Crosslinks former missionary Caroline Stokes |
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Caroline Stokes
Caroline Alexander Cain from Media, Pennsylvania USA, learned of the need for missionaries in Ethiopia while attending her church’s Missions Conference. Answering the Lord’s call she trained at Philadelphia College of the Bible, and in 1939 her church gave her a big send-off on a boat to Africa. Due to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, she was stationed in Khartoum where she met David Stokes, then serving with the British Army and trying to get back into Ethiopia. They were married in January 1944 in Addis Ababa and Caroline joined David in working for the Bible Churchmen’s Society (BCMS), now called Crosslinks. For the first few years they were based at Mission Headquarters in Addis. Caroline worked alongside David making a home for the chief’s sons who were orphaned due to the war.
During two placements in Addis, Caroline also took on the role of “mother” for new missionaries arriving in Ethiopia. She remembered how new and strange it had been for her and she did her best to ease their transfer into the new environment – helping them with the language and shopping, advising how to employ and treat servants, and so on. Many remember her wonderful example both as a missionary and a mother.
When David and Caroline were stationed in Fiché, they travelled together to outlying villages by mule where Caroline was able to witness and give medical care to the Ethiopian women while David spoke to the men and priests. Caroline added working in the Women’s Bible School to her list of accomplishments. They faced threats to their lives and together proved God’s protection and care – giving them sons and daughters in Jesus. The mission wrote and produced a magazine in Amharic, called “Witness to the Light”. With others, Caroline wrote articles for inclusion and assisted with the production.
On their transfer to Gonder, Caroline started work among the women of the area by having a monthly women’s meeting. Many of these women travelled miles to the meeting and brought their children with them, so Caroline started a children’s group – with up to 80 children – which was held on the day after the women’s meeting – “so the tea and bread were still fresh”. She took on distribution of the magazine in the Gonder area. This was truly pioneering work in a region hostile to the message of Jesus and gave her entrance to offices and officials unable to be reached in any other way. She was trying to sell these magazines to people who were very poor – but if they bought the magazine it would be precious and would be read. This way “Witness to the Light” entered many homes, offices, police stations, hospitals, shops, coffee and beer houses. Some months few copies were sold before the next batch arrived – but Caroline proved God’s strength and guidance over and over again as people came forward “at the last minute” and bought the magazines.
In between all this, she raised a family of 4 girls – always being there for them when they needed her and ensuring they had a wonderful childhood. She taught them about the love of the Lord Jesus and set an example of reliance on God for everything – with praise in every part and through every struggle.
In 1968 David took up a teaching post in the Cathedral School in Addis Ababa while Caroline, “retired” and returned to the UK to set up home, in Leicester, for her daughters. David joined her on his “retirement” in 1970. Even in retirement, in her adopted country, Caroline continued her calling to witness for her Saviour. Together with David she worked with young and old, through Bible studies, by example and by encouraging all she met and all who visited her - always pointing them to the Heavenly Father. Prayer was her work to the end.