The Judsons

Time for a short story.

The Judsons were crazy. Like really crazy. When Adoniram asked for Ann's hand in marriage he wrote to her father:

"I have now to ask, whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of missionary life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean, to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. Can you consent to all this, for the sake of him who left is heavenly home, and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion, and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with the crown of righteous, brightened with the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Savior from the lost* saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?"

He got married to Ann on Feb 5, 1812. He set assail with her to India on Feb 19, 1812. Ann bore Judson 3 children, all of whom died. When her second child died she wrote:

Our hearts were bound up with this child; we felt he was our earthly all, our only source of innocent recreation in this foreign* land. But God saw it was necessary to remind us of our error, and to strip us of our only little all. O, may it not be vain that he has done it. May we so improve it that he will stay his hand and say 'It is enough.'

* Words changed to make more contextual sense. The word 'heathen' used is really not meant derogatorily. It is meant to imply people who do not share the same faith, but it is not used without love. People who do not love the heathen do not end up sacrificing their, theirs spouse's and their children's lives for them.

The story was picked from here