What do you think?
Rate this book
He Gave Us a Valley
After Helen Roseveare’s twelve years of missionary work in the northeast province of what was the Belgian Congo, building up a simple medical service, civil war erupted with horrific effects. During the war Helen was brutally beaten and raped and left with no choice but to return to Britain (this story is told in ‘Give Me This Mountain’). She quickly returned to the Congo in 1966 to assist in the rebuilding of the nation. She helped establish a new medical school and hospital (for the other hospitals that she built were destroyed) and served there until 1973. In the eight years following the war, despite endless frustrations, again and again God showed his unfailing guidance and unstinting provision for her needs. This book is the story of the joys and adventures of re–establishing the medical work, the church building programme and the work of forgiveness, necessary after the destruction of the civil war.
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2006
About the author
Helen Roseveare
27 books50 followersDr. Helen Roseveare was born in Hailebury, Herts, England in 1925. She became a Christian as a medical student in Cambridge University in 1945. She continued to have strong links with the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union and was designated as the "CICCU missionary" during the 1950s and 1960s. She built a combination hospital/ training center in Ibambi in the early 1950s, then relocated to Nebobongo, living in an old leprosy camp, where she built another hospital. After conflict with other staff at the hospital, she returned to England in 1958.
She returned to the Congo in 1960. In 1964 she was taken prisoner of rebel forces and she remained a prisoner for five months, enduring beatings and rapings. She left the Congo and headed back to England after her release but returned to the Congo in 1966 to assist in the rebuilding of the nation. She helped establish a new medical school and hospital (the other hospitals that she built were destroyed) and served there until she left in 1973. She helped many people from different countries, and helped them when needing food, and drink.
Since her return from Africa, she has had a worldwide ministry in speaking and writing. She was a plenary speaker at the Urbana Missions Convention three times. She is now retired and lives in Northern Ireland. Her life of service was portrayed in the 1989 film Mama Luka Comes Home. Her touching story about how the prayer of Ruth, 10-year-old African girl, for a hot water bottle to save a premature newborn baby after its mother had died has been widely forwarded by email. She survived rape and trial during the Congolese civil war in 1964 because of the intervention of the villagers she had helped previously.
(Wikipedia)
She returned to the Congo in 1960. In 1964 she was taken prisoner of rebel forces and she remained a prisoner for five months, enduring beatings and rapings. She left the Congo and headed back to England after her release but returned to the Congo in 1966 to assist in the rebuilding of the nation. She helped establish a new medical school and hospital (the other hospitals that she built were destroyed) and served there until she left in 1973. She helped many people from different countries, and helped them when needing food, and drink.
Since her return from Africa, she has had a worldwide ministry in speaking and writing. She was a plenary speaker at the Urbana Missions Convention three times. She is now retired and lives in Northern Ireland. Her life of service was portrayed in the 1989 film Mama Luka Comes Home. Her touching story about how the prayer of Ruth, 10-year-old African girl, for a hot water bottle to save a premature newborn baby after its mother had died has been widely forwarded by email. She survived rape and trial during the Congolese civil war in 1964 because of the intervention of the villagers she had helped previously.
(Wikipedia)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 18, 2019
I was disappointed with this. I have read other books by the author and found them similarly flat.
There is no doubt that her perseverance after numerous setbacks is inspiring, however, her writing style is so pedestrian that I could easily skip chapters without losing the thread. I especially found the various chapters on whether or not her hospital was going to get official government approval monotonous. She relays the back and forths between herself, the govt, other teachers and the students in detail almost arguing her case through her writing. It's tempting to do this when we feel wronged in some way; to analyse every last detail and replay events in our minds. However, subjecting readers to this introspection only detracts from the story.
I'm glad the author finally gets to a place where she recognises her flaws and failings and trusts God completely. I'm sure we all need this reminder at times. I think I'm going to stop trying to read this author's books as I just don't get on with them at all!
