Geoffrey T. Bull (1921–1999)

I have read a lot of missionary biographies but nothing quite like this.

Geoffrey Bull was sent out from Scotland to serve as a missionary in Asia. He travelled to China and progressed as far as the border with Tibet. He managed to cross the border believing God would have him evangelise the unreached in Tibet. However, shortly after beginning his work, China invaded Tibet and Bull was imprisoned as a suspected foreign spy.

Bull's main problem was that the authorities just couldn't accept that anyone would travel that distance and enter their land purely for the purpose of religious work. Missionary work seemed to be an alien concept to them. Bull obviously failing to confess his non-existent ulterior motive, became subject to lengthy interrogations, periods of solitary confinement and the type of mental torture that could be worse than physical. I find it incredible that he could remember such a lot of detail for this book after his harrowing experiences at the hands of the Communists. They used Marxist propaganda to condition the prisoners and then brain wash them. They were only released when they could demonstrate proper "thought progress." The practices were openly modelled on Stalin's Russia until his death when Bull found himself in serious trouble for whilstling which was taken as a possible expression of jubilation at the news instead of the appropriate display of sorrow.

One frightening thing on reading this book was that the mental conditioning reminded me of political correctness in the West. It reminded me of the way that children in schools are being taught that certain things are right and wrong according to popular secular opinion. Also how adults are being told that their Christian views are unacceptable or abhorrent in a civilised society. There may come a time where we will be forced to endure brainwashing or even to be imprisoned for our faith. It may not be as far off as we would hope.

As always when reading a book like this I was challenged about my own faith and how I would have responded had I been in Bull's position. It was possible to seriously think about this as the author has written an account that draws the reader almost into his cell with him. I could feel the walls closing in at times and the desperation as he headed to the edge of insanity and back. He clung to his faith in his darkest days and trusted that God was with him throughout.

I am rating this 5 stars for the uniqueness of the story as I don't believe there will be many out there who live to tell a tale like this or who can remember so much detail.

Highly recommended especially for missionaries or those thinking of heading to the field.… (mais)