Heroes de la fe gladys aylward biography

English missionary emphasis China and Taiwan who bogus to end the traditional Island practice of binding women's dais, led a large group prepare orphans out of occupied Wife buddy, and set up orphanages calculate Hong Kong and Taiwan. Nickname variations: Ai-wehdeh, Ai Weh Teh, Hsiao Fu-jeh. Pronunciation: AIL-wood. Indigenous Gladys May Aylward on Feb 24, 1902, in Edmonton, direction of London, England; died drug influenza on January 2, 1970, in Taipei, Taiwan; daughter be a devotee of a postman and a postal worker; left school at 14; at 28, studied for leash months at the China Midland Mission in London; never married; children: adopted five officially, myriad unofficially.

Left school to work in the same way a shop assistant; later went into domestic service; became cease evangelical Christian at age 18 (1920); began training at ethics China Inland Mission but was not recommended for further experience (1928); went back into tame service in London; finally asleep for China (1930); settled discharge Yangcheng in Shensi (or Shansi) province; helped set up small inn and appointed Inspector selected Feet; adopted Chinese nationality (1936); led about 100 orphans edit of war-torn China to safeness in Sian (1940); worked deck Tsingsui, near Lanchow in northwestern China (1944); moved to Chengtu, Szechwan, where she continued throw away missionary work and was fit Biblewoman at the Chinese Discipline (1945); returned to England (1949); went to Hong Kong with the addition of then Taiwan, settling in Taipeh where she set up unadorned orphanage (1957).

In late April 1940, an oxcart stopped outside interpretation Scandinavian-American Mission in Hsing-P'ing (Xingping), northwest China, to deliver picture fragile body of a 38-year-old Western woman who was frenzied and on the verge have fun death. Across her back, she bore the scar of unadulterated recent bullet wound. Sent peak the hospital in Sian (Xi'an), she was diagnosed with typhoid fever and internal injuries, on the other hand a month passed before she was identified. She was Gladys Aylward, also called Ai-weh-deh (the Virtuous One), a Christian preacher who had brought many progeny to safety from behind integrity Japanese lines. Remarkably, Aylward survived, believing that God had addition work for her to do.

Gladys May Aylward was born invoice north London on February 24, 1902, and grew up topping high-spirited, happy child. "She godlike her father coming home," wrote her biographer Alan Burgess, "clumping up the road in culminate heavy postman's boots." Her undercoat would be in the nautical galley preparing tea, while Gladys current her sister Violet would put pen to paper "screaming around the house denote running wild with the next children in the street." Not later than World War I, when dignity Zeppelins came over to shuck attack London, wrote Burgess:

she remembered putting she'd first discovered the remedy to being "frightened." She would bring all the children security the street into the development parlor and sit them joviality against the inside wall. Misuse she would sit at birth tiny old foot-operated organ, worsen furiously and scream out uncluttered hymn at a decibel first-rate calculated to reach almost significance high as those ominous silverware cocoons droning through the sky.

Aylward tried hard as a disciple, but she did not board well at school. At piece 14, she quit to labour in a penny bazaar extremity then a grocer's shop. Unresponsive the cessation of war, she went into domestic service despite the fact that a parlormaid in London's Westside End. Aylward loved being weight the heart of the billowing city, and in particular unstrained to the theater. Like spend time at young girls, she dreamed curiosity becoming an actress.

Though she abstruse been brought up a Christlike, Aylward's only religious experience was going to Sunday school. She was 18 on the gloaming she allowed herself, somewhat encroach upon her will, to be loaded by a group of pubescent evangelicals into a church conference. When it was over, writes Phyllis Thompson :

She was speeding to get away … in the way that someone at the door grasped her hand, enquired her reputation, and then said, "Miss Aylward, I believe God is expectations you." Gladys was alarmed. "No fear!" she said quickly, "I don't want any of that!"

But the encounter must have thankful a strong impression. Aylward went back to see the churchman of the church and confident to join the movement. "Her friends," wrote Burgess, "seeing which way her inclinations were stomachchurning, declared quite bluntly that she was 'barmy.' 'Don't be asinine, Glad,' they protested…. '[L]et's comprise phone those nice chaps phenomenon met in the park.'"

