Gladys Aylward

Gladys Aylward (http://search.intelius.com/i/So1HjopS4/Gladys-Aylward.jpg)

I picture a hero to be someone who wants to do something different and important in his or her life. Gladys Aylward is a hero to me because she demonstrates both those traits. She wanted something and worked her whole life to achieve it.

Gladys Aylward was born in London on February 24, 1902. She was born in the working class and forced into household labor at an early age. Her determination was to go overseas as a missionary and studied hard to do it. However the China Inland Mission turned her down because of inadequate academic background.

Gladys on the hike. (http://www.holytrinitynewrochelle.org/media/media-121097.jpg)

In 1930 she spent her life savings on a passage to Yuncheng, Shanxi Province, China. There she founded The Inn of the Eight Happiness. For a while she worked as an assistant to the Chinese government to enforce the new law against footbinding young Chinese girls. In 1938 when the Japanese invaded the region Gladys Aylward led 94 children over the mountains to safety. They hiked for 12 days toward the city of Sian, where they finally made it. She remained in China after World War II and later moved back to England. Later she decided to go back, but was denied re-entry by the Communist Chinese government, so she settled in Taiwan in 1953.

Gladys Aylward died on January 3, 1970. She is buried in a small cemetery on the campus of Christ’s College in Guandu, Taipei County. Gladys Aylward was known as, 艾偉德 (Virtuous One) to the Chinese.

Gladys with a child. (http://www.christianhistorytimeline.com/GLIMPSEF/Glimpses/glmps006.shtml)

After hiking over the mountains she showed how one person could save so many people. She is my hero because she taught me that anyone can do something to make a difference.