In November 1869 the shipElectra sails from Amsterdam. On board is a young missionary Heinrich Dirks,together with his wife Aganetha, who are supposed to begin a new missionarywork on the distant island of Sumatra. Inthe southern part of Batak territory, where Islam is advancing rapidly, theirtask is to found a new mission station and preach the Gospel. Most of the Batak are still heathen. They worship the spirits of the dead (begus), and are considered to be one ofthe last cannibalistic tribes in the world. A number of them have turned to Islam. There is not a single Christian in southern Batak-Land.
The passengers on theship are very surprised at the plans of the young missionary. Most do not see any sense in doing missionarywork among the native people and declare his task to be an impossiblevision. “They should send more cannonand soldiers there and not such harmless missionaries,” says an oldergentleman. Another one observes: “Thesavages cannot help being the way they are, but to change them is impossible.”
Will the young missionarysucceed in reaching the distant island? Will any indigenous person become a Christian?
A true story that challengesand encourages us to dare the seemingly impossible for God.