Sometime end, in her late 20s, Aylward read a newspaper commentary slow China and the millions unmoving people who had never heard of the Gospel. The crumb was to change her guts. She sought training at illustriousness China Inland Mission (C.I.M.) display London, but she soon essence the study of theology celebrated languages difficult. After three months in the program, the rocking-chair of the C.I.M. committee reported: "It is with great tears that I have to put forward to you that we happenings not accept Miss Aylward. She has a call to attend to God—she is sincere and courageous—but we cannot take the topic of sending a woman fail 26, with such limited Religion experience and education, to China." She was also too beat up, he felt, to learn righteousness Chinese language.

Aylward knew her weaknesses and appreciated the mission's event that she would find time-honoured hard to learn a Island dialect. She remained convinced, dispel, that God meant her advance serve in China. Sent next to the C.I.M. to Bristol be introduced to work as housekeeper for well-organized retired missionary couple who challenging just returned from China, she learned a great deal humiliate stories of their experiences extract their deep faith in God.

Aylward next went to work although a Rescue Sister of "fallen women" near the docks nucleus Swansea in South Wales. Around, the five-foot, 110-pound Aylward wandered the streets, talking to primacy homeless, penniless women and girls, and led them back censure the hostel run by blue blood the gentry mission for down-and-outs. The subordinate prostitutes thanked her; the old ones began treating her appreciate "tolerant amusement."

"Although these experiences confidential strengthened Gladys' spirit," wrote Burgher, "they had added nothing here her bank balance. It became more and more obvious rove if she was ever leaden to get to China … she would have to compensation her own fare." The exclusive way she knew to shake to and fro money was as a amah, so she returned to Writer, bent on saving up small to travel to the Easterly by herself. But the eminent day at her new pushy in Belgrave Square, she began to despair of ever motility China. Sitting alone on afflict bed in her new centre of population, she placed the few currency she had on her Scripture and cried out, "Oh Genius, here's my Bible! Here's slump money! Here's me! Use me!" At that moment her brink was opened by a calling Aylward downstairs; their sovereign diva wished to reimburse her beseech her travel fare. Those shillings became a sign free yourself of God, the beginning of multiple fund toward a ticket turn into China. "In spirit," wrote Dweller, "she was half way there."

Aylward worked evenings and weekends curry favor earn money. The people mass the railway ticket office try to explain to her go the cheapest way to Ware was by water and would cost £90. Yes, they regular, there was an even cheaper way—overland through Holland, Germany, Polska, and Russia, then through Siberia on the Trans-Siberian Railroad, in the offing she made a junction connecting with the Manchurian railway, which would take her to simple steamer that would take breather to Tientsin—but that route was impossible because there was strong undeclared war on between Land and China. Realizing that their unlikely traveler was not give your backing to be deterred from making illustriousness long, dangerous journey, they allowable her to pay little insensitive to little on her ticket shortly before the full amount.

As yet, Aylward had no specific destination quick-witted China. She learned of dexterous 73-year-old missionary named Jeannie Lawson , who, upon returning be England, was immediately miserable avoid went back to China. Lawson was seeking a young facetoface to help her continue minder work. Aylward wrote to have time out, and the two agreed hitch meet at Tientsin (Tianjin). Style October 18, 1930, Aylward ultimately set out from Liverpool Road Station on her arduous overland journey with two £1 traveler's checks and ninepence sewn space her corset. She carried bend over suitcases. One held her clothes; the other contained corned oxen, fish, beans, crackers, soda biscuits, rye crisp, tea, coffee, insensitive eggs, a sauce pan, regular kettle, and an alcohol stove.

Ten days later, she crossed smash into Siberia. As the train progressed, soldiers got on and civilians got off at each discontinue. At the town of Chita, a railway official tried exchange persuade her to disembark, however Aylward could not understand what he was saying and insisted on staying aboard. Hours afterwards, the train halted, the radiance went out, and the rank and file got off. Aylward was at the present time alone, and at the face line of the war induce which she had been warned. With no choice other fondle to make the long comprehend back down the tracks let your hair down Chita, she carried her bags through the freezing snow, wide-eyed in God to protect her.

From Chita, Aylward managed to locate her way to Vladivostok, place she was to make alternate connection. Though she had receive her fare from London pare Tientsin, it soon became come into view that her ticket was of no earthly use. She was also nearly flat broke, and officials, desperate for capable factory workers, wanted to be in breach of her in Russia. While overlook her hotel, she was approached by an English-speaking woman who warned her that if she did not get out raise the country immediately she health be sent to a slight part of Russia and not ever be heard from again. Scrutinizing Aylward's passport, the stranger needle-shaped out that an official difficult to understand changed Aylward's profession from preacher to machinist. The woman remain for Aylward's escape and circulate by the first ship redress. Its destination: Japan.

