When you think of great missionaries, names like Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, or Jim Elliot may come to mind. But tucked into the pages of history is the story of a petite British woman with little formal education, very few resources, and plenty of reasons to disqualify herself from God’s service. Yet her life is a radiant testimony that our God delights in using those the world calls “least likely.”
Her name was Gladys Aylward, and her story is one of bold faith anchored in a humble heart. She was not born into wealth, did not possess natural brilliance, and never enjoyed the approval of powerful institutions. What she did have was an unwavering belief that God had called her, and that was enough.
Gladys’ journey reminds us that it is not our ability, but our availability, that God seeks. Through her simple obedience, she carried the gospel into the heart of China, cared for hundreds of orphans, stood against injustice, and touched countless lives with the love of Christ. Her story whispers to us today: if God can use her, He can use us too.
Early Life: A Calling That Wouldn’t Let Go
Gladys was born in 1902 in a working-class family in North London. Her parents were not wealthy, and she left school at the age of 14 to work as a housemaid. While she faithfully scrubbed floors and polished silver, her heart burned for something more. From a young age, Gladys felt called to missions, specifically to China.
At that time, missionary work was often reserved for the educated and elite. Gladys, with her limited schooling and Cockney accent, was far from the picture-perfect missionary candidate. Yet God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
Gladys applied to the China Inland Mission’s training program, but after months of struggling with classes, especially language, she was dismissed. “Not suitable,” the instructors decided.
For many, that rejection would have been the end. But Gladys refused to believe that human rejection could silence God’s calling. She resolved to go to China on her own, with or without anyone’s approval.
A Risky Journey: London to Yangcheng
Determined to follow God’s call, Gladys saved every penny she earned as a housemaid. She read and prayed fervently about China. Finally, in 1930, at 28 years old, she scraped together enough money for a train ticket that would take her across Europe and Asia, an incredibly dangerous journey for a single woman in that time.
Her route took her through war zones, across the Siberian railway, and into political turmoil. At one point, her train was stopped in Russia, and she narrowly escaped being detained. She endured hunger, exhaustion, and loneliness. Yet through every setback, Gladys clung to the conviction that God had sent her, and therefore He would sustain her.
After weeks of perilous travel, she arrived in China and joined an older missionary, Jeannie Lawson, in Yangcheng. Together they ran an inn for mule drivers, offering food, rest, and stories of Jesus to weary travelers. The mission was small and humble, but in that remote village, God began to weave Gladys’ life into His grand plan for China.
A Foreign Woman With a Chinese Heart
At first, Gladys stood out as a foreigner. She was tiny, with jet-black hair and lively eyes, but her accent and mannerisms marked her as an outsider. Yet she quickly learned to love the people around her, adopting their customs, language, and clothing. In time, she became known as “Ai-weh-deh,” meaning “Virtuous One.”
What made Gladys remarkable was not her eloquence or her strategies, but her love. She genuinely cared for the people, whether it was the mule drivers who stayed at the inn, the children who followed her through the streets, or the women trapped in cruel traditions.
One of her most significant ministries began when the local governor invited her to help enforce a new law against the ancient practice of foot-binding. Gladys, though untrained, accepted the role. She traveled from village to village, inspecting feet, telling stories of Jesus, and encouraging mothers to let their daughters grow up strong and free. This unexpected platform gave her influence, credibility, and countless opportunities to share the gospel.
The Children: A Mother to the Orphans
Perhaps the most enduring image of Gladys Aylward is that of a mother surrounded by children. She never married nor had biological children of her own, but God gave her a family beyond what she could have imagined.
One by one, orphans began to find their way to her doorstep. Gladys opened her heart and her home, taking in abandoned and needy children. What started as a handful grew into hundreds.
During the turmoil of war, when Japanese forces invaded China, Gladys made a daring decision. She would lead more than 100 children on a perilous journey over the mountains to safety. With bombs falling and soldiers advancing, she walked for days, guiding the little ones across treacherous terrain. Her body was weak, she herself was suffering from illness, but her spirit was unyielding.
