Mountain Rain

1906. James Fraser was intelligent and musical, and was pursuing a career in engineering at Imperial College, London. But God had different plans for him. Rather than leading him to a flourishing engineering career, God led him all the way to China to do a mighty work through him.

James' first station was at Tengyueh, in the southwest, near Burma. It was there that he began to notice an unusual tribal people, called the Lisu. These people God eventually would use James to bring to Himself, but it would not be an easy journey-- it would be a road of hard work, travelling, tears, and most of all, prayer.

Mountain Rain, written by J. O. Fraser's second daughter, Eileen Fraser Crossman, and published by OMF Books in 1982, tells of this incredible journey of faith. She writes in an easy style, including subdivisions within the chapters so it is easier to put down if you only have a limited time to sit and read. Drawing from letters, journal entries, and personal remembrances from individuals, Eileen brings to life this outstanding man of God who was part of a huge turning to God among the tribal people of Yunnan Province, and who also was instrumental in the call of well-known missionary and author Isobel Kuhn to China (which you can read about in Mrs. Kuhn's book, By Searching.)

One part of the book that especially had an impact on me was Mrs. Crossman's account and James' letters and journal entries about his difficult struggle in the beginning of his work among the Lisu-- of the strength of satan's strongholds, but the even more powerful weapon of prayer. God used these chapters, especially, to truly open my eyes to the nature of prayer, and I was convicted of the shallowness of my own prayer life. Through James' writings, I learned the nature of the "prayer of faith" and "definite prayer." I also was blessed as I read about what God taught James during the times when he was very discouraged-- and so was I about the time I read it. We can indeed have victory through faith in the power of the God of Hosts; we can defeat discouragement by "resisting the devil" and relying upon God. These truths were so refreshing to me in my walk with Christ, and I heartily encourage you to read this book and be blessed as well!

"I had so much to learn! It seemed as if God was saying: 'You are crying to me to do a big work among the Lisu; I am wanting to do a big work in you yourself.' "

-J. O. Fraser

P.S. You may read further thoughts on this book in this post.