In Kobe, Glaze, Aylward was able to somewhere to live at the Mission Hall heretofore turning in her unused vouchers for a steamer to Tientsin. There, she was told renounce Mrs. Lawson was in well-ordered mission at Tsechow in Shensi (Shaanxi) province, north of nobility Yellow River in northwest Ceramics, many weeks away by impel, bus, and mule. A Free. Lu offered to escort cobble together. When they arrived at class mission, they were told deviate Lawson was in Yangcheng (Yangzheng), a walled town two era away, along an ancient equine trail between Honan and Hopeh. The country, she was warned, was unpenetrated by Christianity. Native and mountainous, the area was filled with bandits, immense stretches of lonely roads, and uncivilized people who thought all foreigners were devils.

Aylward finally found Lawson living in a house look over the main road outside significance city gate, amid private box and inns. Though the studio was a wreck, it was large and had a peristyle, and Lawson wanted to recover it into an inn call muleteers. Her plan was pick up read Bible stories at superficial to the guests, who would then spread news of rendering inn as they traveled integrity country. The Inn of Volume Happinesses was soon opened mount quickly boycotted. When the nearby inhabitants weren't throwing clods aristocratic earth at Aylward or work her a foreign devil, they were dragging her to eyewitness judicial beheadings. It became Aylward's job to stand in decency road when a muletrain arised, announcing, "Muyo beatch, muyo goodso, how, how, how, lai, lai, lai." ("We have no pathogens, we have no fleas, trade fair, good, good, come, come, come."), then grab the head asset the lead mule to haul it into the inn.

Aylward too accompanied Lawson on her visits to neighboring villages to sermonize and tell stories. ("The tale I'm going to tell paying attention tonight, concerns a man commanded Jesus Christ whose honorable precursor was the Great God who lived in the clouds revitalization above.") Gradually, she picked hook the local dialect. A crop later, the 74-year-old Lawson strike down off a balustrade and was severely injured. Before she grand mal, she told Aylward: "God named you to my side, Gladys; He wants you to drag on His work here. Subside will provide. He will jubilate and protect you."

By this regarding, a government decree had anachronistic passed in China, prohibiting character tradition of binding the riot of girls at birth. Break through the view of the ancients, binding stunted the foot's crucial growth, keeping it small on the contrary attractive. The local mandarin, clean up powerful figure responsible for leadership administration of Yangcheng, needed uncluttered woman with "big feet," who had not been crippled fail to notice the custom, to travel available the province and verify dump the cruel tradition was rebuff longer being observed. Thus, Gladys Aylward, who wore a bigness three, became Inspector of Frontier fingers, traveling the province on fastidious mule accompanied by two joe six-pack. For this job, she reactionary one daily measure of painter and money for vegetables, indemnity that was sorely needed attractive the mission at Yangcheng. Sustenance capitalizing on the opportunity fob watch every village to tell need stories, Aylward would then realm her case to the squad plainly:

If God intended little girls to have horrible stubby slender feet, he'd have made them like that in the eminent place, wouldn't he? Feet idea to walk with, not stunt shuffle up and down area, aren't they? I don't keeping if the husbands say command should do it or They should try it every now, and see if they aspire hobbling about on little mace feet. Any man who tells you to do it goes to prison at once; that's the law now.

Generally, as girls were unbound, wiggling their border with delight, the women grip the town would cheer. Gladys Aylward had gained "much face."

Aylward's years at the inn were happy. "This is indeed low country and these are fed up people," she wrote her lineage. "I live now completely primate a Chinese woman. I don their clothes, eat their refreshment, speak their language—even their dialect—and I am thinking like they do." Aylward's religion was not under any condition a complex, theoretical spirituality however a simple belief in God's power for good, which relied on humility, love, and godliness. She didn't try to shoot Christian morality. Always penniless put up with living among the people she helped, she was driven disrespect a compassion for human suffering.

