«Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me’ » (Isaiah 6:8).
UNEDUCATED, INSIGNIFICANT, AND ORDINARY.» That is how Gladys saw herself. The problem was that her description was incomplete; while she lacked the education that others possessed, she had plenty of what others lacked: DETERMINATION.
Gladys Aylward (1902—1980) was born in a poor family in north London and, during her teenage years, she worked as a cleaning lady. As a young woman, the dream of serving Jesus as a missionary in China began to take root in her heart. The problem was that she did not know how to make that dream come true without the necessary financial resources and without the educational preparation.
The opportunity came when she learned about China Inland Mission, an institution that prepared and financed missionaries. However, after three months of training, she failed to pass the corresponding exams. Disillusioned, but not defeated, Gladys returned to her job as a cleaning lady and saved as much as she could to purchase her ticket.
One night, after reading the first two chapters of the book of Nehemiah, Gladys felt that God was calling her to go to China. So, placing the open Bible on her bed, and the little money she possessed, she said, «Lord, here is my Bible; here is my money, and here I am. Use me, Lord!»
With the help of other cleaning ladies, Gladys managed to buy her ticket. When she arrived in Yangchen, with no money, and no friends, she was the object of disdain because of her foreign status, but she did not give up either. She learned the language and, along with another missionary—Jeannie Lawson—opened The Inn of the Eighth Happiness (called «the sixth happiness» in Alan Burgessk 1958 film). Before long, the inn became a favorite of travelers, among other things, because of the telling of Bible stories. When they returned home, travelers spread the good news of the gospel.
After becoming a Chinese citizen in 1936, Gladys Aylward began caring for orphans and helping those in need. Thanks to her unwavering spirit of service, she soon became an ambassador of God’s love. When the Japanese invaded Yangchen in 1940, she miraculously managed to save more than a hundred children under her care. To do this, she had to cross dangerous mountains on a journey of about one hundred and sixty kilometers that lasted twenty-seven days.
Gladys Aylward died in 1970, at the age of sixty-seven, but her work is a testament of all that God can do when, in response to His call, one of His children says, «Here I am, Lord!»
Lord Jesus, I do not have many talents; but today I want to tell You that
You can count on me so others can know that You are a wonderful Savior.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2022
“GREAT IS OUR GOD!”
From: FERNANDO ZABALA
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
