We continue our ‘God’s Emeralds’ Irish missionaries blog series with the story of a passionate and courageous young man from Belfast, who served on the mission field of the Amazonia in Brazil. His endeavours and inspirational story paved the way for many to follow in his footsteps and led to a work of God that has continued for over a 100 years.
Inspired Submission
It was in Argyle Place Presbyterian Church in Belfast, after hearing the inspirational testimony of one Captain George Gracey, that a young William McComb bowed his knee before the Saviour. Inspired by Captain Gracey’s account of how the Lord had preserved his life from firing squads twice during World War One, and his missionary exploits in Turkey thereafter, McComb knelt beside Captain Gracey who proceeded to lead him to the Lord.
Full of zeal, the young man attended Northumberland Street Mission Hall, where he displayed great fervency in serving God. Despite working long hours in Ireland’s Linen Merchant in Belfast City Centre, William, or ‘Willie’ as he became affectionately known, dedicated himself to weekly outreach activities. It became clear that, along with his servant heart, the Lord had also called him to preach, and very soon the leadership of Argyle Place Presbyterian Church gave Willie the responsibility of leading the work at the Mission Hall and organising open-air outreach on the Shankill Road.
It was a time of great spiritual harvest in Belfast in the early 1920’s. Dr Hugh Montgomery’s ministry at Shankill Mission was thriving, and together with W.P Nicholson, they conducted tent meetings resulting in hundreds coming to Christ. Willie and his young friends continued their open-air witness, which also saw many people turning to the Lord in repentance. Hardened drunkards abandoned their local establishments to attend churches and mission halls in West Belfast. A sense of revival was very much in the air, with many conscious of the enduring presence of the Holy Spirit in the local area.
It was at this time that the Saturday night rally at Northumberland Street, organised by Willie and his friends, became a focal point, where young and old met for praise and fellowship. It also became a place of great missionary interest and sacrificial giving to the work of the Lord. Willie’s sense of humour, balanced with his devotion to Christ and passion for souls, shone in every service, giving him favour with everyone he met.
Challenged to Mission
It was during a testimony by Lieutenant Fenton Hall from Donegal, who had enjoyed a distinguished career in the Royal Air Force and surrendered his life in pursuit of mission in Brazil, that Willie McComb was greatly challenged. He was moved and inspired by the devotion of this striking figure and his passion for evangelism.
Sadly, just 18 months later, news filtered through that Fenton Hall had passed into eternity whilst serving in the Amazon, after succumbing to a bout of dysentery. The news hit McComb hard, providing a reminder of the perils of missionary service. However, he still firmly believed that the Lord was calling him to go to Brazil, and he informed the leadership of the Mission Hall of his intention to join the mission field. Despite concern from his family, many were not surprised at this development, as they had witnessed God’s anointing on his life.
In 1924, Willie travelled to England to embark on 10 months of training at the Missionary Training Colony in London, which provided practical training to prepare missionaries for the trials and rigours of surviving the often harsh environments in foreign lands. This was followed by enrolling on a course at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in the city, where the young man learned the rudiments of tropical medicine, hygiene, dentistry, and minor surgery. During this time, he applied to the Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade (WEC) to serve in the Heart of Amazonia Mission, to which he was duly accepted.
In November 1925, friends and family gathered at the docks in Belfast to bid Willie farewell, including Margaret McKnight with whom he had struck-up a secretive romantic attachment.
The ‘Hildebrand’ Booth Line Steamer carried McComb and his five years’ worth of supplies, contained in three trunks and a kitbag. Joining him onboard in Liverpool were other missionary recruits as they headed to Belem in Brazil via the Bay of Biscay, Portugal, and the vast deep Atlantic Ocean.
When a tempest rose up against the ship, causing Willie to question if he had made a wrong decision, the Lord encouraged him through Mark 10:29-30, where Jesus tells us, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life”. After three weeks at sea, William McComb stepped foot in Brazil. He had arrived in Amazonia.
The Green Hell
Willie arrived in the region commonly known as ‘The Green Hell’, at the mouth of the great Amazon River near the city of Belem. The Heart of Amazonia Mission was divided into two designated work regions, with Willie chosen for the Heart of Amazonia further upriver in Manaus, while his travelling companions were selected for East Amazonia.