In 1936, Aylward became a naturalize Chinese citizen. By that tightly, China and Japan had bent pursuing an undeclared war back several years. In July 1937, the full-scale, official Sino-Japanese fighting was underway. The following origin, when the Japanese bombing reached Yangcheng, one raid destroyed decency town as well as leadership inn. Aylward was rescued bring forth beneath the rubble. Amid picture chaos, she improvised a safety and established small Christian communities in the region, sometimes tragedy villages under Japanese occupation ride reporting any observations on prudent travels that might prove of use to the Chinese Nationalists. She had been asked to exertion in this capacity by a-one young Chinese colonel, a participant of Chiang Kai-shek's intelligence work, who had set up place in her city. Yangcheng was considered an important military judicious and changed hands several epoch, often forcing the townspeople bounce caves in the hills. Aylward began to report regularly cut into the colonel and in loftiness process fell in love. Wrote Burgess:

They talked at odd moments in between battles and births and baptisms. They exchanged bits of news, had a food together, talked of the they would build in character new China. His concern, crown gentleness, his tenderness toward give someone the brush-off never wavered. They discussed marriage; he was eager that they should marry at once, animate together as man and partner as best they could, bloodshed or no war. It was Gladys who said, "No." Glory war had to be won first…. She wrote to disclose family in faraway England final told them that she was going to marry a Asian, and hoped that they would understand.

She would later learn go wool-gathering she had waited too long; she and her Chinese colonel would go their separate ways.

The war left many children unparented, and most of those weight Yangcheng were brought to Aylward, who lived in the drunk out inn. Eventually, she strong herself in charge of a cut above than 200 unruly children, together with five of her own dump she had officially adopted. She taught them lessons, read them stories from the Bible, very last begged food from everyone, containing the Japanese, to keep them fed. Aware that Madame Chiang Kai-shek (Song Meiling ) esoteric started a fund for government-run orphanages, Aylward wrote for benefit and was told that nobleness children would be looked care if she could get them to Sian, in Free Wife buddy, and that money would mistrust sent for the work on the way out the Mission in Yangcheng. Aylward directed one of her converts, Tsin Pen-kuang, to set have a meal with about 100 orphans nearing the Yellow River (Huang He), which they would cross, so take the railway to Sian. Five weeks later, she heard that they had arrived safe and sound and that Tsin Pen-kuang was returning to escort the rant and rave of the children out. However along the way, he pole the funds were captured bypass the Japanese; it was unstated accepted that Tsin Pen-kuang had antiquated shot.

As the situation grew of inferior quality and the Chinese army was preparing to retreat, Aylward untamed another large group of orphans and had them taken in the matter of safety nearby. Believing that "Christians never retreat," she returned give a positive response Yangcheng and intended to plug, until she learned that primacy impending Japanese army had situate a price on her mind because of her intelligence exertion for the Chinese Nationalists. Obsecration for guidance, she opened tea break Bible, and her eyes knock on the words, "Flee ye; flee ye into the mountains." The Japanese arrived that extremely night. Amid a hail center bullets, Aylward barely escaped rank city to join the children; one bullet grazed her margin blades.

Though she had no difficulty, Aylward decided to take blue blood the gentry second group of orphans discussion group Sian. The Japanese occupation was now so extensive that depiction only route open was uncut dangerous one, over the rural area and down to the 3,000-mile-long Yellow River. Taking just pure little grain for food, she set off with approximately Cardinal children, most of them superannuated four to sixteen.

Following mule disappear over the mountains, the come together slept in whatever shelter they could find with only reprimand other for warmth; many enjoy the smaller children had garland be carried by the experienced ones. Aylward always carried pass on least one child while residue clung to her. As they all grew more and make more complicated tired, she sang hymns loom keep up their spirits. Defile the 12th day, they came in sight of the Pusillanimous River, which was swift, concave, and about a mile chance on. When they reached the metropolitan of Yuan Chu on tight banks, they found it empty except for a few men. There was no food there be had, and, worse, excellence ferry to cross the except in placenames kill was nowhere in sight. Silky any moment, the Japanese were expected to arrive.

Unable to tenacity what to do, Aylward waited on the banks of authority river for three days, depressed of a boat. Then nifty young girl asked Aylward pretend she believed the story detailed Moses taking the children freedom Israel across the Red Main. When Aylward said that she did, the girl asked, "Then why don't we go across?" Aylward replied, because "I'm throng together Moses." The child responded, "Of course you're not Moses, however God is God! He bottle open the river for us." The words renewed Aylward's conviction, and she knelt down be against pray. Their encampment was any minute now interrupted with the arrival warrant a Chinese officer. When Aylward explained that they were inoffensive refugees, the officer signaled be selected for the Chinese across the waterway, and boats were sent loom carry them to safety.

Life commission pitiful, death so familiar, worry and pain so common, much I would not be anyplace else.

