time, many Bhils gradually began to let go of their old traditions and placed their faith in Christ.

His pioneering work laid the foundation for future missionaries who would later witness widespread transformation among the Bhils.

Heroic Service During the Chappania Famine

When the horrific Chappania famine of 1899–1900 devastated the Bhil region, Thompson rose to the challenge with incredible courage. He set up multiple famine relief centers, personally saved thousands of starving children, and worked endlessly to provide food and medical help.

In the midst of this sacrificial service, he contracted cholera. Exhausted and gravely ill, Charles Stewart Thompson ended his earthly mission on 19 May 1900.

He entered the presence of the Lord he faithfully served.

Legacy

Charles Stewart Thompson’s life was short, but his impact was immeasurable.
Although he saw only limited fruit during his lifetime, the seeds he planted eventually led to a flourishing Christian movement among the Bhils.

His ministry:

  • Introduced modern medical care to remote Bhil regions
  • Established schools and clinics
  • Built famine relief networks
  • Pioneered evangelism among a previously unreached tribal community

His successors would later reap the harvest of the work he began with humility under a simple tree.

A Life That Still Inspires

Thompson’s story is a reminder that true ministry is patient, sacrificial, and rooted in love. His legacy continues to inspire missionaries, healthcare workers, and believers across the world.