There is no doubt that her perseverance after numerous setbacks is inspiring, however, her writing style is so pedestrian that I could easily skip chapters without losing the thread. I especially found the various chapters on whether or not her hospital was going to get official government approval monotonous. She relays the back and forths between herself, the govt, other teachers and the students in detail almost arguing her case through her writing. It's tempting to do this when we feel wronged in some way; to analyse every last detail and replay events in our minds. However, subjecting readers to this introspection only detracts from the story.
I'm glad the author finally gets to a place where she recognises her flaws and failings and trusts God completely. I'm sure we all need this reminder at times. I think I'm going to stop trying to read this author's books as I just don't get on with them at all!
March 10, 2022
The conclusion of this book is beautiful, and almost makes up for the rest of it. Her dogged determination or rather her steadfast faithfulness is very encouraging. Her method of writing is not. It is a dogged chronicle of the legal, institutional, and organizational wrangling involved in setting up a hospital in Zaire. I’m sure that at the time it was incredibly stressful and personally important, but now it seems completely unimportant. Perhaps that was the author’s whole point because that brings us to the ending, and that was beautiful. It’s a whole life put in perspective. It turns our eyes from man’s short memory and fleeting accomplishments and to the eternal.
If you are a dedicated reader of African history, mission’s history, or missionary biographies in general, this might be a worthwhile read. I do want to go find her other book though. Maybe the more momentous events surrounding her will make it move a little faster?
If you are a dedicated reader of African history, mission’s history, or missionary biographies in general, this might be a worthwhile read. I do want to go find her other book though. Maybe the more momentous events surrounding her will make it move a little faster?
August 18, 2017
Although the writing style was not my favorite, the testimony of this woman is remarkable, and her challenge to the reader unmistakable.
"'No,' [The Lord] quietly rebuked me. 'No. You no longer want Jesus only, but Jesus plus . . . plus respect, popularity, public opinion, success and pride . . . You wanted to feel needed and respected . . . You'd like letters when you got home to tell you how much they realize they owe to you, how much they miss you. All this and more. Jesus plus . . . No, you can't have it. Either it must be Jesus only or you'll find you've no Jesus. You'll substitute Helen Roseveare.'
A great long silence followed--several days of total inner silence. At last I managed to tell Him that with all my heart I wanted Jesus only."
The call to follow Christ is a call to deny self. Helen Roseveare's story made me stop to evaluate my motivations for serving overseas. Do I truly desire Jesus only, or am I only satisfied when life hands me Jesus plus (fill in the blank)? Life and ministry may bring enormous trials and heartbreak; may God form in me the ability to say with joy that Jesus is enough.
"'No,' [The Lord] quietly rebuked me. 'No. You no longer want Jesus only, but Jesus plus . . . plus respect, popularity, public opinion, success and pride . . . You wanted to feel needed and respected . . . You'd like letters when you got home to tell you how much they realize they owe to you, how much they miss you. All this and more. Jesus plus . . . No, you can't have it. Either it must be Jesus only or you'll find you've no Jesus. You'll substitute Helen Roseveare.'
A great long silence followed--several days of total inner silence. At last I managed to tell Him that with all my heart I wanted Jesus only."
The call to follow Christ is a call to deny self. Helen Roseveare's story made me stop to evaluate my motivations for serving overseas. Do I truly desire Jesus only, or am I only satisfied when life hands me Jesus plus (fill in the blank)? Life and ministry may bring enormous trials and heartbreak; may God form in me the ability to say with joy that Jesus is enough.
July 1, 2016
I've read two books from Helen Roseveare and both have been so good.
I appreciate her honesty about her struggles, difficulties, and sins throughout her time in the Congo as a medical missionary. If you want a true, realistic account of what a missionary life is like, Helen's books are perfect for exactly that.
I appreciate her honesty about her struggles, difficulties, and sins throughout her time in the Congo as a medical missionary. If you want a true, realistic account of what a missionary life is like, Helen's books are perfect for exactly that.
Want to read
January 17, 2017The second of a two book memoir of the missionary service of Dr. Helen Roseveare.
