There are very few missionaries who can claim to have lived through the majority of Africa Inland Mission’s existence, but that is exactly what Margaret Young can do after she celebrated her 100th birthday on 25th July this year.

AIM was only 14 years old when Margaret Halliday was born in Glasgow. Her family emigrated to Canada when she was a young girl but, years later, it was in Canada that she felt the Lord calling her to the mission in Africa. After training in a Bible College she started her service in Kenya in January 1939.

After working in a number of places she settled among the Nandi people in Kapsowar and it was there that she met widower Herbert Hanson Young, whose wife had passed away during their service in Molepolole, Botswana. As an engineer he was involved in constructing churches, including the church at Kapsowar. After leaving Kapsowar he returned a year later, in 1954, and they married in 1955. Together, they were involved in church-planting in rural areas and established both clinics and schools in remote villages.

While they never had any children of their own, Margaret had trained in childcare and was heavily involved in the education of women and girls. However, her influence has extended beyond the classroom into the higher echelons of society. The Honourable Daniel Arap Moi, second President of Kenya, had recalled to friends of Margaret how she taught him when he was a boy.

Likewise, another of her pupils, Benjamin Kipkorir, later became the Kenyan Ambassador to the USA as well as Chairman of the Kenya Commercial Bank. He still speaks highly of Margaret’s influence in his life.

Altogether, she dedicated 40 years of her life to serving Africans in Kenya.

Margaret faced many challenges during her service, and no more so than when Herbert passed away while on home assignment in the UK. Despite it being a heartbreaking time for her, Margaret afterwards felt that the Lord still had more for her to do so she returned to Kenya. Altogether, she dedicated 40 years of her life to serving Africans in Kenya.

After her retirement she returned to the UK and lived in Essex with her friend Grace Saunders. The Lord called Grace home 10 years ago and He opened a way for Margaret to return to her homeland in Scotland. She has spent the last eight years in Auchlochan Christian Care Village and, today, despite her poor eyesight and immobility, her favourite expression is: “I couldn’t be in a nicer place.”