I. Lilias (Isabella Lilias) Trotter

Born in London in 1853, Lilias Trotter showed unusual artistic talent from an early age. The critic John Ruskin admired her work and believed she could have become a major painter, but she chose a different path.

After Christian ministry work in England, she traveled to Algeria in 1888 and spent roughly forty years there. She helped found a mission in Algiers, learned Arabic, wrote devotional and evangelistic books, and is remembered for approaches to outreach that were notably thoughtful for her time.

She was also a remarkable observer of the natural world. Her journals and watercolor studies of plants and landscapes still draw readers today, adding to the legacy of a writer, artist, and missionary whose life joined close attention, faith, and endurance.