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Early life
Livingstone was born on 19 March 1813 in the mill town of Blantyre, Scotland. David was employed at the age of ten in the cotton mill of Henry Monteith & Co. This monotonous work taught him persistence, endurance, and a natural empathy. -
Education
Livingstone attended Blantyre village school. After reading the appeal by Gutzlaff for medical missionaries for China in 1834, he began saving money to enter Anderson's University, Glasgow. He applied to join the London Missionary Society (LMS) and was accepted subject to missionary training. -
Vision for Africa
Livingstone hoped to go to China as a missionary, but the First Opium War broke out in September 1839. Livingstone met LMS missionary Robert Moffat, on leave from a missionary outpost in South Africa. He was excited by Moffat's vision of expanding missionary work. Moreover, he wanted to help slaves. Livingstone set off on 8 December 1840, passenger on a sailing brig. During the long voyage he studied Dutch and Tswana language, and the captain gave him extensive tuition in navigation. -
First Steps
On 15 March 1841 the ship arrived at Cape Town. David Livingstone lived in Tswana and Mabotsa. Lions often attacked herds of the Mabotsa villagers. Livingstone tried to help people. One day a large lion attacked him, crushing his left arm. Livingstone survived but his bone was broken and it remained a source of much suffering for the rest of his life.