How did the First Opium War change David Livingstone’s plans for missionary work?

In 1834, David Livingstone became determined to serve as a medical missionary in China after British and American churches issued an appeal for qualified professionals. He spent years preparing for this role by studying Greek, theology, and medicine.

However, the outbreak of the First Opium War (1839–1842) effectively ended his plans to work in that country. Following this shift, a meeting with the notable Scottish missionary Robert Moffat convinced Livingstone that Southern Africa should instead become his sphere of service. He was subsequently ordained as a missionary in 1840 and set sail for South Africa later that year.1