Give me this Mountain, Roseveare, 1966
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Give me this Mountain, Roseveare, 1966
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
January 3, 2024
I can’t wait to meet Helen in heaven to let her know what an inspiration she has been to me. There is so much to think about after finishing this book, and so much to apply. I read the first half of Dr Roseveare’s memoir last year and took a while to finish this one but am glad I did. We might never articulate it this way, but we can believe that being in service to the Lord and caring for people in His name means our life will have hard moments but overall be up and to the right. What do we do when life is more disappointing and difficult than anticipated? Helen’s life is an inspiration for those of us facing challenges as we serve others, bringing perspective and an eternal view on what really matters.
I am finishing this one remembering I am not doing what I’m doing to please others or be impressive but in service to King Jesus…and that is enough!
I am finishing this one remembering I am not doing what I’m doing to please others or be impressive but in service to King Jesus…and that is enough!
July 22, 2022
Moving and inspiring. I cried several times. Roseveare writes with humility and shares some of the lessons God taught her through different events as they got the medical training school up and running. Sometimes the intricacies of paperwork and bureaucracy escaped me, but overall this was great read that reminded me of God's power and His faithfulness.
February 16, 2018
Helen Roseveare served as the missionary doctor in a remote village in Congo from the 1953 until 1963 when a horrific civil war broke out in the country. After experiencing traumatizing brutality and abuse, Roseveare was rescued and returned home to Great Britain, unsure if she'd ever return. This is all retold in the first book of the two-part memoir, Give Me This Mountain . But, spoiler alert (not really), she returns two years later, and her mission changes from focusing on providing medical services for the remote villages of war-torn Congo to starting a new school to train native medical staff to fill the voids of desperately low medical availability in the country. Her resilience, stubbornness, risk-taking, and passion are stretched beyond their limits as she deals with unhappy, demanding students who see her as a white foreigner. She struggles through this whole season and some of it is exasperating. I feel like I would have just shut down the school and returned to where I knew people appreciated my work rather than continually be chewed out by angry students, but she stuck with it, though she admits to having these same thoughts many times. In fact, the last chapter of the book is titled Was it Worthwhile? This is an honest look into a missionary's experience that lacks any romantic, exciting drama that some may look for in reading about missionaries traveling to remote countries. It made me uneasy at times and Roseveare herself was a bit annoying because of her stubbornness and sometimes bossy attitude. I wish she would have shared more about her spiritual journey, especially healing from the traumatic experiences during being a hostage by the rebels during the war. Instead, there is a bit more reminiscing on the bickering of the students and the building of the school than I would have liked. But it was still a very worthwhile read, solely for her humility and honesty in her failures. She is a great example that God can use any personality type for His purposes. He used her amidst her pride and hard-headedness and was able to do great things through her brokenness. I am glad she didn't gloss over this fact. She never made it sound like she had it all together; she clearly didn't. But this made it relatable and realistic and very thought-provoking. This would be a great book for a book club to discuss.
"'No,' [The Lord] quietly rebuked me. 'No. You no longer want Jesus only, but Jesus plus . . . plus respect, popularity, public opinion, success and pride . . . You wanted to feel needed and respected . . . You'd like letters when you got home to tell you how much they realize they owe to you, how much they miss you. All this and more. Jesus plus . . . No, you can't have it. Either it must be Jesus only or you'll find you've no Jesus. You'll substitute Helen Roseveare.'
A great long silence followed--several days of total inner silence. At last I managed to tell Him that with all my heart I wanted Jesus only."
"'No,' [The Lord] quietly rebuked me. 'No. You no longer want Jesus only, but Jesus plus . . . plus respect, popularity, public opinion, success and pride . . . You wanted to feel needed and respected . . . You'd like letters when you got home to tell you how much they realize they owe to you, how much they miss you. All this and more. Jesus plus . . . No, you can't have it. Either it must be Jesus only or you'll find you've no Jesus. You'll substitute Helen Roseveare.'
A great long silence followed--several days of total inner silence. At last I managed to tell Him that with all my heart I wanted Jesus only."
