She was a poor English woman who felt the Lord's calling for her to go into mainland China as a missionary. That was a few years before 1930. However, she was rejected by a mission organization because she was deemed to old to learn the Chinese language.
That did not stop her. She worked as a parlordmaid (similar to our present-day domestic helper) and saved up most of her savings to purchase a ride to China. Even then, her ride to China was not easy. She had to take ships, trains and even do some walking because of wars and battles. She survived and made it to China.
In summary, look at the odds stacked against her:
- She was poor.
- She was rejected by a mission organization.
- She had to endure an arduous and difficult journey to China (alone!).
- She can't speak any Chinese language when she first reached China.
- She had to do share the gospel to people who considered her 'foreign devil'.
- The Japanese attacked China and she was caught in the middle of the firefight during WW2.
- The civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists happened after WW2.
All the above did not stop her. She helped started an inn to share the gospels with people who stopped by, became a foot inspector and shared the good news with women, put down a prison rebellion, adopted orphans and most incredibly, evacuated 100 orphans to Xian with little resources via treacherous mountains and Japanese patrols and warplanes nearby.
Subsequently, she served in Taiwan till she was called home to be with the Lord in 1970.
Here was a life, totally expended and given to the Lord. Besides Glayds' great faith in the Lord, she overcame all of the odds mainly because she had a willing heart. And God certainly used her to transform many others.
That caused me to reflect on my life. Complaining and grumbling at times when serving God. What I had experienced is only but a small fraction of what Gladys went through.
My prayer today is: "God, I am willing."
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