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Florence was born on the South Island of New Zealand. She grew up in a family of six children. When she was two they spent two years in England where her grandparents lived, but when she was four they went back to New Zealand to start a new farm at Erme Dale.
When she was eight her older sister got married. This meant Florence had to make breakfast for everyone, clean up and begin making lunch before her sickly mother came downstairs.
When she was nine they moved to Invercargill where her sister Emily was expecting a baby. Soon they moved to Australia because her father couldn't make a living in Invercargill. She was now eleven and helped grow a vineyard. She and her younger sister had to kill caterpillars that munched on the grape leaves.
A neighbour came once or twice a week to help them with their homework, and another neighbour loaned them books to read. After three years they moved back to New Zealand because the vineyard didn't make enough money.
In 1871 Florence sailed to England so that she could go to school there. She worked hard to catch up with other girls her age and managed to pass them before the year was over, by studying before and after classes.
In January of 1874 she arrived back in Australia after 106 days on a ship. She went by steamer to New Zealand, then on a train, stagecoach and finally horseback to Otapiri. When she had left they were living in a tent. Now they had a small house.
When she was 17 she made a public confession of her love for the Lord and was baptized. Soon after this her mother died of pneumonia. In 1881 her father died of typhoid while in England on a business trip. After this Florence went back to Australia and became involved in missions.
Her life story and adventures in missions are told by Janet and Geoff Benge in Florence Young Mission Accomplished. It is published by YWAM publishing. It is easy to read and very interesting.
Anna Kroeker
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