To See Him As He Is (February, 1973)

Although Anna Bøg never returned to China, the land and its people were never far from her mind. In 1968, Anna Bøg sent a birthday greeting to Astrid Buch in which she said, regarding the Buchs' son Børge and his wife, "[W]e are pleased that they are serving out there, even though it is not in China."

In the spring of 1971, Anna Bøg wrote an article in English for the centennial celebration of Nazareth Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa --the church she had attended as a young woman. There she told of her work as a missionary. It is clear from that article that she had no regrets about having given her life to God through the Danish Missionary Society. She quoted scripture, "'All you have forsaken for his name's sake you shall receive a hundredfold and inherit everlasting life.' [Matt. 19:29.] The [Chinese] people called me so many dear names like grandmother, mother, auntie, big sister, little sister . . ."

Just as Anna Bøg's love for China never wavered, neither did her Christian faith. She closed the Nazareth Lutheran article with, "What if my eyesight is growing dim. I can still see to follow him who sacrificed his life for me upon the cross of Calvary."

According to Kirsten Bertelsen, "Anna Bøg was . . . still going strong until the end. She was active not only in the D.M.S. but also in the [Y.W.C.A.]. She was at a meeting the last day of her life."

For Christmas, 1972, Anna Bøg wrote a letter in English to her friends and relatives in America. Among the many things she mentioned (including the coronation of Margrethe II as Queen of Denmark, President Nixon's Visit to China, whether Denmark would join the European Market, the 50th anniversary of the Nurses' Mission Alliance, and the 100th anniversary of the death of the hymn writer Grundtvig), she said regarding Christianity in China, "From North to south in China the Gospel seed was sown, some fell in good ground and bears fruit." And regarding missionary work in general, she said, "The Mission field today is another world than that 30 years ago, but still many young missionaries are sent out, not like in olden times, for a life term, but for 3 year terms."

By then, Anna Bøg must have realized that her end was very near, as she closed the letter this way:

"As for myself and my 84 years, I am happy, and every day prove Is. 46:4. ["Even to your old age, I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you. I have done it, and I will carry you; And I will bear you and I will deliver you."] The Lord is my helper. In the simple faith in Christ, there is a great value for a human being . . . all other values, even the very best, fade in comparison . . . Thank you for a life long friendship."

Less than two months after that Christmas, on the morning of February 13, 1973, a neighbor saw that Anna Bøg's window shades had not been raised, went in to investigate, and found that Anna Bøg had passed away during the night.

Anna Bøg left her entire estate to the Danish Missionary Society as sole heir. The D.M.S. appointed a neighbor to dispose of her personal property, which was then divided among neighbors and friends.

Anna Bøg was buried on February 17, 1973, in the beautiful old churchyard of Gladsaxe near Copenhagen. The church dates back to the time of Absalon (1128-1201). Elise Bahnson had already been buried in the same plot in 1969. Rev. Niels Buch officiated at the funeral service. A large group of friends attended.

At the funeral, the scripture reading was 1 Jn. 3:1-2, "See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God . . [W]hat we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."

Anna Bøg and Elise Bahnson now share a single headstone, which reads:

"China Missionary
Elise Bahnson
Architect M.A.A.
20-9-1886 - 5-8-1969
China Missionary
Anna Bøg Madsen
13-5-1888 - 13-2-1973"

Thus ends our story of the earthly life of Anna Bøg who was, in the words of Kirsten Berggreen Buch, "a missionary so full of warmth and true love for the Chinese people throughout her whole life."

Sources:
Bertelsen, Kirsten; letter to the authors; dated May 24, 2005.
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; letter to Astrid Buch; dated November 12, 1968.
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "The Old Missionary's Brief Story," Nazareth Lutheran Messenger (Cedar Falls, Iowa; 1971) Courtesy of Casey Welch.
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; letter to friends and relatives; dated Christmas, 1972. Courtesy of Casey Welch.
Buch, Kirsten Berggreen; letters to the authors; dated May 1, 1997 and August 11, 1999.
Buch, Niels; "Anna B. Madsen" (obituary); Dansk Missionsblad; Vol. unknown, Nr. unknown, March 3, 1973. Translated by Preben Jørgensen.

Image:
Anna Bøg and Elise Bahnson's headstone at Gladsaxe Churchyard. Photograph by Preben Jørgensen.
All D.M.S. items used with permission.