Willie immediately engrossed himself in learning the Portuguese language to allow him to communicate with the locals and aid him in evangelising the unreached Indian tribes of the Amazonas region. After several months of expanding his vocabulary, he joined other missionaries who were seeking to evangelise West Indian workers who had come inland seeking employment. The local church began to increase in number and enjoyed times of very fruitful ministry.
Once Willie had started to master Portuguese, he joined Pastor Gomes, a local Baptist minister, in preparing to navigate the River Negro to reach a remote tribe called the Jauaperí Indians. The journey was perilous and wrought with danger; only six months earlier the Jauaperí Indians had murdered ten people. It was also long, taking the duo nine days to reach the mouth of the River Jauaperí. They stopped at Moura, a small river town, and were blessed by the hospitality of the people and their openness to Gospel literature. The River Negro is well known for tempestuous weather, and as they proceeded further up-river, they encountered a violent storm, testing both their physical endurance and their faith. After a long, tiring battle with raging waves, they finally emerged into calm waters, and as the river narrowed, a thick canopy of jungle increased around them. However, having overcome one major obstacle they now faced another, a very real danger from inhabitants on the shore who were not used to outside contact.
Navigating a bend in the river, they encountered a naked Indian on the river complete with a bow and arrows. The two men suddenly realised he was accompanied by over a dozen armed warriors. Battling their natural instincts, in faith they brought they boat ashore, before being surrounded by tribesmen slapping their chests and shouting, “Yacanoo-moray” (which they later found out means, ‘good friend’). Pastor Gomes and Willie spent several weeks with the tribe, and despite the primitive environment and some communication difficulties (as the tribe didn’t speak Portuguese), they found great opportunities to share the Gospel and started to learn the vital Jauaperí vocabulary.
Eventually, they continued their journey upriver for a further six weeks, aiming to reach the River Alalahu. With supplies running low, the men turned to fishing and finding turtles eggs to sustain their endeavours. Upon reaching their destination, they remembered the four men and woman that had been killed by Indians three years earlier, a thought that reawakened their awareness of the constant threat that overshadowed their expedition. Willie was overawed by the beauty of the river, in particular the rapids they encountered (which, on this occasion, would eventually cause them to have to abandon their endeavour and return to Manaus).
This was the first of Willie’s many expeditions to reach the tribes of the Amazon. He took heart that, despite the constant dangers and frequently turbulent weather, the Gospel was being preached to remote tribes. He was also delighted that he had been joined by his brother, Joe, and his friend Joe Wright from Belfast, who accompanied him on his evangelistic journeys down the plethora of river veins that led into the heart of the Amazon.
In mid-1927, two men from the British and Foreign Bible Society visited Willie in his 8ft x 8ft rat infested home, as they returned from a three-month journey to the Acre Territory, bringing reports of a large area untouched by the Gospel. Acre Territory was two thousand miles from the mouth of the Amazon, with its remoteness resulting in high living costs, and therefore, a neglected mission field. This unexpected, divinely inspired visit kindled a fire in Willie’s heart, but due to his ongoing commitments, he was unable to go. He left the need with the Lord and continued working with the Jauaperí, before concentrating his efforts on the Maue Indians of the lower amazon, which led to great opportunities to share the Gospel with these neglected tribes.
Long Distance Relationship
Whilst overseas, Willie continued to communicate with his sweetheart, Margaret McKnight, back in Belfast by post, although correspondence was often slow, and in some cases was lost due to torrential weather. Both members of the courtship had been smitten with each other since their time at Northumberland Street Mission Hall, and were dedicated to their relationship and to serving God on the mission field. As soon as Willie had left for Brazil in 1925, Margaret had started her training as a nurse at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, before then studying midwifery at nearby Malone Place. Her life was committed to God, with her eyes and heart devoted to serving with her beloved in Brazil. Margaret passionately shared the Gospel with colleagues and brought friends to evangelistic meetings. One close friend, Mollie Harvey, came to faith at one such meeting and would play an important role in the following years of Margaret’s life.
Margaret would inform Willie’s friends, family and members of Northumberland Street of his progress, while also communicating her plans to join him in the Amazon and their marriage plans. They were both aware of the strict WEC code of conduct, preventing a serving missionary marrying someone not (a) accepted by the mission and (b) not having served the two years probationary period. Their willingness to comply prolonged their courtship by five years.