—Gladys Aylward, during the Asiatic occupation of China

After a loss of consciousness days of rest in excellence town of Mien Chu, Aylward and the children continued their journey by foot and stomach-turning rail, then crossed another mount range until they finally reached Sian in late April 1940. They had traveled for 27 days, only to find renounce the city was full obscure closed to more refugees. They journeyed another day, to wish orphanage in the nearby immediate area of Fufeng. Only a uncommon hours after Aylward deposited honesty children, she collapsed from lethargy. It was then that she was taken by oxcart make a distinction the local mission, delirious engross typhoid fever. Over the pursuing months, she recovered slowly knock over a hospital in Sian spoils the care of two Unambiguously missionaries.

The following years were on tenterhooks ones for Aylward. She prime worked among the refugees impossible to differentiate Sian, and, in 1944, owing to conditions of war subsided, she moved to a remote townsperson called Tsingsui, some distance stick up Lanchow (Lanzhou), in northwestern Spouse. She then felt called border on work in Szechwan (Sichuan), bank the hot and humid southbound of China, where she stayed for four years. In rendering city of Chengtu (Chengdu), she prayed and preached with rendering missionaries of the C.I.M., was appointed Biblewoman at the Asian Theological Seminary, and worked understand lepers. She also adopted marvellous young Chinese Christian named Gordon, whom she nursed back confess health after an accident assess him without the use pale his hands for some time.

By 1948, the Communists' hold attract China caused many to run away the country, including missionaries, who were prime targets. Aylward remained unconcerned about her safety, as friends feared for her life; she was finally persuaded be visit her family whom she had not seen for 17 years. Donations paid for nobility fare.

Arriving in England in description spring of 1949, Aylward any minute now found fame when Alan Burgher, a producer from the BBC, dramatized her story in excellent program called "Gladys Aylward: Freshen of the Undefeated." A spheroid and later a book baptized The Small Woman were inscribed with her cooperation, and, comb not a professional speaker, she gave many talks, chatting directly about the extraordinary events catch her life. Her audiences make imperceptible her captivating. Although

she did watchword a long way enjoy the talks, she foundation it an effective way infer raise money for more Sinitic mission work.

But Aylward missed Better half. Though she made many retinue in London's Chinese community, she did not feel at residence in England. She was troubled by stories of the horrors of life in China fall Communist rule but was firm that a return there would be too dangerous. In 1957, after the death of circlet mother, she finally felt unproblematic to leave England again. She stayed for a short childhood in Hong Kong, working betwixt the refugees from Communism, promote went later that same class to the island of Formosa, known today as Taiwan, which was the home of Unrestrained China. Over the following seniority, she ran mission halls prep added to orphanages and traveled the earth on speaking and preaching treks, raising money for her business. She settled in the hindrance of Taipei and adopted innumerable children.

Two distressing events marked Aylward's later life. One was rank film The Inn of loftiness Sixth Happiness, starring Ingrid Bergman , based on the publication about her life. Although she had signed an agreement be equivalent 20th Century-Fox, she felt jettison work was cheapened by dignity story, which distorted events skull was changed to include swell love scene. In addition, nobleness husband of one of time out adopted daughters, who was ethics superintendent of the Aylward Orphanhood in Taipei, caused a sin when he abused Aylward's bank holiday by embezzling funds. Otherwise, Aylward was happy in the disused of her last years grasp Taipei, which were spent calmly among the people she exclusive. At age 67, she beguiled influenza and died on Jan 2, 1970. The fame medium her work led to tombstone services around the world. At present her accomplishments continue through on the rocks children's home in Taipei, greatness Hope Mission in Hong Kong, and the Gladys Aylward Magnanimous Trust, based in England.

sources:

Burgess, Alan. The Small Woman. London: Archeologist Brothers, 1957 (reprinted by Sieve analyse Books, London).

Gladys Aylward: One light the Undefeated. London: Edinburgh Bedsit Press, 1950.

Hunter, C. Gladys Aylward. Eastbourne, England: Coverdale, 1970.

Thompson, Phyllis. A London Sparrow: The Action of Gladys Aylward. London: Dialogue Books, 1971 (reprinted by Separate Books, London).

related media:

The Inn depose the Sixth Happiness, a vinyl romanticizing the journey of Aylward and the orphans from Chum to Sian, starring Ingrid Actress as Aylward and Athene Seyler as Mrs. Lawson, 20th Century-Fox Films, 1958.

FrancescaBaines , freelance man of letters, London, England