October 2, 2018
This book continues where Give Me This Mountain left off, and tells of Dr. Roseveare's return to Congo/Zaire after the post-independence rebellion. Helen spent some time back in her original location to assist with rebuilding efforts. Before long, she had a vision of moving to a new location to start a medical college and hospital. This was a big step of faith, as it took years to build and gain government recognition. Meanwhile, there existed a hostile relationship between some of the students and their teachers due to continued nationalism and distrust toward Europeans. Eventually, Helen decided to resign due to a conflict with students about the use of money allocated by the government for scholarships. She felt let down by her students and some of her colleagues, which wasn’t how she wanted to end her 20 years of missionary service in Africa. As she prepared to leave, Helen asked herself if it was worth it—the pain, the frustrations, and the let down. When she reflected on the work God did through her, including the people she treated and the Congolese she trained to be evangelical nurses and doctors, she realized that it was “utterly worthwhile, with no room left for regrets or recriminations.”
August 13, 2020
I enjoyed the honest insight into a medical missionary's journey in Congo/Zaire through the struggles of the war and afterwards. This books does a great deal giving a window of perspective into the cultural and racial struggles even within fellow missionaries, team mates, coworkers, students, etc. The honest way Helen shares her struggles, both outwardly and inwardly, as well as confesses her flaws yet holds to her convictions is refreshing. This isn't a missionary hero story, just a regular missionary story, and I like that. Looking forward to reading more of her books!
"I was sure I had made a mistake in coming back. I had thought I'd truly forgotten the suffering. I had thought the fear had died. It hadn't. I thought I would be wanted, welcomed. I'd built up my own image of what I expected the new relationship to be between national and foreigner, as a result of the suffering---and it just didn't fit."
"Don't excuse yourself. Call sin sin, and temper temper. Then face up to the fact that your white skin makes you no different to the rest of us. You need His cleansing and forgiveness, His infilling and indwelling, the same as we do. If you can only show us Doctor Helen, you might as well go home: the people need to see Jesus."
"I was sure I had made a mistake in coming back. I had thought I'd truly forgotten the suffering. I had thought the fear had died. It hadn't. I thought I would be wanted, welcomed. I'd built up my own image of what I expected the new relationship to be between national and foreigner, as a result of the suffering---and it just didn't fit."
"Don't excuse yourself. Call sin sin, and temper temper. Then face up to the fact that your white skin makes you no different to the rest of us. You need His cleansing and forgiveness, His infilling and indwelling, the same as we do. If you can only show us Doctor Helen, you might as well go home: the people need to see Jesus."
February 13, 2017
"These are not your sufferings: they are Mine. All I ask of you is the loan of your body."
I happened to catch a rebroadcast program of Helen Roseveare giving a speech on her work for the Lord in Africa. It spurred me to look up her biographies. As I only looked at the copyright date, I believe I've started out of order, but no matter.
I think the principle that stands out the brightest in her mission work is her fruitful thankfulness despite fruitless circumstances. Her work seemed so menial, the result of her years of late nights and early mornings, of government red tape and paperwork, combative student strikes and compromises... that she would need to willingly resign, just three months before her retirement.
Like so many other missionaries who were able to rejoice in the "small wins," amidst years of hard work and small yields, Helen was still able to wrestle in her heart with it all and say it was "all worth while," because it must be for "Jesus only."
"'We can't all be the last link in the chain.' Being the last link may bring public acclaim and a sort of popularity: but being willing to be any link, however inconspicuous, brings happiness and lasting joy."
I happened to catch a rebroadcast program of Helen Roseveare giving a speech on her work for the Lord in Africa. It spurred me to look up her biographies. As I only looked at the copyright date, I believe I've started out of order, but no matter.
I think the principle that stands out the brightest in her mission work is her fruitful thankfulness despite fruitless circumstances. Her work seemed so menial, the result of her years of late nights and early mornings, of government red tape and paperwork, combative student strikes and compromises... that she would need to willingly resign, just three months before her retirement.
Like so many other missionaries who were able to rejoice in the "small wins," amidst years of hard work and small yields, Helen was still able to wrestle in her heart with it all and say it was "all worth while," because it must be for "Jesus only."
"'We can't all be the last link in the chain.' Being the last link may bring public acclaim and a sort of popularity: but being willing to be any link, however inconspicuous, brings happiness and lasting joy."