After completing her midwifery course, Margaret enrolled at Redcliffe Bible School, before applying and being accepted by Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade (WEC) for work in Amazonia. In late 1929, Margaret set sail for Brazil, being assigned to East Amazonia, with ‘the powers that be’ deciding to keep Margaret and Willie at a respectable distance.
The first five years on the mission field of Amazonia had taken its toll on Willie, with severe bouts of dysentery and other fevers leaving him looking gaunt and malnourished. His first mission furlough in 1930 was well-timed to allow him to spend a few weeks of quality time with his darling Margaret to plan their marriage, before travelling home to Belfast. It wasn’t long before he was reacquainted with his family and friends at Northumberland Street Mission and Argyle Place Presbyterian Church. During a full year of deputation, Willie spoke widely across Ulster, sharing about his work in the Amazon and enhancing his reputation as a passionate and spirited speaker.
A New Station
In 1931, Willie returned to Amazonia. The Heart of Amazonia Mission had recently come under the newly formed Unevangelised Field Mission (UFM). Willie found Margaret in Belem, busy helping in various churches but keen to join him in working alongside the indigenous Indians. In late 1931, they married at a small ceremony, and after a brief honeymoon, were assigned to work among the Indian tribes of the lower Amazon, being stationed in Altamira (taking over from Fred Roberts, who was later martyred by the KayapóIndians). As they journeyed to their new home by canoe, they stopped at Engenho Central and paid respects at the grave of Fenton Hall, the missionary who had inspired Willie to join the mission field.
The two-week voyage to Altamira was a ‘baptism of fire’ for Margaret in the perils of missionary life. Facing not only obstacles on the river and tempestuous weather, she found herself having to continuously wave ‘a monkeys tail’ to keep swarms of Pium (an insect that draws blood to the surface of the skin, leaving red spots) from attacking the newlyweds. At night, it was the turn of the mosquitos, but despite their annoying presence, on eleven nights of the journey they slept under the canopy of heaven, enjoying the splendour of God’s creation and power.
The McComb’s spent three years in Altamira, witnessing to the Guajajara Indians, continuing the faithful work of previous missionaries before them. Their work included running a school, nightly prayer meetings and Bible studies, and journeys into the heart of the Amazon to share the Gospel with unreached tribes.
In August 1932, Willie and Margaret welcomed their first child, Irene, into the world. The new parents found it difficult providing a balanced diet for their new-born daughter, with arrowroot and mashed or boiled banana becoming the main source of food. The environment proved difficult for the family, with the Pindaré River occasionally overflowing to the point of flooding the family home, and the intrusion of the local wildlife, in particular snakes, which were often found in dangerous areas of the home, including above Irene’s cot. However, despite the dangers, the McCombs witnessed many Indians giving their hearts to Jesus, compelling them to continue in their ministry.
Heavy Hearted Decisions
In 1936, the McComb’s returned to the shores of Northern Ireland as part of their ministry furlough. It was also little Irene’s first time on Irish soil; however she was a little perplexed that no one understood her Portuguese! She was introduced to her loving grandparents, who were eager to meet her for the first time.
Willie and Margaret were in great demand across Ulster, with crowds wanting to hear their many stories of salvation and the Lord’s protection and provision in the face of incredible danger in Brazil.
As the McComb’s continued their deputation, their hearts became burdened for the people of Acre territory in Brazil. They discovered that no missionaries had attempted venture to that distant region since the two men from the British and Foreign Bible Society, some nine years earlier. Originally part of Bolivia, Acre was annexed to Brazil in 1903 after many years of bloodshed and fighting. As Willie and Margaret fervently sought the Lord in prayer, they became more convinced that God was challenging them to step out in faith and to become a light in an area of spiritual darkness.
They approached their mission leaders to share the burden and task the Lord had placed on their hearts. Despite appreciating and understanding the couple’s heart, the leaders concluded that opening a new mission station in such a secluded region would prove too difficult, and therefore their request to go to Acre was rejected.
Again we could hear the call from acre ‘come over and help us’.
Determined to obey the conviction of their hearts, after much prayer and soul-searching, the McComb’s resigned from UFM and handed over all the financial support they had gained as part of the mission. While both parties were disappointed with how things came to an end, the parting was amicable on both sides.
