The Missionaries To Ourgate

Arthur & Ruth Torode

Although best known for his "Donkey" series, George has also written two or three other books.   The best of these is the story of the life & works of his parents, entitled "The Missionaries to Ourgate" which is, arguably, a better read than any of the Donkey books.

In chronicling the life of George's father, the book could not fail to include enough humorous moments to rival or beat those which we are used to from the Donkey collection.  Arthur James Torode, himself a Donkey born & bred, was very much a character in his own right and as the story unwinds, we read one hilarious incident after another.  Just as life itself entwines differing situations, happy & sad, funny & serious, so this book combines the light-hearted fun of the family with the seriousness of their faith.

"I don't know who's having the most trouble, the boy with the bike or the Dad with the goat," quipped a woman passing by Artie and George, as they wound their way through the country lanes after replying to an advert in the Guernsey Evening Press.

"Good home wanted for white goat," the advert had read.

'That's just the job,' thought Artie, 'a nice little goat to keep down the grass in one half of the garden, while I carry on growing the vegetables in the other half.

It wouldn't be any trouble fetching it, of course, because he would take his son George down on the back of the motorbike.  Then, with a bit of boxcord round the goat's neck, George would lead it home and Artie would walk alongside pushing the motorbike.

"Come this way," said the man, walking into a field, "and I'll introduce you to Trixie."

'Ahh, Trixie,' they thought, 'what a lovely name for a sweet little …….'

They stopped dead, face-to-face with a huge full-grown nanny, with a whacking great pair of horns, tethered by a solid steel two inch link choker chain.  It was whilst watching the current owner being dragged around the field by the beast, that it began to dawn on Artie that this was going to be too much for the boy, so it was George that ended up pushing the motorbike.

Family gatherings of later years often cried with laughter at the nightmare of the homeward journey, pausing at such special moments as when George had to lay the motorbike down in the road, in order to disentangle his father from a hawthorn bush growing on the top of a five foot hedge, over which the goat had gone in pursuit of a low-flying bird.  Or the distinctive squelching sound of Artie's shoes after the beast, which had the strength and energy of a hyperactive tiger overdosed on vitamin pills, had dragged him through a swamp whilst trying to reach long green succulent grass.

I would love to record that things got better as it settled into its new home, but sadly, it had enough strength to pull its own tether peg out and Artie & Ruth met more of their neighbours in a fortnight than at any time previous.  'Would they please come and stop the goat eating their cabbages ….. potatoes ….. rhododendrons?'  Passing motorists would come to the door asking who owned the goat that had just chased their car up the road.  But the end came when Artie took it from the back garden and staked it on the front lawn.  All went well until it managed to get its front legs up unto the window sill and, seeing another goat in the front room window, head butted it.   All the family had to sit in the cold until the window was repaired!!

Over the years, Artie and Ruth became involved in many different ministries.  Artie loved children and, shortly after becoming a Christian, he heard that the Sunday School at their church was short of a teacher, so he went to offer his services.

"Do you like children?" the superintendent asked him.

"Oh yes, I like children," replied Artie, "I used to go to school with them!"

Artie caused chaos at the Sunday School picnics - nobody, but nobody could cheat like him!  It was nothing to see twenty kids jumping all over him, attacking him for cutting holes in his sack in the sack race, keeping his thumb on the egg in the egg and spoon race or carrying his partner in the three-legged race.  His sweet scrambles were like the second world war, but he always kept nearly as many sweets in his pockets for those who weren't quick enough, or strong enough, to get them when they were thrown.

Artie and Ruth were also involved in other ministries such as hospital visitation and the Mission to Seamen, but they are probably best known for their work with the local deaf community.   Their first son, Geoffrey Arthur, was born deaf and in 1960, together with Mr Frank Carter and a few Christian friends, they began the Guernsey Deaf Christian Fellowship.  The "Deaf Club" sign in the window of their St Andrews cottage, is remembered by many.  Over the four decades of the DCF's existence so far, many deaf children and their families have benefited from the parties, picnics and other work.  The specially adapted Christian meetings have enabled deaf people to come to know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and enjoy fellowship with other believers.

The reason behind the title to this book becomes apparent in the preface:

"Ourgate, Smith? …… Ourgate?" queried the teacher who had just asked the class for a brief summary of where they had spent their summer holidays.  "I've heard of Margate, Smith, and I've heard of Ramsgate, but where on earth is Ourgate?"

"Please Sir," said Smith, "it's at the end of Our Garden!"