April 30, 2009 by hjmcduffee.

One of my favorite missionaries is Gladys Alward. Let me tell you her story:

At age 26, she set off, determined to preach the gospel in China. With nothing in her hands but her Bible, her tickets, her passport, and two pounds ninepence, she got on a train by the Trans-Siberian Railway, dispite the fact that China and the Soviet union were engaged in an undeclared war. By train, then boat, then train again, then bus, then mule, she arrived at China. After reaching Yangchen, China, she began fulfilling her dream - preaching the gospel.

 During her second year in Yangchen, Gladys was summoned by the Mandarin. A riot had broken out in the men’s prison. She arrived and found that the convicts were rampaging in the prison courtyard, and several of them had been killed. The soldiers were afraid to intervene. The warden of the prison said to Gladys, “Go into the yard and stop the rioting.” She said, “How can I do that?” The warden said, “You have been preaching that those who trust in Christ have nothing to fear.” She walked into the courtyard and shouted: “Quiet! I cannot hear when everyone is shouting at once. Choose one or two spokesmen, and let me talk with them.” The men quieted down and chose a spokesman. Gladys talked with him, and then came out and told the warden: “You have these men cooped up in crowded conditions with absolutely nothing to do. No wonder they are so edgy that a small dispute sets off a riot. You must give them work. Also, I am told that you do not supply food for them, so that they have only what their relatives send them. No wonder they fight over food. We will set up looms so that they can weave cloth and earn enough money to buy their own food.” This was done. There was no money for sweeping reforms, but a few friends of the warden donated old looms, and a grindstone so that the men could work grinding grain. The people began to call Gladys Aylward “Ai-weh-deh,” which means “Virtuous One.” It was her name from then on.

Soon after this experience, she saw a woman by the road with a child who was covered in sores, and was obviously sufforing from malnutrition. She found out the the woman had kidnapped the small girl to help her beg on the streets. Gladys offered to buy the girl for a ninepence, and from then on “Ninepence” was her child. Soon after, she found a boy dying of starvation that soon became her second child. Her family began to grow - as did the love. During her time at China, she became the official “Foot Inspector”. In China, the women would bind their feet when they were babies making them fold over and grow very small. This was considered “beautiful” however inconvenient it was for the girl having to hobble around all of her life. Soon, this began to change, as the people realized how inconvenient it was, and it was Gladys’ job to go around and unwind the children’s feet, massaging it to get the circulation going again. The reason that she was elected was because she was the only woman in China that had normal feet, and it was considered insulting for a man to touch women’s feet.

In the Spring of 1938, Japanese planes bombed the city. Gladys demonstrated incredible bravery by helping all of the children to a safe place, far away from the bombing. After years of serving in China, Gladys returned back home. She later died in 1970.

I think Gladys’ story demonstrates courage, bravery, and total trust in God. How would you feel about going halfway across the world to mission for God with only a pocket Bible, and a bit of money? How would you feel about becoming the “foot inspector” or handling the violent men in the prison? Can you be courageous in order to witness for God? You don’t have to travel around the world to do it. Start in your own school. Invite a friend to church. Through him…you will have courage.

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April 5, 2009 by hjmcduffee.

How far are you willing to go for the least? Are you willing to help them? Serve them? How about…be them? Allow me to explain:

During the Nazi invasion, Corrie ten Boom risked her life to help the Jews. Though not a Jew herself, her and her family opened their home to protect those that were persecuted. Read the rest of this entry »

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February 24, 2009 by hjmcduffee.

We moved from Texas to Georgia almost twelve years ago when I was three. Since then, we’ve all made tons of great friends and have truly settled in Georgia. That’s why it surprised me so much when my parents announced that we were moving back to Texas. I was shocked! Read the rest of this entry »