Isobel Miller Kuhn - China

China

It was October 11, 1928, Isobel sailed on a passenger ship out of Vancouver to China. As a new missionary she was totally unprepared for the cost of things, from the poverty to the vermin to the Lisu diet to the crowds - and more. In these times, she would "fall on her knees and weep before the Lord," asking Him to help her. Kuhn eventually found ways to cope with certain irritations, like fleas; she even grew to enjoy certain things she initially couldn't stomach, like "large chunks" of boiled pork fat and bean curd. She married John Kuhn in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, on November 4, 1929.

Over the next four decades they served together - like her mentor, J. O. Fraser, who came before them and who also worked alongside them until 1938. Although John Kuhn's leadership duties (and eventually his CIM superintendent duties) separated him from his sheep frequently - sometimes for as long as a year - throughout all of their ministry in China, the Kuhns first ministered in Chengchiang, Yunnan, from 1929-1930, and in Tali, Yunnan, which had been without missionaries for the previous year They were there from 1930-1932. While in Tali, the Kuhns had a baby girl, Kathryn Ann, in April, 1931. They then ministered in Yongping, Yunnnan, a mostly Muslim area, from 1932-1934. The Kuhns lived in an area of the city that had a lower percentage of Muslims. They ministered among the Lisu, in China, from 1934 until 1950.

In 1936, after 16 months of ministering in "Lisuland," the Kuhns took their first furlough to see both their families, in Manheim, PA, and Vancouver, respectively. John had been on the mission field for 10 years; Isobel, for eight years. Back in China, "Belle" had her second child, a son, Daniel Kreadman, in August, 1943. In 1942, they started a Bible school for girls and, in 1943, one for boys.

The communist revolution in China forced Belle and her son Danny to leave the country in March, 1950, and to put her missionary life on hold for two years. John Kuhn left China 18 months after his wife. While on furlough, the Kuhns spent their time in Wheaton, Illinois, because their daughter was studying at Wheaton College.

Sensing God's call again, but with China closed to them, the Kuhns continued their ministry in 1952 among another Lisu people group, this time in northern Thailand, until 1954, when they retired.