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Amen: Doorway to China
Two generations of Americans, missionaries in China in the early twentieth century. Shortly after the Boxer Rebellion and during the the Japanese invasion, a mother and her son tell their story of China during cataclysmic times of political chaos and cultural changes . China is forced to leave their old isolationist ways and move into a new global environment and the missionary family is impelled to make their best life in an ever changing political landscape.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 7, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 31, 2020
In the early years of the twentieth century, a young hard-working farm woman from rural Wisconsin who had never traveled farther than the next small town, is faced with an unlikely and exciting prospect: accept the marriage proposal of the older, but handsome and certainly love-worthy, local minister of her church and join him on his mission to faraway China, or stay at home to take care of her younger siblings. Alfreda makes her choice. A fascinating family story results.
I was drawn to Amen: Doorway to China, the story of the Edwins family and their life in China as told by Alfreda’s grand-daughter, Katherine Edwins Shumm. As a reader who enjoys historical fiction, this memoir of a young Midwest couple following what they believed to be their mission to share their Christian faith with the Chinese – on the other side of the world during a tumultuous time in history - intrigued me. I was not disappointed.
The first half of the book is told from Alfreda’s perspective covering from 1905 and her life in Wisconsin, her marriage, and her travels to China with her new husband, William Edwins, through to her evacuation from China in 1941 as the Japanese invasion became more entrenched. We share her concerns, fears, misgivings, and sorrow as she faces a foreign culture and language, builds a family – and faces the loss of two children. She is not a shrinking violet. Her head-strong nature, and apparent need to get involved when others might turn away, puts her in dangerous situations, but somehow she manages to save the day – and her own skin.
The second half of the book is drawn from the journals of David Edwins, one of William and Alfreda’s large brood of children, and the author’s father. William tells the story of what it was like to grow up in China as the child of a missionary family. He, along with the children of other western missionaries, were sent to boarding school during the year and spent summers with their families. When he graduated from high school he boarded a ship, alone, to cross the ocean and attend a Christian college in Nebraska as a scholarship student. It was 1939, the world was in the midst of war and he gets drawn into some of the Japanese, German intrigue during the voyage. He faces loneliness and awkwardness during his early years as a student in Nebraska and then, reunited with his mother and younger siblings, they all face tragic loss.
The final chapter brings this enjoyable reading adventure up to the present time. Well done, Ms. Schumm.
I was drawn to Amen: Doorway to China, the story of the Edwins family and their life in China as told by Alfreda’s grand-daughter, Katherine Edwins Shumm. As a reader who enjoys historical fiction, this memoir of a young Midwest couple following what they believed to be their mission to share their Christian faith with the Chinese – on the other side of the world during a tumultuous time in history - intrigued me. I was not disappointed.
The first half of the book is told from Alfreda’s perspective covering from 1905 and her life in Wisconsin, her marriage, and her travels to China with her new husband, William Edwins, through to her evacuation from China in 1941 as the Japanese invasion became more entrenched. We share her concerns, fears, misgivings, and sorrow as she faces a foreign culture and language, builds a family – and faces the loss of two children. She is not a shrinking violet. Her head-strong nature, and apparent need to get involved when others might turn away, puts her in dangerous situations, but somehow she manages to save the day – and her own skin.
The second half of the book is drawn from the journals of David Edwins, one of William and Alfreda’s large brood of children, and the author’s father. William tells the story of what it was like to grow up in China as the child of a missionary family. He, along with the children of other western missionaries, were sent to boarding school during the year and spent summers with their families. When he graduated from high school he boarded a ship, alone, to cross the ocean and attend a Christian college in Nebraska as a scholarship student. It was 1939, the world was in the midst of war and he gets drawn into some of the Japanese, German intrigue during the voyage. He faces loneliness and awkwardness during his early years as a student in Nebraska and then, reunited with his mother and younger siblings, they all face tragic loss.
The final chapter brings this enjoyable reading adventure up to the present time. Well done, Ms. Schumm.
December 23, 2018
This was a great read! You got to know the story of the whole family who were missionaries to China. You could really feel you were there going thru their history. No sex, minimal violence. Can't wait to read another.
October 9, 2020
**Winner of the 2019 Concordia Historical Institute Award of Commendation**
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews