Move over, Avengers. Your child will love meeting these real-life faith superheroes

Almost every child has heard of Spiderman, Black Widow, and Thor. But do they also know about Prince Kaboo, Mary Slessor, and Eric Liddell?

Instead of (or in addition to) fantasy figures, try introducing them to real-life Christian heroes whose stories have been retold for children!

Many practical, hands-on resources exist on teaching your children about these historical giants who attempted (and achieved) great things for God. 

Some of them you may already know, but others may be new to both you and your family. (We recommend that parents review these resources beforehand and use discretion before sharing them with their children.)

1. Gladys Aylward

One hero of the World War II era was not a decorated general or prominent politician, but a small, working-class Englishwoman who saved 100 orphans’ lives in China!

Even in 1938 as Japanese bombers closed in on Yangcheng (the city where she lived), Gladys Aylward still chose to remain in China where she ministered to orphaned children at her inn. Suspicion fell on her continued presence there, as the Japanese suspected her of being a spy.

When she had to flee for her life in March 1940, she refused to leave the orphaned children in danger. She took them with her over the mountains to another Chinese province – a journey of 100 miles, with 100 children!

Suggested resources:

•       Torchlighters video series – An engaging, animated cartoon format suitable for elementary- and middle-school children. Some very young children (0-5 years) may find the images frightening.
•       Trailblazer Books -“Flight of the Fugitives” by Dave and Neta Jackson.
•       YWAM Publishing – “The Adventure of a Lifetime” by Janet and Geoff Benge.

 2. Amy Carmichael 

“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” So said Amy Carmichael, the Irish missionary who spent over 50 years saving young girls from a lifetime of temple prostitution in India. Despite the great danger in keeping these children safe (often she faced demands for their return from their families or area temples), Amy persisted in her ministry until her death in 1951. The Dohnavur Fellowship that she founded continues today.

•       Torchlighters video series – An engaging, animated cartoon format suitable for elementary- and middle-school children. Some very young children (0-5 years) may find the images frightening.
•       Trailblazer Books -“Rescuer By Night” by Kay Walsh.
•       YWAM Publishing – “Rescuer of Precious Gems” by Janet and Geoff Benge.

 3. Prince Kaboo (Samuel Morris)

In 1891 a remarkable young man came to Taylor University – Samuel Morris, born as the prince Kaboo in Liberia of West Africa. A fierce enemy tribe had attacked Kaboo’s tribe when he was just a child. The conquering tribal chieftain kept Kaboo as a hostage, demanding a ransom from Kaboo’s father if he ever wanted to see his son again.

While the captive Kaboo was enduring an intense whipping, a miracle happened. He said he saw a bright light and heard a voice urging him to run. At the same time, he found the rope binding him had fallen to the ground. He was able to escape, run into the jungle, and eventually find safety in a Monrovian church. When he heard the story of the apostle Paul also seeing a bright light and hearing a voice from heaven, he immediately saw how a similar miracle had happened to him!

Kaboo’s incredible story doesn’t end there. Taking the name of Samuel Morris at his baptism, he became convinced that the Lord was calling him to the United States. He brought many people to the Christian faith, even the captain and most of the crew he sailed with to America. Called the “Angel in Ebony,” he inspired countless students at Taylor University to become missionaries and spread the gospel around the world. 

•       Torchlighters video series – An engaging, animated cartoon format suitable for elementary- and middle-school children. Some very young children (0-5 years) may find the images frightening.
•       Trailblazer Books -“Quest for the Lost Prince” by Dave and Neta Jackson.

4. Eric Liddell

If you’ve watched the movie “Chariots of Fire,” you probably remember Eric Liddell – the Scottish Olympian who chose not to race on Sunday because it conflicted with his Christian beliefs. What you may not have heard about was his missionary work in China during World War II. In 1941 life became so dangerous for foreigners in China that the British government warned all its citizens to leave for their safety. Although his wife, Florence, and their children left, Eric Liddell chose to remain. He paid the ultimate price for his faithfulness when Japanese invaders imprisoned him in Weishien camp until he died there in 1945. He wrote The Disciplines of the Christian Life while imprisoned, and his legacy continues today at the Eric Liddell Centre in Edinburgh. 

