July 27. François Coillard. Coillard was a missionary from France. His life was embroiled with political intrigues; and his work was interrupted and redirected by nations at war, usurpers overthrowing the government, and rival peoples failing to maintain peace long enough for the gospel to be preached.
Still, Coillard demonstrated strength of character as he did the job God had sent him to do. On this date in 1868, Coillard baptized his first convert in Africa.
Disappointment can kill a man’s dream, but perseverance can revive it.
In February, 1861, Coillard arrived in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, to marry Christina Macintosh. But Christina wasn’t there.
Due to a postal error, Christina had not received Coillard’s latest letter before she boarded her boat. Going by an earlier letter, she had traveled to meet him in Cape Town. Five-hundred miles away.
The couple had first met in 1859, and Coillard fell in love with her at first sight. Christina felt strongly that God had sent her this man. But Coillard chose not to act on his feeling. He was poor and filled with self-doubt, and he feared that life in South Africa would be too difficult for Christina.
A few months later, his feelings for Christina hadn’t gone away. He sensed the Lord calling him to write to her with a bold request: marry him and become a missionary with him in South Africa.
But Christina came from a wealthy family. She read books, listened to orchestras, and socialized with the rich and powerful. Her family and friends told her to reject Coillard’s proposal. She looked at everything she had to lose and agreed with their counsel. She rejected his proposal.
Coillard was devastated. But instead of allowing disappointment to cripple him, he focused on his mission in South Africa. He knew his highest call was not to be married, but to share Jesus with those who had never heard of Him. The Paris Missionary Society had sent him to the South African tribes of Basutoland, where the tribes worshiped every god but Jesus. Someone had to bring them the truth.
Two years passed. But Coillard’s feelings for Christina only grew stronger. After much prayer, he was convinced God still wanted him to marry her. He summoned the courage to write her another letter.
What Coillard didn’t know was that during those two years, God had been speaking to Christina, challenging her to give up her comfortable life and be with Coillard in South Africa. Not long after she surrendered to God, Coillard’s letter arrived.
Christina wrote back. Yes, she would marry him.
He was overjoyed. Christina felt a deep peace from God, but the pain of saying goodbye to her family and friends, who she might never see again, was awful. She spent most of her long voyage to South Africa in tears.
So in 1861, when Coillard discovered that his fiancée had arrived at the wrong destination, alone, he set out at once to meet her. He jumped on a horse and rode as fast as he could to Cape Town. All day and night, he rode through the wilderness of South Africa, home to wild animals and hostile tribes who would not hesitate to kidnap or murder him.
Coillard had no idea what Christina would say. They hadn’t seen each other in two years. Her first words to him were: “I have come to do the work of God with you, whatever it may be.” Deeply moved by her faith, he thanked God for giving him this precious woman. They married on February 26, 1861. Coillard never regretted waiting for Christina.
“But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me” (Micah 7:7 ESV).
Are you willing to wait patiently for what God has promised to give you? Disappointment can kill a man’s dream, but perseverance can revive it.
www.Christianity.com. “Coillards Merged into a Mighty Mission Team.” Last updated May, 2007. https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1801-1900/coillards-merged-into-a-mighty-mission-team-11630527.html.
Mackintosh, C.W. Coillard of the Zambesi. London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1907.
Story read by: Nathan Walker
Introduction read by: Daniel Carpenter
Audio production: Joel Carpenter
Editor: Teresa Crumpton, https://authorspark.org/
Project manager: Blake Mattocks
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