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Chinese Whispers: The Gladys Aylward story
Gladys Aylward was a London-born missionary in China from the 1930s to the 1960s. Undeterred by criticism and contrary advice, she set off alone, trusting God to meet all her needs. Ostracized by the Chinese, and later wounded by the Japanese, she led 100 children to safety through the mountains. This is a compelling story of bravery and faith, of Gods strength in human weakness. Her story has become immortalized through the film The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, starring Ingrid Bergman. Retold here, this new biography incorporates original material which digs beneath the surface into some of the controversies that surrounded her life and work.
- GenresBiography
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 28, 2004
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February 1, 2023
This book summarizes Gladys Aylward’s life, her adventures, her challenges, and her contributions. Perhaps best known for 1938 trek with 100 Chinese orphans, most between ages four and eight, to avoid the oncoming Japanese. She and the children walked from hills of Yangcheng, in Shanxi province, to Xian, over 12 days and a 100 miles, and crossing the Yellow River. The book The Small Woman by Alan Burgess (1957) captured her story. But, the film The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, starting Ingrid Bergman (1958), made her story famous. Gladys objected to many aspects of the film. For example, the use of a tall, attractive Berman to play her 5 foot less attractive self. Also, while the movie suggested a romance, Aylward claimed there was none.
The book contains far more than this life-defining episode. It explains her humble beginnings, born in 1902 in a suburb of London. Later she worked different jobs, one as a parlor maid. In the 1920s she felt a calling to China. The book narrates her the near-death experiences to get to China; the challenges of blending in once there; her spreading the gospel, especially after being appointed the foot-inspector to stop and, in come cases, unbind the feet of Chinese girls. She put her faith in God, and was often delivered from her challenges, facing down a prisoner with an ax, or crossing the Yellow River when no boat was apparent.
As a citizen of China, she also passed information on Japanese troop movements to the Nationalists during the war. This caused some of her colleagues to be imprisoned by the Japanese. Later, the Communist felt she could not be trusted.
She fled China when the communists, who did not tolerate missionaries, were nearing their consolidation of power. Many of those she converted suffered for their faith, often paying with their lives.
In 1957 she returned to Asia, first to Hong Kong, and with the help of a former orphan, part of her family, started Hope Mission. After a few months, she traveled to Taiwan, where she settled, and set up the Gladys Aylward Children’s Home outside of Taipei (1959). She died in Taiwan in January 1970, age 67.
Gladys was an engaging speaker, who viewed herself as God’s servant. Her forceful personality often made it difficult to work with other, but she could motivate.
FB. The book introduces a reader to key aspects of Aylward’s remarkable life. It is not an in-depth biography or a discussion of the times she lived in. Still, valuable and concise.
The book contains far more than this life-defining episode. It explains her humble beginnings, born in 1902 in a suburb of London. Later she worked different jobs, one as a parlor maid. In the 1920s she felt a calling to China. The book narrates her the near-death experiences to get to China; the challenges of blending in once there; her spreading the gospel, especially after being appointed the foot-inspector to stop and, in come cases, unbind the feet of Chinese girls. She put her faith in God, and was often delivered from her challenges, facing down a prisoner with an ax, or crossing the Yellow River when no boat was apparent.
As a citizen of China, she also passed information on Japanese troop movements to the Nationalists during the war. This caused some of her colleagues to be imprisoned by the Japanese. Later, the Communist felt she could not be trusted.
She fled China when the communists, who did not tolerate missionaries, were nearing their consolidation of power. Many of those she converted suffered for their faith, often paying with their lives.
In 1957 she returned to Asia, first to Hong Kong, and with the help of a former orphan, part of her family, started Hope Mission. After a few months, she traveled to Taiwan, where she settled, and set up the Gladys Aylward Children’s Home outside of Taipei (1959). She died in Taiwan in January 1970, age 67.
Gladys was an engaging speaker, who viewed herself as God’s servant. Her forceful personality often made it difficult to work with other, but she could motivate.
FB. The book introduces a reader to key aspects of Aylward’s remarkable life. It is not an in-depth biography or a discussion of the times she lived in. Still, valuable and concise.
Displaying 1 of 1 review