•       Torchlighters video series – An engaging, animated cartoon format suitable for elementary- and middle-school children. Some very young children (0-5 years) may find the images frightening.
•       Trailblazer Books -“Finish the Race” by John Keddie.
•       YWAM Publishing – “Something Greater Than Gold” by Janet and Geoff Benge.

5. George Muller

This Lutheran minister racked up quite a few scandalous labels during his youth – playboy, jailbird, drunkard, gambler. That all changed once a friend invited him to a Bible study, where he ended up giving his life to Jesus Christ. Later he and his wife, Mary, opened orphanages for children who lived in the city of Bristol, England. There was only one catch – these orphanages ran entirely on prayer and trust in God’s provision!

During his lifetime, the Mullers cared for more than 10,000 orphans in five huge houses. Perhaps the most famous story involving the orphans comes from the morning when everyone woke up for breakfast – but no food or money remained in the orphanage. Undaunted, George Muller led the children in prayer and thanksgiving for the food that the Lord was going to give them that day. As he finished praying, a local baker knocked at the door – with a gift of fresh bread baked that very morning! A second visitor, the local milkman, arrived and explained how his cart full of fresh milk cans had just broken down outside the orphanage. He needed to repair his cart – but the children were welcome to drink the milk while he worked!

•       Torchlighters video series – An engaging, animated cartoon format suitable for elementary- and middle-school children. Some very young children (0-5 years) may find the images frightening.
•       Trailblazer Books -“The Children’s Champion” by Irene Howat.
•       YWAM Publishing – “The Guardian of Bristol’s Orphans” by Janet and Geoff Benge.

6. Mary Slessor

In 1876, the United Presbyterian Church sent 27-year-old Mary Slessor to West Africa as a missionary and teacher. This red-haired Scottish pioneer encountered horrific traditions that might have daunted other foreigners: cannibalism, infanticide, and burying women alive with their dead husbands. Nevertheless, Mary Slessor boldly challenged these practices in the light of her Christian faith. 

Over time she gained the trust of the Okoyong tribe, which was notorious for its violence and murder of twin babies (the people believed twins were inhabited by evil spirits). She saved twins by adopting them, ministered especially to women and children, and helped unify the tribal leaders by introducing new economic practices that resulted in growing prosperity. Mary eventually earned the name “Eka Kpukpru Owo,” which means “everybody’s mother.” When she died in 1915, her funeral procession through Calabar was the grandest that West Africa had yet witnessed.

•       Torchlighters video series – An engaging, animated cartoon format suitable for elementary- and middle-school children. Some very young children (0-5 years) may find the images frightening.
•       Trailblazer Books -“Servant to the Slave” by Catherine MacKenzie.
•       YWAM Publishing – “Forward into Calabar” by Janet and Geoff Benge.

7. Harriet Tubman

Born as Araminta Ross on a plantation in Maryland, Harriet Tubman later became known as “Moses” because of her role in freeing her people from slavery. Many people today may not have heard about her devout Christian faith that sustained her through life-threatening forays into the Southern states to rescue enslaved African-Americans and bring them to freedom. She once said, “I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can’t say – I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger.”

•       Torchlighters video series – An engaging, animated cartoon format suitable for elementary- and middle-school children. Some very young children (0-5 years) may find the images frightening.
•       Trailblazer Books -“Listen for the Whippoorwill” by Dave and Neta Jackson.
•       YWAM Publishing – “Freedombound” by Janet and Geoff Benge.

 8. William Tyndale

William Tyndale lived as a priest during the reign of King Henry VIII, when it was officially illegal to translate the Scriptures from Latin into English unless one had state approval. Because William could not get official permission, he left England for Germany and produced a complete English New Testament in 1526. This “crime” caused the king to place a bounty on William’s head as he continued smuggling the precious Bibles into England, so that the common people could read the Word of God in their own language.

A friend betrayed William to the English authorities, and after an 18-month imprisonment, William was put to death on Oct. 6, 1536. However, his last recorded prayer before his death was, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.” Less than a year later, King Henry VIII suddenly granted approval for an English Bible to be distributed throughout the nation. 

•       Torchlighters video series – An engaging, animated cartoon format suitable for elementary- and middle-school children. Some very young children (0-5 years) may find the images frightening.
•       Trailblazer Books -“The Smuggler’s Flame” by Lori Rich.