Description

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Tags: Biography, Lang:en

Summary

Autobiography
This is the story of Archie and Maggie Watters, who left Scotland in 1914, just after World War 1 began. Never having left the United Kingdom before, they sailed to India. Their story begins in Scotland in 1887 and gives a fascinating insight into the social history of Scottish mining communities at that time. Following their marriage in August 1914, and both having trained in basic medicine, Archie and Maggie sailed to India to serve as missionaries.
Archie served as the local church minister, and Maggie offered her nursing skills in Daltonganj until 1922. During that time they encountered outbreaks of cholera, tuberculosis and influenza, delivered babies and buried the dead They built an orphanage as a result of many children being brought to them for care, as well as produced 3 children of their own.
In 1923, after a return to Scotland for many months rest, and the birth of a 4th child, they returned to India, serving for another 4 years, this time in Latehar, 40 miles from Daltonganj . Once again, Archie was the local minister but there was no church building, so they built one. Maggie fought for, and delivered, hygiene training for local midwives in order to reduced the death rate of women and babies.
In 1927, the health of their children caused them to resettle in Scotland and Archie became a headmaster until 1948. Archie and Maggie moved to Butler College, Indianapolis, USA in 1948, intending to retire back to Scotland. However, in 1955 they were asked to go to Bulawayo, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) where Archie became the minister of the local Church of Christ. The 3 years they thought they had signed up for turned into 12, and they finally retired to Fife in Scotland when Archie was 80 years old.
Maggie wrote the story of their lives, incorporating Archie's diaries, when she was 92 years old. This is their story of their adventures, faith and courage.

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