By Ken Gire
Revere lifestyles, and provides yours away for the sake of serving others.
As a tender guy, Albert Schweitzer appeared destined for greatness. His sizeable expertise and fortitude propelled him to a spot as one in all Europe’s most famous philosophers, theologians, and musicians within the early 20th century. but Schweitzer surprised his contemporaries by way of leaving behind worldly luck and embarking on an epic trip into the wilds of French Equatorial Africa, vowing to function a lifelong surgeon to “the least of those” in a mysterious land rife with famine, disorder, and superstition.
Enduring hassle, clash, and private struggles, he and his loved spouse, Hélène, turned French prisoners of struggle in the course of WWI, and Hélène later battled power health problems.
Ken Gire’s page-turning, novelesque narrative sheds new mild on Schweitzer’s faith-in-action ethic and his dedication to honor God by means of celebrating the sacredness of all life.
The legacy of this 1952 Nobel Prize honoree endures within the thriving African health center group that all started in a humble chook coop, within the thousands who've drawn proposal from his instance, and within the problem that emanates from his lifestyles tale into our day.
Albert Schweitzer appeared destined for greatness―and he completed it through making his existence his maximum sermon to an international in determined want of desire and therapeutic.
Read or Download Answering the Call: The Doctor Who Made Africa His Life: The Remarkable Story of Albert Schweitzer (Christian Encounters) PDF
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Extra resources for Answering the Call: The Doctor Who Made Africa His Life: The Remarkable Story of Albert Schweitzer (Christian Encounters)
Via his final nights in Lambaréné, Albert Schweitzer painstakingly copied down an summary of his Philosophy of Civilization in French. He made it out to appear like an blameless old rfile chronicling prior a long time. He then gave the manuscript in its entirety to an American missionary, Mr. Ford, who were operating in Lambaréné on the time. Schweitzer stored simply the French define. “I belief that you'll be capable of maintain this secure till one of these time as you could go back it to me once again. ” “I needs to say, in all honesty, that my choice will be to work out this manuscript resting at the backside of the river. ” Mr. Ford’s reaction was once elementary, but now not unkind. “I haven't been inspired by way of my event with the makes use of of philosophy. i feel it does extra damage than solid to the reason for Christianity. but i'm going to preserve it secure, as you will have requested, based on the simplest of my skill. ” “My prayer, Mr. Ford, is that in the future Christians will unite round the philosophy of reverence for all times and locate that, of their universal aim, they're going to rebuild the area and herald the dominion of God. ” With their arrangements approximately over, Schweitzer basically had to alternate the gold they'd been maintaining in case of emergency. The send had arrived at Lambaréné, and so they have been to board inside of an hour. Albert and Hélène quick made their method to the house of an English bushes service provider. “Do you remember,” Albert requested his spouse with a grin, “when you requested even if it used to be essential to deliver this gold all of the technique to Africa? ” “You informed me we'd want it in case of conflict. How distant these days look now. ” “Days of peace will come once again. We needs to preserve religion and wish regularly. ” They exchanged their gold for French banknotes and sewed the notes into the liner in their garments earlier than heading to the dock, which was once swarming with humans. “There are such a lot of! Have all of them come to board the send? ” Mrs. Schweitzer requested quietly. “I don’t imagine so,” Albert replied, as every person within the crowd looked to be concentrated exclusively upon their technique. a few faces have been attempting to smile. Others have been on the point of tears. nonetheless others had already began to cry. As Albert and Hélène trudged seriously towards the gangplank, weighed down by way of greater than the baggage they carried, their steps have been softened via good needs, their fears lightened by way of phrases of deep gratitude, their hearts warmed via smiles, handshakes, and hugs. They have been already on board while the daddy more advantageous of the Catholic undertaking at Lambaréné strode up and onto the send. “You shall now not depart this nation with out my thanking you either for all of the sturdy that you've performed it. ”16 His phrases have been honest and significantly precious. through the brief cease at Cape Lopez, one other guy boarded the send for a second. “You handled my spouse at your hospital,” he acknowledged, shaking the doctor’s hand. “Please take this as a token of my appreciation. ” He provided Schweitzer a few funds earlier than departing as speedily as he approached. because the send left, Albert watched the land fade into the historical past. What was once first tremendously obtrusive as leaves and branches started to merge jointly till they have been one squiggly strand of eco-friendly sewing jointly large patch-works of blue—the sky and the sea.