A Half Century Among the Siamese and the Lāo: An Autobiography

For more than half a century this devoted missionary walked the remote hills and river valleys of Siam, learning unfamiliar tongues and earning the trust of the people he served. His early years were marked by a daring trek to a hidden village near Pechaburī, where he spent months mastering the locals’ language before embarking on a grueling boat journey with a fellow doctor into the uncharted northern reaches, eventually reaching the bustling town of Chiang Mai. Those formative adventures set the tone for a life of perseverance amid isolation, danger, and the constant challenge of bridging cultures.

From those first steps he grew into the leading figure of the Lao mission, introducing life‑saving medicines, establishing schools, and planting the first churches in a region that had never known such institutions. Colleagues recall his boundless energy, scholarly mind, and gentle generosity—whether handing out tracts beneath a sprawling bo tree while elephants grazed nearby or rising before sunrise to greet a new village. His story offers a vivid portrait of faith in action, set against the vivid backdrop of jungle, river, and mountain life.