Ayleward,+Gladys

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 * ===(1902-1970) ===

Gladys was a young English women who received Christ as her Savior during a revival meeting. Soon after she felt called to be a missionary to China, and attempted to go to China through the London's CHina Inland Mission Center but she did not pass their examination, so she decided to go on her own.

October 1930 Gladys left on her journey from London to Yangchen, south of Beiging, China. Gladys joined Mrs. Lawson who was a veteran missionary, and together they opened an Inn which they used to witness to the Chinese people. Gladys gained favor with the local Mandarin, who asked Gladys to be the local foot inspector for the young Chinese girls, this provided another opportunity for Gladys to witness and reach out to the lost. Gladys became a trusted part of the community and the Chinese people came to trust and respect her. They gave Gladys the title, "Ai-weh-deh" or "virtuous one."

Gladys lived and dressed as the Chinese and adopted Chinese children. She became a Chinese citizen in 1936. During the year 1938, Yangchen was bombed by the Japanese, and as a result the Mandarin accepted Christ as His Savior. During another attack by the Japanese, Gladys fled with 100 children on a several day journey to a safe orphanage. A few days after arriving Gladys became seriously ill with typhus fever. She gradually recovered enough to established a church at Sian, and work with lepers near Tibet. She never fully recovered from her illness though and had to return to England in 1947. She then settled in Taiwan and set up an orphanage where she dies in 1970. ||  ||
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