This ‘leap of faith’ by the McComb’s opened many doors, and through deputation opportunities, the Lord provided a core group of trusted friends who formed a committee to manage their ministry support. Despite not making any public appeals for support, God met every financial need for their next venture to the Amazon, as well as providing a new co-worker, Mollie Harvey, who had completed her nursing training and felt compelled to join Willie and Margaret in their endeavours to reach the lost people of Acre Territory.
As the time approached to depart, a great personal dilemma arose over the welfare of little Irene. Stepping into a remote, hostile environment is daunting and dangerous at the best of times, but bringing a young child into that atmosphere was ill-advised, given the likelihood of serious dangers and challenges arising. Willie and Margaret agonised and wrestled with their decision, but eventually conceded that remaining in Northern Ireland would be best for their daughter. The Lord provided a kind family from Ballywalter, the Evans family, to care for Irene in their absence. They had a daughter who was the same age as Irene, providing a perfect companion and playmate.
Many tears were shed in the lead up to their departure and separation. When the day came, Willie and Margaret bought Irene a doll to distract her before closing a car door and excruciatingly watched their beloved daughter being driven away.
What was initially meant to be a separation lasting four or five years was sadly prolonged to more than eight years due to the outbreak of the Second World War. Not a single day passed without the McComb’s feeling the weight of their decision, reflecting later in later life that it was the greatest sacrifice they were ever called to make.
Return to Amazonia
On 4th June 1937, Willie and Margaret McComb, accompanied now by Mollie Harvey, set sail for Brazil. Hundreds of friends and supporters gathered at the docks to bid the trio farewell as they embarked on the journey back across the ocean. After 15 days they reached the mouth of the Amazon, before boarding a river steamer for a six-week journey up the great Amazon, Solimões and Purus Rivers, eventually reaching Rio Branco, the capital of Acre.
The boat journey, and stops at towns along the banks of the rivers, provided fruitful evangelistic opportunities amongst travellers and locals alike, with Willie never missing an opportunity to share the Gospel and distribute Christian literature and tracts.
Their arrival in Rio Branco proved problematic, with no accommodation resulting in them having to spend several weeks in a dingy, and an extortionately priced hotel, before finding a house to rent on the outskirts of the city. The missionaries were amazed at the cost of living, given transport consisted of horseback, canoe or ox cart. Electricity for the whole town was provided by one unreliable generator, and water was provided by the muddy river or the deep well the inhabitants had dug behind their homes.
Willie lost no time in starting meetings, and within weeks, attendance was regularly over fifty people. Margaret and Mollie visited local women and were able to use their nursing skills to treat those who were sick. The Gospel message spread steadily, with many souls won for Christ, and whilst at times there were challenges and setbacks, the increasing numbers coming to the Lord led Willie to purchase a site and renovate an old house to build the first evangelical church in Rio Branco.
There was much work to be done but Willie was encouraged by the many new believers who came to volunteer their services to help. On opening night, the church was too small to accommodate the large crowd that attended the gathering, and within a short time, they had a regular schedule including traditional services, Sunday school, children’s meetings and ladies’ meetings. Despite ongoing work, the church held five meetings every week. Open-air preaching in strategic parts of town was a regular occurrence, providing more great opportunities to share the Gospel. However, Willie yearned to work with the native Indians and reach the tribes in lesser accessible parts of Acre.
‘Faith is not a leap. It is stepping out believing that God’s promises give us a sure footing’.
Journey Down The River
Having established a great work in Rio Branco, in 1939 Willie and Margaret left Mollie to manage the church as they set out to attempt to reach villages and towns on the River Purus and Acre River. Initially hoping to travel for six weeks, the couple returned after nearly three months, full of amazement at the opportunities the Lord had provided them with.
In the municipalities of Boca do Acre and Sena Madureira, the McCombs had witnessed the favour of God in their interactions with local government officials, who assisted in organising meetings in the towns and outlying districts, attracting hundreds of people each night. Whilst the couple moved and preached in the power of God, they were very conscious of the sinister presence of darkness everywhere they went.