At last, after excruciating effort, they reached safety. The journey became one of the most celebrated chapters of her life, immortalized in books and even the film The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. But for Gladys, it was not about fame. It was about faith. “I had only to walk straight forward,” she later said, “and not turn back.”
Gladys’ faith was never theoretical. It was lived out daily, often in situations that demanded courage far beyond her own strength.
She intervened in a prison riot, walking calmly into the chaos and persuading armed men to lay down their weapons. She stood against human trafficking and rescued women from abusive situations. She risked her life to shelter refugees and share Christ in dangerous places.
Through it all, Gladys never considered herself extraordinary. She often spoke of her inadequacies, her lack of education, and her fears. Yet in the very places she felt weak, God’s power shone brightest.
Her boldness came not from self-confidence, but from God-confidence. She simply believed that if God had called her, He would equip her. And time after time, He did.
Humble Heart: The Secret of Her Strength
What strikes readers most about Gladys Aylward is not just her courage, but her humility. She never sought fame, and in fact, she often felt embarrassed by the attention her story attracted.
When The Inn of the Sixth Happiness was released, she was grieved by how inaccurately it portrayed her life, especially in ways that contradicted her faith. She did not want to be remembered as a glamorous heroine but as a servant of Christ.
Gladys’ humility was rooted in her view of God. She once said, “I am just a small woman. I have no great gifts. But I do the work God has given me.”
That posture is what made her so usable. She never tried to impress, never pretended to be more than she was. She simply placed her little in the hands of a great God, and He multiplied it.
Lessons From Gladys’ Life
Gladys’ story is not just a tale of the past; it is a challenge to us today. What can we, as modern women of faith, learn from her bold faith and humble heart?
1. God Uses the Ordinary
Gladys had no impressive resume. She failed her mission training, lacked money, and struggled with language. Yet God used her. If you ever feel too small, too unqualified, or too broken to be useful, remember Gladys. God delights in using jars of clay to display His glory (2 Corinthians 4:7).
2. Faith Requires Risk
Gladys left everything familiar behind and risked her life to obey God’s call. Following Christ can have its risks, but it is always worth it. Where is God calling you to step out of your comfort zone?
3. Love Opens Doors
Gladys didn’t gain influence through eloquence or wealth, but through love. Her compassion for the Chinese people won their trust and hearts. When we genuinely love people, barriers crumble and opportunities for the gospel open.
4. Humility Magnifies God
Even when the world celebrated her, Gladys pointed back to God. True greatness in the kingdom is found in humility. Are we willing to be forgotten so that Christ may be remembered?
A Lasting Legacy
Gladys continued her work in China until political pressures forced her to leave. She later ministered in Taiwan, where she opened an orphanage and continued to share the gospel until her death in 1970.
Her legacy is not measured in buildings or institutions but in lives transformed by the gospel. She is remembered as a woman who dared to believe that one small, surrendered life could make an eternal difference. And indeed, it did.
Application for Today’s Women
We live in a culture that tells women to be strong, independent, and self-sufficient. Gladys’ story offers a different vision: strength found in surrender, greatness found in humility, impact found in obedience.
You don’t have to travel across the world to live with bold faith. You can live it out in your workplace, your neighborhood, your home. Bold faith looks like forgiving when it’s hard, sharing the gospel with a friend, or standing up for what’s right even when it costs you.
A humble heart looks like serving unnoticed, putting others before yourself, and trusting God with the results. Gladys’ life assures us that these small acts of faith and humility matter more than we realize.
Reflection Questions
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What “limitations” in your life have you believed disqualify you from serving God? How does Gladys’ story challenge that belief?
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Where is God calling you to take a step of bold faith, even if it feels risky?
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How can you cultivate humility in a culture that prizes self-promotion?
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Who in your life needs to experience the love of Christ through your compassion and presence?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for the testimony of Gladys Aylward, whose bold faith and humble heart brought light into dark places. Help us to remember that You use ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. Teach us to trust You with the risks, to love others deeply, and to walk humbly before You. May our lives, like hers, point others to Jesus and bring You glory. In His name we pray, Amen.
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