With no mission board to support or guide her, and less than ten dollars in her pocket, Gladys Aylward left her home in England to answer God's call to take the message of the gospel to China. With the Sino-Japanese War waging around her, she struggled to bring the basics of life and the fullness of God to orphaned children.

I really enjoyed this autobiography. Amazing stories written very well. My only dislike, and I know I can't really count this towards my rating because it is real life, is the content. There are numerous instances of violence, attempted rape, mild language and disturbing elements. Not recommended for anyone under 15. ( )

I am absolutely blown away by this woman and her faith. I cannot help but admire someone who was able to put so much faith in God and accomplish so much with so little. Her experiences are definitely worth a read and if you want a story that will uplift and inspire you then pick this up! ( )

This book was recommended via this list of Missionary Biographies which is worth checking out;
https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/10174784-my-top-ten-missionary-biogr...

This is a great book. It was my second time of reading about Gladys Aylward-the English Christian Missionary who was "unqualified" hence rejected by a missionary organisation so decided to go independently to China during a war......her reasoning;

To realize that millions of Chinese had never heard of Jesus Christ was to me a staggering thought, and I felt that sorely we ought to do something about it.

I love the simplicity of her faith throughout the book and the deep compassion she has for the Chinese who know nothing of God. She arrives in China after a journey fraught with danger and difficulty to be told that her first job will be dragging in and then cleaning up the mules as the owners listen to a Gospel message;

The first mule I pulled in was fortunately old and docile, but its owner was so frightened that he ran away, though he returned later when he found that his companions had come to no harm.

Later she begins to take in orphans to prevent them being trafficked and also becomes the local area foot inspector using this as an opportunity to preach the Gospel. The Chinese had a practice of binding the feet of all girls to ensure they did not grow too large as "small feet are beautiful" but obviously a lot of the women ended up crippled later in life;

I look back, I am amazed at the way God opened up the opportunities for service. I had longed to go to China, but never in my wildest dreams had I imagined that God would overrule in such a way that I would be given entrance into every village home; have authority to banish a cruel, horrible custom; have government protection; and be paid to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ as I inspected feet!

Over time her patience, dedication and love for the people paid off as people recognised the true source of her compassion;

“I have been a wicked woman, Ai-weh-deh,” she sobbed, “but I want to be different. Teach me how to live for the Jesus you talk and sing about. Ask Him to forgive my sins and give me peace.” Together we knelt down and prayed to the loving Saviour who had seen this poor woman's misery, and soon she was radiant with joy."

“You are a great figure in my province, Ai-weh-deh. You care for the sick; you help at childbirth; you visit our criminals; you mother our unwanted children. In every lonely village, in every part of the mountains, you are welcome; yet you came to us a stranger and a foreigner. This must be a strong faith of yours, Ai-weh-deh.”

“It is impossible for me to be saved,” he said at length. “With God nothing is impossible.” “I am too wicked!” “No one is too wicked. Will you kneel down with me and confess to God that you have sinned, but you want to take Jesus Christ as your Saviour?” Still the battle waged. “What do I get if I believe?” he demanded. Another two hours went by while the Spirit of God strove for this man's soul and the devil fought to keep him under his domination. Eventually he knelt down of his own accord, humbly confessed his sins and accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour and Lord.

All of this ministry took place during the Chinese/Japanese War resulting in frequent bombings and death to many of her friends and neighbours but still she persevered and eventually led 100 children (in her care) on an arduous and lengthy journey over the mountains to get them to the safety of an orphanage (this part of the story was later the main feature for the film "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness;")

After that I often gave information of enemy movements. I suppose I was a spy, but I was Chinese and the Japanese were our enemies. They had despoiled our country, disturbed our way of life and killed our friends.

My favourite section of the book was chapter 13 which describes an incredible miracle of God to prepare a large number of remote people through several different Christians over many years to finally hear the complete Gospel through Aylward and her co-worker. These people had literally been waiting for the final part of the message for years and were overjoyed when it finally arrived.

Aylward was also involved in prison ministry and local church work. But finally after 20 years she heard an alarming report from England where it seems the people had become apathetic during her many years absence, so she promptly set off to seek to do something about it!

Even in the churches themselves, the Christians appeared lukewarm. The women were dressed in the height of fashion, and social events were of much greater importance than the prayer meeting or the spread of the gospel message. It was far harder to reach the hearts of an English congregation than those of the ignorant, heathen Chinese.

After later returning to China which has become her true home, she ends with thanksgiving to God for His use of her in the ministry to the Chinese...

My heart is full of praise that one so insignificant, uneducated and ordinary in every way could be used to His glory and for the blessing of His people in poor persecuted China.

Every Christian should read this short account of a life dedicated wholeheartedly to reaching the un-reached with the saving message of Jesus.



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This is a simple yet engaging autobiographic book about Gladys Aylward, a missionary to China. I had read another book about her, "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness", years ago, so some of the story seemed familiar.

I especially appreciated the parts I read about the hardships she and her adopted countrymen faced through war and hostile occupation. An interesting and unassuming little book. Recommended. ( )