The United States of America reeling from the Great Depression in the 1930’s and the rise of Communism in China destroyed all missionary endeavours. Still, God was preparing His faithful servants John and Betty to heed to the clarion call of reaching the lost. John Stam, a Dutch immigrant, had a burden for China and he vehemently said, ‘a million a month pass into Christless graves.’ Betty Stam, on the other hand, was the daughter of missionary parents to China and was well versed with the Orien¬tal language and culture. John and Betty met each other in a prayer service at the Moody Bible Institute in Illinois. They were married on October 25, 1933 and a year later, they were blessed with a baby girl - Helen Priscilla. The happy family then ventured to their mission post at Jingde in the southern Anhui Province. Just when the Stams began to set¬tle in with their mission work, the Communist government takeover became imminent. On December 6, 1934, the city was surrounded by the Red Army and soon the Stams were taken as prisoners. The loud cries of baby Helen annoyed the soldiers and a fellow prisoner who was just released, overheard their cruel intentions. When he protested, they accused him of being a Christian and sought his life in exchange for the baby. John and Betty, stripped to their inner garments, were paraded through the streets as they were mocked and cursed by all. The hour arrived as John knelt before his executioners and while he spoke under his breath, the sword severed his head. Betty trembled and without a tear saw the same fate. As recorded by one biographer, ‘John and Betty were one in life and one in death and one in a martyr’s testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ.’ Twenty four hours later, the two month old baby, Helen was found in a house in Miaoshou, covered in a blanket along with a ten dollar bill in the baby’s clothing. Helen Priscilla Stam was named by the media as ‘the miracle baby’. The gruesome death of John and Betty caused many to rise up as missionar¬ies to China and the Gospel continued to touch lives. Betty’s colleague testified that, “a life which had the longest span of years might not have been able to do one-hun¬dredth of the work for Christ which the Stams have done in a day.”

Source: 1. http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1901-2000/bet..., 2. http://www.actsameri¬ca.org/biographies/2010-08-John-Betty-Stam.html, 3. http://www.bdcconline.net/en/stories/s/stam-elisabeth-betty-alden-scott.php.

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