Chief Executive 15 ' It happened in a Hertfordshire Village' is the title of a little booklet by former missionary to China, Phyllis Thompson. Published in 1978, the subtitle is ' A story of answered prayer,' and it tells the story of the setting up, in the late 1960s, of a housing scheme for missionaries returning on furlough or retiring after a lifetime of service overseas. The scheme was the brainchild ( or more properly, the heart-child) of Elaine and Gordon Hoskings, who lived near St. Albans in the ancient village of Redbourn. Every work begins with a vision, and Gordon and Elaine Hoskings' began with the simple loan of their own home to missionaries with the Sudan Interior Mission. Gordon Hoskings was a consulting actuary who preferred to stay with missionaries rather than impersonal hotels on his business trips. In 1966 his wife Elaine went with him to Khartoum, where they visited missionaries, Mr and Mrs Nunn. In conversation they found that the Nunns rarely had a normal family life, and as a result were hardly getting to know their own daughters. When the girls weren't away at boarding school they were part of the crowd in the house where there could be as many as 20 people Redbourn Missionary Trust

Chief Executive 16 around the table. Even on furlough there was no normal family life, as the Nunns had no home of their own in England and relied on the hospitality of others. As they talked, the Hoskings realised that their own house would be empty during the Nunns' next furlough so they offered it; and they were never able to forget the joy of the family at having a home to themselves for a few weeks. A simple thing that most of us take for granted was a rare luxury for these servants of God. Back in England, the Hoskings spread word of the need among the local churches, and Christian organisations, such as the Parish Church's ' Redbourn Commoners' and the Anglican Young People's Association became involved. They were very encouraged by the Reverend Fred Harding, known as ' a succourer of many', who had helped the Chinese refugee, Stephen Wang, who went on to found the Chinese Church in London and the Chinese Overseas Christian Mission. The Hoskings managed to buy 11 acres of land, and the Redbourn Missionary Trust was formed in 1967. With it came a stream of ' providential happenings and unexpected interventions that always seem to accompany a venture of obedience and faith.' The work grew from there, with the support and involvement of local churches and Christians, through prayer meetings, planning applications and the inevitable refusals and eventual permissions. In a ten year period, between 1968 and 1978, 50 families on leave or in retirement, who had served in 26 different countries, from 27 different missionary societies, were accommodated. Among the applications the Hoskings increasingly received were some from retired missionaries who were back in England after a lifetime of service overseas. It became clearer and clearer that not only was there a need for homes for furlough missionaries with families, but for those who had completed their course, and eventually, a large house adjoining the land was purchased and converted into fl ats for this purpose. Today there are fi ve houses for missionaries on furlough and fi ve fl ats for more elderly missionaries. But in recent years trustees have found the running of the work increasingly diffi cult, both in the day to day administrative help from local churches and in recruiting suitable trustees. After much prayer, an approach was made to Pilgrim Homes and, God willing, the Redbourn Missionary Trust will become part of the ' pilgrims' family by April 2010. We feel grateful and privileged in being able to help continue this work of God for His precious servants.