Recently, as a part of our homeschool curriculum, we have been reading a biography on Gladys Aylward (1902-1970). In every missionary story we read, faithful followers of Jesus must endure extreme trials. This has me wondering if, in our modern setting, we have the same kind of perseverance that the missionaries of old possessed? We can learn a lot from their stories. Here are three lessons we can learn from the life of Gladys Aylward:
1. Following God's Call Requires Perseverance
When Gladys felt the call to be a missionary in China, she was told by the China Inland Mission that she was not qualified. At that point, one might have thought God was telling her to give up, but instead, she saw this as a test of her faith. She worked as a maid to save up money for the train fare to China. By chance, the man she worked for connected her to another missionary in China, Jeannie Lawson. Her journey to China in 1932 was fraught with many hardships, she was almost kidnapped and almost died. Not once did she think that God wanted her to stop. She knew that God had called her to be a missionary, and nothing would stop her from that calling. Hardships in life are not signs that God wants us to give up. There might be times God sets roadblocks in our lives, steering us in a different direction, but not always. Sometimes God wants us to smash through the roadblocks to fulfill His calling. If we believe God has called us to do something for Him, then nothing should hold us back from completing that mission.
2. Following God’s Call Requires Faith
When Gladys arrived in the remote province of Yangcheng in northern China, she knew very little Chinese; fortunately, she was partnered with Jeannie Lawson. Together, they opened an inn for the mule train travelers who carried goods over the mountains. They shared the gospel by telling Bible stories each night to weary travelers. Things were going quite well for Gladys until just a few months after she arrived, Jeannie fell from a balcony and passed away. Gladys was all alone in a foreign land. She had to quickly learn the language and figure out a way to keep the inn open. If I were in her shoes, I would have been tempted to doubt God. Hardship after hardship will make you weary; however, God’s mercy is like a refreshing drink from a spring. Soon after Jeannie's death, the local governor offered Gladys a job to curb the ancient tradition of foot binding. Gladys would earn a generous salary that would be used to keep the inn operating, and she would be able to travel the province inspecting young girls' feet and spread the gospel. This was truly a blessing from the Lord. Christians must remember that when hardship comes, we must have faith and trust in God’s plan. Following God always requires faith.
3. Following God’s Call Requires Risk
Gladys was very happy with her job as Foot Inspector and innkeeper. She was able to freely share the gospel and became a respected figure in the province. Even the governor converted to Christianity! Then war came to China. In 1938, Japan invaded their province, and the people of Yangcheng had to evacuate. At this time, Gladys had become a friend to all, especially the children. She had adopted a few children and cared for a great many more. Due to the evacuation of many towns, she ended up with 100 orphans in Yangcheng. She knew they had to get to a safe town far away from the fighting. She led the 100 orphans 100 miles over the mountainous region to FeFung. The journey itself is an amazing tale you can read about in her biography. When they reached the Yellow River, all the boats of the Chinese army had left, and they were stranded with no way to cross. Gladys broke down in tears. The children told her to pray and ask God to part the waters. Her faith was restored by the children, and they all began to pray and sing hymns. Miraculously, the Chinese army heard the children singing and called for boats to help them cross. There is no other way to explain what happened other than to say that God had His hand on Gladys and her orphans the entire time. Gladys had to risk everything to get these children to safety, but she trusted the Lord, and He watched over them like a good father the entire way. Following God will require risk. Christians need to be willing to take risks, trusting God the entire time.
Missionaries are heroes, and we can learn a lot from their lives. Christians should read their stories for encouragement and challenge. My encouragement to you today is to look at the example of Gladys who persevered, had great faith, and risked everything to follow God. The big secret of missionaries is not that they are some special breed of people; they are simply people who are completely sold out to the Lord and dedicated to following His call on their lives. You can live the same way! Gladys said about her life, “I wasn't God's first choice for what I've done in China...I don't know who it was...it must have been a man...a well-educated man. I don't know what happened. Perhaps he died. Perhaps he wasn't willing...and God looked down...and saw Gladys Aylward...and God said, 'Well, she's willing.” Are you willing? If so, God can use you!
