With God all things are possible

'Oh, God, here's me, here's my Bible, here's my money. Use us, please, use us.' This proved to be an offer God couldn't refuse. The 20s-something parlour maid
was giving God her all. He used it gloriously to extend his kingdom.

Gladys was born in Edmonton in north east London on February 24 1902. Her parents, both Post Office workers, had married two years before. She was the oldest of three children and although her parents were both Christians, as a young person she had no clue to how mightily God was going to use her.

'With God all things are possible.' This was the text that Gladys had pinned up over her desk in Northern China during the 1930s and 40s. Called by God to be a missionary, she achieved, during her life, what was virtually impossible, but she had an inner strength.

Standing only five feet high, her determination made up for her lack of stature. A school report once said she had 'dogged determination'. That spirit took her to China with the complete conviction it was the only place God wanted her to be.

God's call

On leaving school at 14, she became a parlour maid, a job to which she was particularly well suited with her smart appearance and willingness to work hard. With her cousin, Queenie, she was a great follower of the cinema and dreamed of becoming a film star. God had greater plans for her.

One Tuesday evening in Advent she was strangely drawn into a testimony service in Edmonton. The words that the missionary preached stopped Gladys in her tracks. Although she'd heard the message many times before, this time she knew it applied to her. As she left, the minister's wife said to her: 'Miss Aylward, I believe God is wanting you.' It was God's call to her. He wanted Gladys to dedicate her whole life to him. The idea of going to China as a missionary became stronger and stronger. She enrolled at the China Inland Missionary School. During the one term she was there, her lack of schooling showed. It was also felt that at nearly 30 she was too old to learn the complicated Chinese dialects. She was asked to leave.

Although bitterly disappointed she had still caught God's vision. She started to save for the fare. Each week, from her meagre wages, she took to the travel agent a part payment towards the £47.50 needed to travel the cheapest way, overland, to China.

'Please use us'

In fresh employment she spoke to God in the quietness of her room. Placing on the table her Bible, her Daily Light and the few coins she had, she prayed: 'Use us, please use us.'

The mistress of the house called her down and handed her three shillings for her fare there. Gladys's prayer had been answered quicker than she'd expected. Her money had increased ten fold.

After many months, having saved the fare money, it was on Saturday October 15 1932 at 9.30 am that she was able to leave from Liverpool Street Station in London, on the five and a half week journey that was to take her across Asia and eventually into China.

What a sight she was as she said farewell to her family and friends with her two small cases (one had been donated anonymously only the night before), one containing food, the other clothes, with a bed roll, spirit stove, kettle and saucepan tied on with string. Gladys had begun her journey of 5,000 miles.

Civil war

At one stage of the journey, the train could go no further because of civil war. Gladys had to walk back along the track for two days to the previous station. This meant sleeping by the line in the middle of the Siberian winter. She didn't freeze to death, nor was she killed by the roaming wolves that she could hear all night.

At Vladivostok she was delayed further as it was thought from her passport that she was a 'machinist', their reading of 'missionary'. It was confiscated until she was able to catch a boat to Japan, where she found the people charming and helpful. A contrast to her experiences in later years.

Jeannie and the inn

Reaching mainland China and travelling on a mule she arrived in Yangcheng in the region of Sian to be greeted casually by Jeannie Lawson, the Scottish missionary who was working there.

The native insects, Chinese beds and a foreign language were all strange to Gladys. Jeannie and Gladys opened an inn for the muleteers who constantly travelled through the mountainous region. In this way they could earn some money as well as preach the gospel. Gladys enticed the muleteers in by shouting in Chinese:

'Muyo beatcha, muyo goodso, how, how, lai, lai'
'We have no fleas, we have no bugs, good, good, come, come'.

Within a year Jeannie died. Gladys was alone. With the loss of Jeannie was the loss of her income. But God had gone before.

At that time in China it became illegal to bind the feet of women. It was a difficult job for the Mandarin to enforce the law in the outlying villages. Gladys was given the job of Foot Inspector. Again a salary had been provided and an opportunity to preach. No other way could the news of God's love have been spread so effectively.

All the 17 years Gladys was in China, there was war of one kind or another. First civil war and then in 1936 the Japanese invaded China. As a foreign missionary it was a dangerous place to be.

When Gladys had to flee from the advancing Japanese, she wasn't alone. She had care of nearly 100 children. The group started one day when she was approached by a beggar woman carrying a bundle. As she thrust it towards Gladys she asked for money in exchange. Horrified to see it was a baby, Gladys at first refused, but relented and paid over the only money she had on her: 'ninepence'. The baby, who survived, thrived and eventually helped Gladys in her work, was given the name of 'Ninepence.'

One day Ninepence came to Gladys: 'If I had a little less rice and you had a little less rice, would there be enough for one more person?'

She'd found a starving boy in the street and wanted to share her food with him. Included into the growing family, he was known as 'Less'.

Impossible journey

Gladys faced the nearly impossible journey with trepidation, but knew 'with God all things are possible'. Porters carried the food for the first day as they ascended the mountainous path. What was an adventure to the children for the first few days, became a trial day after day. During the 29 days that they were travelling, they were hungry, tired and frightened of being captured. Over the mountains, they slept in caves or the open. One night the cave was full of snakes. They didn't realised until the morning that it was a snake temple.

Further on they had to cross the Yellow River. There was no boat and no one around. One of the children, full of faith, turned to Gladys. 'God opened the Red Sea for Moses.' Gladys replied almost sharply, 'But I'm no Moses.' Quick as a flash, the answer came back: 'But God's still God.'

Much humbled, Gladys and the children fell on their knees and prayed. God heard. Almost immediately, friendly soldiers appeared, provided a boat and ferried them across the river.

Another time their route was along the side of a river within Japanese firing range. They boarded a coal train, which steamed beside the river all night. Next morning they were black from head to foot, covered in coal dust.

When the children were safe, Gladys was physically and mentally ill for many months. It was too dangerous for her to stay in a communist country and after a few years she had to return to England.

Telling the story

God still had work for her to do. She travelled, preaching and telling the story of her missionary work. Many people still remember her lively and humorous talks.

After seven years, she returned to the Far East, not to China, but to Taiwan. She started a children's home for the needy children there. As her children grew up and married, they were scattered all over the world. Sadly, some were killed for their faith in their native China. None would forget her.

Gladys gave her all for God and as her health failed, she still worked for the needy. A chill turned to pneumonia and on January 3 1970, Gladys Aylward died peacefully in her sleep.

Memorial services were held for her all over the world. She was eventually laid to rest in a marble tomb facing her beloved China. Mention the name of Gladys Aylward to many Christians today, their eyes will light up. 'She was my inspiration,' they say, 'the God that was with her has been with me.'

The life story of Gladys Aylward

God's call

'Please use us'

Civil war

Jeannie and the inn

Impossible journey

Telling the story

Carol Purves

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