They had proceeded down the River Purus aiming to visit the Jamamadee Indians, stopping at the city of Campo Grande, before trekking seven hours along a badly beaten track to reach the Indian village. Willie and Margaret received a warm welcome and spent several days with the inhabitants, preaching the Gospel and distributing medicine. Again, they were aware of the presence of the enemy, as it was clear that some members of the tribe practiced witchcraft and didn’t partake in the discussions. There was also a visit from a group of gaunt looking Indians who arrived from a neighbouring tribal village. On closer observation, it was clear they were addicts, addicted to the local natural narcotic derived from the same cocoa plant that cocaine is extracted from. It was a reminder to the missionaries for the constant need to be on their guard and to ensure that all their endeavours were covered in prayer. Wonderfully, they made great strides to develop relationships for the future, and left with locals singing about Jesus ‘ringing in their ears’.
Their three-month journey to the various rivers towns and municipalities proved extremely fruitful, and they were greatly encouraged when they returned to Rio Branco and found Mollie and the church doing well despite their absence.
Whilst their work was tremendously productive and rewarding, not a day went by without shedding tears for their daughter Irene back home. Letters assured them of her care and progress, but they longed to hold her in their arms again.
The missionaries continued their labour, sharing the Gospel at every opportunity. The church flourished, with new believers being added regularly. Despite the progress, the team faced many dangers; Willie’s health was often poor, with bouts of dysentery leaving him weak, and Mollie had a narrow escape after been led out on a hoax call by an outsider. She was fortunate to escape with her life after being beaten and left badly shaken.
Faithful Support
As the McComb’s and Mollie continued their missionary activities, they were fully aware that their accomplishments were only made possible by the faithfulness and generosity of their supporters back in Northern Ireland. Key to this were their core committee team, including Pastor Olley, Mr R. Evans, who acted as Secretary (and fostered Irene McComb), and Sam McIlvenna who acted as Treasurer. The men were in constant amazement at the Lord’s provision. While not having money in abundance, funds always arrived when they were needed.
Despite the deteriorating political situation in Europe in 1939, the McCombs had reason to be joyful as they welcomed their second daughter, Eleanor Bailey, into the world on 14th August. Sadly, however, it came at a cost, as the delivery was very complicated and had to be conducted at the city of Manaus due to lack of medical provision in Rio Branco. Margaret subsequently suffered from a series of illnesses after giving birth, including bronchitis, which delayed their return. Willie also continued to struggle with his own health, with persistent pain on his left side caused by several attacks of dysentery suffered in the preceding years. He was later diagnosed with colitis, which had to be controlled through rest and a specific diet.
When the news of Eleanor’s birth reached home, war had broken out across Europe. Despite Brazil being one of the safest places on earth at the time, emergency laws froze personal assets moving out of the United Kingdom, resulting in the McCombs and Mollie’s support being cut off. To resolve the issue, the mission needed to be registered as a charity, and thus ‘Acre Gospel Mission’ was born, with the committee members becoming trustees and all publications sent under the new charity banner.
Extended Trials and Fruitfulness
The McComb’s joy over Eleanor was tinged with sorrow by their deep longing to be reunited with their daughter Irene again. It had been a tough and emotional four years, and with the outbreak of World War II, any hope of returning home for a furlough disappeared with restrictions on transatlantic passenger sailing. Willie and Margaret were crushed but sought to numb the pain by putting all their energy and efforts into the mission. Mollie also had her share of sorrow, as she received news that her father had passed away.
The work continued, despite some concern for their health expressed by the charity trustees. In 1940, Sander Tonnesson, a Norwegian missionary, arrived in Rio Branco. He became an important support for the team, accompanying Willie on his river journeys, preaching the Gospel, and distributing tracts and Gospel literature.
Over the next five years, Willie continued to ‘spearhead’ the church and outreach on the streets of Rio Branco with amazing results. He trained up two local men to be evangelists, and they travelled extensively all over the region, with hundreds of people being led to the Lord.
Mollie was also a great asset to the Lord’s work, with her reputation as a midwife becoming legendary amongst the locals. Even the Governor invited her to the palace to care for his pregnant wife and oversee the birth of his child. Experiences such as these added to her reputation and also presented great opportunities to share the Gospel.
As time crept on and World War II continued to rage, thoughts of Irene were never far from Willie and Margaret’s minds. News also filtered through that Willie’s father and Margaret’s mother had passed away. Despite their feelings of loss and sorrow, they continued to put all their efforts into the church and outreach. Willie, strongly supported by Margaret, saw great fruit from their toil and labour, and they were comforted in the knowledge that their sacrifice was not in vain.
