The Life of Betty Ann Olsen

The Life of Betty Ann Olsen By: Morgan Lamm

Betty Ann Olsen was born October 22, 1934 in Bouake, d'lvoire. Her parents were Walter and Elizabeth Olsen.

At the age of 8, Betty was enrolled in an MK school 800 miles away. She then attended high school at Hampden-Dubois Academy, and while studying there she decided to dedicate her life to missionary service.

As an adult, Betty was assigned to Vietnam to work with leprosarium. She wrote in her testimony, "Most of the people that I have told about going to Vietnam are greatly concerned, and I appreciate this; however, I am not concerned, and I am very much at peace. I know that I may never come back, but I know that I am in the center of the Lord's will and Vietnam is the place for me."

Betty was later captured by the Vietcong while she tried to save a wounded coworker. She was taken to a camp where she was beaten and tortured until she died February 1st, 1969.

Betty didn't stop helping people. She continued to nurse people in the camp, and several times she even gave up her food allotment for one of the two other prisoners chained near her, Mike, since he was sick. She pretended that she could not eat at all. "She prayed twice a day for me," Mike recalled. He says it was her spiritual strength that got him through at all.

The reason why she served in missions was because she felt that it was what God called her to do. She felt the urge to save and help people and knew that it was a good deed. Malachi 3: 17-18 "They shall be mine," says the Lord of hosts, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you will see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.

Betty received Valor awards such as the "Prisoner of War award." She definitely deserved it. Mike said, "Betty was the most unselfish person I have ever known." Ruth 2:12 says, "May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge."

Quotes: " I remember saying to the Lord at this time that if this is all there is to Christian life, then I don't want it." "It took a long time for me to learn my lesson and surrender to the Lord the problem that was absorbing my whole life... I had to really want the Lord's will and His best and truly repent and seek Him with my whole heart before He would help me."

Other facts: Only Mike survived in the camp out of Betty and another prisoner named Hank. Once while Mike attempted to defend Betty against the soldiers, he was hit with rifle butts. Mike said, "She never showed any bitterness or resentment. To the end, she loved the ones who mistreated her."

MLA Citations Used:

"Olsen." The Alliance. Np. Nd.https://www.cmalliance.org/about/history/in-the-line-of-fire/olsen. 25 April 2017

"Betty." Betty Ann Olsen (1934-1968)-Find a Grave memorial. Np. Nd.https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=86561525. 25 April 2017.

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The Life of Betty Ann Olsen By: Morgan Lamm

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