June 21, 2018
This book covered the second half of Dr. Helen Roseveare's missionary service in the Belgian Congo, which by then had become the independent African nation of Zaire. She accomplished so much in building a medical college for native Christian students who would take their training back to the villages who so desperately needed doctors. But she was constantly under pressure, asking herself. "Is this enough? Am I doing enough to further God's kingdom?"
For example, she wrote up a report that stated "Out of 784 surgeries in 1972, we only had six surgical deaths." This was news she was going to report when she had retired from service and was back in Europe. Her African colleague corrected her and told her the only thing she needed to report was that "In 1972, almost 200 people came to believe in Jesus through our medical services."
She retired in 1973, after 20 strenuous, difficult, faith-filled years serving the people of Zaire. Make sure you read her first book "Give Me this Mountain" first. She is a new heroine of mine!
For example, she wrote up a report that stated "Out of 784 surgeries in 1972, we only had six surgical deaths." This was news she was going to report when she had retired from service and was back in Europe. Her African colleague corrected her and told her the only thing she needed to report was that "In 1972, almost 200 people came to believe in Jesus through our medical services."
She retired in 1973, after 20 strenuous, difficult, faith-filled years serving the people of Zaire. Make sure you read her first book "Give Me this Mountain" first. She is a new heroine of mine!
March 23, 2020
A bit heart wrenching. The brutal abuse she suffered during the Simba rebellion and her willingness return to the chaos and trials of service in the sixties is nothing short of amazing. The joy of Congolese Christians amidst their deep poverty and suffering during the rebellion, the challenges of governmental red tape, the suspicion of foreigners, the starvation, the utter impossibly of meeting social and medical needs, the fickle entitlement pride of students in mission schools, the transportation difficulties--and Christ was proclaimed, people saved, churches planted, leaders trained, hospitals and schools established. It is all overwhelmingly amazing.
Having left Congo in 1960 as a child, the account awakened my own vague childhood memories of attitudes simmering under colonialism that led to the traumatic period of this book. I'm pretty sure if I faced a tiny fraction Dr Roseveare faced, I would have given up many times. But God certainly is glorified by her service and love.
Having left Congo in 1960 as a child, the account awakened my own vague childhood memories of attitudes simmering under colonialism that led to the traumatic period of this book. I'm pretty sure if I faced a tiny fraction Dr Roseveare faced, I would have given up many times. But God certainly is glorified by her service and love.
July 1, 2023
Five stars for the incredible stories and wisdom of Helen Roseveare... But 3 stars for how it was written. The beginning and end of this book were incredible...but I got a little lost in the middle as she chronicled the work of the medical college she was trying to set up in the Congo. I'm thankful those details are recorded.... I just struggled to track with all the ins and outs she had written down. I found myself skimming over those details. I'm thankful for Helen and her honesty with her struggles and difficulties on the field. I've never read an autobiography so honest in this regard and it's refreshing!
June 30, 2019
Dr. Roseveare was brutally beaten and raped in the midst of the Congo civil war in the 1960s. She returned to Britain but went back to the Congo in 1966. She helped establish a new medical school and hospital. It was amazing how she guided the incoming students in the construction of the school, hospital and living quarters from local materials. In order to get the government's approval of the graduates' certificates she had to construct the buildings using permanent materials. She also experienced the pain of false accusations.
Shelved as 'i-can-t-even-finish'
November 22, 2019I read about half of this, but I just can't get past how dull it is. Helen's life was not dull, but her writing is. Perhaps I will revisit someday, but I'm giving up on it, since it is a slog.
October 30, 2022
Another book by Helen, describes dark days for her in her life as a missionary. But in her trouble is truth and an unfailing Father.
May 29, 2023
Very good! Think I prefer Living Sacrifice, but this filled in a lot of the gaps
October 28, 2008
A very hard book to read. I've put it down for a few days because the depth of pain this woman (a missionary doctor to the Congo during some of the most horrible years of war and unrest there) faced is overwhelming.
September 1, 2015
I heard Helen Roseveare speak in 1982. Her book is a powerful account of finding that God's grace is sufficient for each day.
January 19, 2015
Just OK in my opinion. It did not inspire me like other autobiographies did.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews