From Chefoo the Rinells and Anna together with another Swedish missionary, Johan E. Lindberg, hired donkeys, mules and a driver for the 88 kilometers (55 miles), two day, journey southeast to
Jiaozhou (Kiaochow). The women each rode in a luózi 骡子, consisting of a large basket suspended by two poles with a mule in front and one behind. Each of the men rode a baggage-laden mule or walked to give the mules a break. Johan Alfred and Hedvig had been in China only five months when the
First Sino-Japanese War broke out between China and Japan putting them and other internationals in possible danger. The American consul in Chefoo arranged for the American warship USS Charleston to bring American citizens to Chefoo for their safety. The Swedes were invited to come along. The party left Jiaozhou for
Pingdu (平度) on Saturday, February 2, 1895. In Pingdu together with other Swedes, Americans, and now British headed toward San San Saddle (San Shan Saddle) on the northern Shandong coast. On the way the group, now numbering 14, tried to enter the fishing village of Laizhou (莱州市) on the northern coast. The villagers, alerted that foreigners were approaching, began firing cannon from the hillsides and from boats on the coastline in hope of scaring off these foreigners. They thought they were invading Japanese. The party retreated and found accommodation “together with barrels, chickens, donkeys, and dirty children” Hedvig wrote, in another village. Some of the villagers even gave up their
kangs for their unexpected guests. After arriving at the coast they boarded the American gunboat
USS Charleston which brought to the port town of
Chefoo and safety. Johan and Hedvig fled Jiaozhou again in 1900 during the
Boxer Rebellion. While fleeing the German custom house in Mato in which they were staying was set on fire. No one was hurt during their flight and all made it to Chefoo safely. Though they and their party escaped injury it was not the same for many others. During the Boxer Rebellion 136 Protestant missionaries including 53 children were killed, 2,000 Chinese Protestants, 47 Catholic priests and nuns, 30,000 Chinese Catholics, and 200 to 400
Russian Orthodox Christians were estimated to have been killed. Of the approximately 230 Westerners killed during the Boxer Rebellion, about 56 were Swedish men, women and children, about a quarter of the Westerners who died. == Last days ==