Birth : 1863
Home Calling:-1920
Homeland : United States of America
Place of Vision: Arab countries
Archibald Forder was an American missionary who worked for 13 years in the Middle East, primarily in Al-Karak (Kerak) in Palestine. Forder attended a missionary meeting when he was eight and heard Robert Moffat, the pioneer of African missions, sharing his missionary experiences at the meeting. That day a missionary fire was kindled in the heart of Forder, which was never to be put out. A few days later, a missionary from China visited the chapel that Forder attended to encourage the young men to come to China as missionaries. As a result, his desire to become a missionary deepened further.
In 1888, he read in a missionary magazine about the mission work at Al-Karak. As he was reading, he heard a voice speaking within him, “That is for you.” Followed by a few months of medical training, he left for Kerak along with his wife. Despite the dangers on account of the wild and uncivilized people, he dealt with them tactfully. He visited the homes of the sick and provided medical aids and that opened the doors for the Gospel. Despite the death of his wife in 1892, Forder continued to work among the Palestinians till 1896 and earned many of them for Christ.
After five and a half years of ministry at Kerak, Forder now wanted to take the Gospel to Central Arabia. So, in 1900, he set out on a dangerous journey in the Arabian Desert to reach some parts beyond the regions of Moab and Edom. He was warned that Arabs hated Christians and his trip to Central Arabia will result in certain death. Undeterred, he preached Gospel at important Arabian towns, including Kaf and Jowf. Several times he was attacked by Muslims and the uncivilized mobs but closely escaped death every time. He rode thousands of m
