1982 - Ruth Hadley*
Angola
1982 to 2016
Ruth was one of the most effective people I have come across.1 A gifted athlete, expert linguist, and with a deep knowledge of African culture, she was very talented. But it was her commitment to the people she served that marked her ministry. When the Angola war grew worse in 1993, advice from the Foreign Office was for all British citizens to leave. Despite the danger, Ruth chose to stay on and explained her reasons: ‘We feel the Chokwes need an example of faith in adversity.’ I visited Ruth several times in Angola, and what struck me most was her deep understanding of African people, her love for them and her total willingness to pour out her life in their service. She was to me a true example of what it is to be ‘a living sacrifice’ and her life had a huge impact on Africa. Her early death was a huge loss to the work in Angola.
But it was her commitment to the people she served that marked her ministry