by Margaret Rodgers

War orphans are an increasing phenomena emerging from international conflicts. Their plight is poignantly revealed in the Plan ad that's been showing on TV screens of late. We see an African boy with an adult, and the voiceover says: "Since he was found beside the body of his dead mother he hasn't said a word'.  It is a stark reminder of children who have come out of horrific experiences to face life alone.

Over the summer holidays I read a biography of a war orphan. It began with his rescue as a young four-year-old from a British orphanage in Jerusalem in the early period of the Second World War. It follows his life and also that of his wife.

The book is Never Alone, the biography of David and Robyn Claydon.  It is a remarkable story and author Cecily Paterson is to be congratulated. While it is a joint biography, much of the focus is on David because of the extraordinary tale of his early years.

A British government social worker, Lora Claydon, actually Deaconess Claydon of the Diocese of Sydney, was charged to close down the Babies Home in Jerusalem and place the child residents with relatives. Twenty of the 21 babies went to relatives, but one, fair skinned and blue eyed, though Arabic speaking like the rest, could not be placed anywhere. While obviously British, he had no relatives, no known name nor birth date. To this day, David Claydon knows neither his parents' names, nor anything about them or their families. Since Lora Claydon couldn't find any place for David, she took him herself, taught him to call her "Aunty Lora' and set him on the path of his life.

But it was a tough and lonely life for this boy, since Lora Claydon, on the model of many intrepid women missionary travellers, was apt to take off with little notice to another post in some remote place, such as Ethiopia or India, leaving David meanwhile to be looked after by others, or in his teenage years by himself.

Lora trusted in God for every provision. While they often went hungry, David also learned of God's care and provision for his people. Insecurity, loneliness and lack of belonging was an integral part of David's existence until he married Robyn Hickin, then becoming part of her loving Christian family and learning what it was to belong. But only in his fifties was David Claydon able to speak about his early life without finding himself in tears. It's no wonder that his next great project is to write a book on identity.

David and Robyn's story is that of the service and ministries of two faithful servants of God. Both are internationally recognised for their outstanding ministry in education, in evangelism, in student ministry, in Scripture Union, in CMS and through EFAC International and the Lausanne Movement. It is clearly a fruitful partnership, richly blessed by God.

It is impossible to read this book without heeding one of its great lessons. That is, the hand of God is firmly on our lives, no matter how risky our beginnings. Who would have realised in 1938-39 that the young orphan in the babies' home would become an international missionary statesman? Yet God knew, because for each of his people God has his perfect plan and purpose that will not be thwarted.

This is an honest, transparent book, with perceived flaws mentioned and not just painted over, for Robyn and David have never been bothered about holding to unpopular opinions when convinced they are faithful to their understanding of biblical teaching.

In just two or three places the prose style is a touch infelicitous, but that irritation disappears quickly. Well done Cecily, and thanks to Robyn and especially to David for opening up the depths of his personal feelings and unhappiness so that we may all give thanks with him for God's grace in his life.