Made In Medway: Drawing Portraits with a Meaning

A long time Medway resident, Kim Blenkhorn, shares her knowledge through art. Kim is a self taught artist, she draws people /images that mean something to her, that have a purpose with Christian faith. In this series of portraits, done in pencil, Kim is inspired by these people because they have overcome major obstacles and still went on to do amazing things.

Kim would like to do portraits that cause her children and others to stop, look and ask questions. Some of her subjects she learned as a child, and read more about them through biographies. Kim has always enjoyed reading biographies. She hopes to offer a book of her portriats with their accomplishments.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, see below

Dietrich Bonhoeffer – “We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

"I can’t remember when I first heard about this man perhaps a few years ago. But this is what I know impressed me about the man. Dietrich was a German theologian and pastor during WWII when Hitler was in power. Dietrich was among one of the few pastors who opposed Hitler and the Nazi regime, as sadly many Christians, churches and clergy tolerated what was being done. I was so impressed with the risk Dietrich took to plan an assimilation against this powerful man, but also the struggle that he had with the idea of murder. AS a Christian he held to the commandment “do not kill”. Would it be wrong of him to do so, or was it justice against evil. Dietrich did not succeed but his plan was foiled and he was hanged for his “crimes” in 1945. I am always in awe of people who go against the grain of society, who are able to stand up for what they believe to the point of death. It is a great resolve to give ones life for another, and I believe this is exactly what Bonhoeffer did. I believer amidst a reign of terror there were multitudes who claimed to be Christians and then were a few who actually were. " Kim Blenkhorn

Gladys Aylward

Gladys Aylward –The eagle that soars in the upper air does not worry itself how it is to cross rivers.

“ I first heard about Gladys when I read a biography on her life entitled “for the children of china” by Sam Wellman. I was amazed by this tiny woman’s resolve to go to china although she hit so many obstacles along the way she never gave up. eventually she went and silenced all the voices of those her told her no, I love to silence those voices. She was able to do what she so desired to do in her heart which was be a missionary to china. She defied logic, learning Chinese fluently through self teaching as a middle aged woman when people said it was impossible, she raised money without any help from well established missions, or support from family or even a husband. She went completely entirely alone. once she was in china she did things no one else could do. She was this tiny little woman who dig really big things. One story I remember reading about her is there was a prison brawl in one of the cities she was in. The prisoners had shut themselves in, and days had gone by without any supervision. None of the guards were able to enter or sort things out. For some reason Gladys determined to go inside at the risk of her own life and help re-establish order. People thought she was crazy, but she did it, and she was successful. Sometimes we have a dream in our heart that logic and mankind insists must be wrong, but if our creator has put it there, he will enable us to do it, as long as we are willing. " Kim Blenkhorn