Homeward Bound
In 1945 the war ended, and after nine years of constant service in Acre, the three Irish missionaries left Rio Branco with six-year-old Eleanor for a long overdue furlough. As they departed, hundreds of locals gathered to see them off.
The voyage home was an arduous and exhausting journey. After navigating the rivers of the amazon in a small boat, they reached Belem, only to discover that were no boats sailing to England. After days of toiling, Willie was able to secure travel to New York on a Polish cargo vessel. However, reminiscent of Paul in the Book of Acts, the ship encountered a hurricane and the cargo had to be thrown overboard to save the ship and its passengers. After two weeks at sea they arrived in New York, and a new waiting game began. After a month staying with extended family, they were granted passage home to Southampton, before eventually heading to Belfast via Liverpool.
In Belfast, the missionaries were warmly welcomed home by family and friends, with Irene (now a teenager) apprehensively awaiting their arrival. Delighted to be back and reunited with their daughter, the McCombs took time for their family to be reacquainted, and for Willie and Margaret to receive much needed medical treatment.
They soon began to receive invitations to share their story and they were amazed at the interest from all over Ireland. At many speaking engagements, Willie expressed delight at what God had accomplished during their nine years in Acre, but also spoke of his sadness at the lack of labourers on the mission field given the incredible amount of open doors available.
After some time, the McCombs began making plans to return to Acre Territory. However it became evident that the mission field had taken a grave toll on both their health, leaving them unfit to return despite their willingness and eagerness. Medical advice deemed that it would be ‘suicidal’. After some time, Willie submitted to the fact that they could not continue to spearhead the mission. He wrestled with having to ‘lay down his sword’ earlier that he had hoped but conceded that God had other plans to use them both on home soil.
After a year’s furlough, having travelled the length and breadth of Ireland sharing the amazing accomplishments of God in Brazil and gaining many new supporters, Mollie Harvey returned to Acre to continue the work. She travelled alone, despite concern from the mission committee, but rested in the knowledge that God had already answered prayer and confirmed to her and the committee that another couple would take over the baton from the McCombs and continue the mission. Willie and Margaret continued to be part of the mission from Ireland and gave it their full support with Willie becoming Mission secretary.
In 1951, Willie was appointed as Pastor of Castlereagh Evangelical Church in Belfast, adding more responsibilities to those he already had for the mission. He continued to inspire many future missionaries, such as Fred and Ina Orr, to take up the torch on the mission field. After nine years in the pulpit, he resigned from his pastorate to dedicate his time to managing the ACRE mission administration, caring for the increasing number of missionaries and the growing work of the ministry. In 1971, Willie McComb retired from the mission due to Ill health. Margaret McComb passed into glory on 3rd April 1982, whilst Willie finished his race in May 1985.
Summary
Scripture metaphorically refers to the Christian walk as ‘a race’, highlighting certain characteristics and requirements. We are told to run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1), to exercise self-control and discipline (1 Corinthians 9:24-27), to not run in vain (Philippians 2:16), to press on (Philippians 3:14), and lastly, but most importantly, to finish (2 Timothy 4:7).
However, not all races are the same, with each distinguished by a range of factors such as conditions, distance, terrain, pace, teamwork etc. We all encounter different challenges (or races) throughout our walk with Christ. Sprints are short, high-energy bursts; endurance races are long, highly physical and laboured; and a relay is highly technical, team-based, tactical and strategic.
William McComb was a pioneer, impassioned with the zeal of the Lord. It could be argued that his ‘race’ included all the types mentioned above. The initial sprint to Brazil with a desire to preach and win souls for Christ, before moving onto the endurance in Acre, before becoming the first member of the relay team who would pass the baton onto future missionaries in the Acre Territory through Acre Gospel Mission.
It wasn’t the McCombs intention to create a new mission. Rather, as a result of the call God had placed in their hearts, and through His providence, a new mission was born, a legacy was created, and a testament to His faithfulness was established which continues to endure to this very day.
We at LMI honour Willie and Margaret McComb for their heart and passion to serve God on the mission field, and for being an inspiration to so many believers at that time and since. They sacrificed so much and God, in His goodness and faithfulness, gave them a harvest which continues to be reaped.
May we all have a desire to serve Him with such zeal and fervour.
More information on the story of Willie McComb and the history of ACRE Gospel Mission can be found in the book ‘When God Steps In’ by Victor Maxwell, available from ACRE Gospel Mission.