After ten days of rail travel, Aylward crossed into Siberia. Aylward did not have enough money for an ocean liner, but was able to raise enough for train fare, and so in October of 1930 she set out from London with her passport, her Bible, her tickets, and two pounds ninepence, to travel to China by the Trans-Siberian Railway.Īt the time, Russia was under the control of Soviet communists and was in an undeclared war with China. Lawson, who replied that if Gladys could get to China on her own, she would be welcome. Jeannie Lawson, who was looking for a younger woman to carry on her work. Gladys heard about a 73-year-old missionary in Yangchen, China, Mrs. The younger girls thanked her the older ones began treating her with "tolerant amusement." There, the five-foot, 110-pound Aylward witnessed to the homeless, penniless women and girls, and led them back to a hostel run by the mission. CIM recommended her as a housekeeper for a retired missionary couple who had just returned from China she learned a great deal from their stories of their experiences, and their deep faith in God.Īylward next went to work as a “Rescue Sister” of prostitutes near the docks of Swansea in South Wales. Nevertheless, she felt strongly that she was called to China as Christian missionary. She was also too old, he felt, to learn the Chinese language. She has a call to serve God-she is sincere and courageous-but we cannot take the responsibility of sending a woman of 26, with such limited Christian experience and education, to China." "It is with great regret that I have to recommend to you that we do not accept Miss Aylward. She did not pass muster with CIM and, despite her pleas, they would not sponsor her. She had little formal education, however, and was bewildered by the biblical languages they wanted her to learn. She associated with the China Inland Mission Center in London, and studied to be a missionary. She became convinced that she was called to preach the Gospel in China. The article changed the direction of her life. But in her 20s she attended a revival meeting in which the preacher spoke of dedicating one's life to the service of Jesus Christ.Īylward read a newspaper article about China and the millions of people who had never heard the Gospel of Christ. From her early teenage years, she worked as a domestic servant, or parlor maid. On February 24, 1902, Gladys Aylward was born into a working-class family in north London.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |