Reynold and Betanie Jean-Baptiste

Reynold Jean-Baptiste is the Pastor of the Christian Haitian Church in the Pine Hills area of West Orlando.  Reynold is also the Headmaster of the RJB Christian School that operates at the same location.  During the last few decades, Reynold has planted several churches with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, including one in New England and multiple churches in the northern region of Haiti.  Although they’ve made their primary residence in the United States for years now, Reynold and his wife Betanie still have family and friends living in Haiti. 

Before he gave his message last night, his children sang a few Haitian Christian songs in French.  And although we couldn’t understand very much, each of us could feel the connection with the gospel that transcends our individual cultures and languages.  What a blessing it was to experience the gifts and talents of the Jean-Baptiste family!

Pastor Jean-Baptiste spoke last night of his love and compassion for the people of Haiti.  Even before the earthquake the circumstances had been been deteriorating into greater and greater levels of poverty.  He said that when he left Haiti as a young man, he wanted to come to the United States to gather all of our wealth and bring it back to Haiti.  Each of us could relate to that kind of warm-hearted sympathy for his own suffering people!  But now in the aftermath of the terribly destructive earthquake, matters are much worse.  It’s hard for us to even appreciate the magnitude of the loss, not only in lives and homes, but in their livelihood and other intangibles. 

One thing that Reynold informed us about was the overwhelming fear that continues to haunt the people of Haiti.  He said that in Port-au-Prince, where the earthquake hit the hardest, many of the people are living in tents and other temporary structures.  He told us that this is true not only of those that have lost their homes but for many of those whose homes were not damaged at all.  Unfortunately, many of the people are having a difficult time coping with the terror of what happened, while at the same time paralyzed by the threat of a possible recurrence. 

Reynold taught us some of the history of the Haitian civilization.  And he commented on how the country of Haiti has been blessed with a distinctively Christian heritage.  But he also shared that the Haitian people, by and large, have turned their back upon the Lord and have become obsessed with pagan practices like voodoo.  He referenced Joshua 1:8, and acknowledged that the Lord promises His prosperity and success for those that observe His Book of the Law.  And even though circumstances couldn’t get much worse for Haiti, the promise still remains for those that will turn to the Lord for help. 

“Haiti needs the Lord,” remarked Pastor Jean-Baptiste.  There’s a big difference between the poverty-stricken, earthquake-burdened island nation of Haiti and the wealthy and prosperous United States of America.  He said that although our lands are not very far from each other geographically, they are worlds apart socially, culturally and economically.  But whether we live there in Haiti or whether we live here in the United States, we need the Lord equally.  Each one of us is just as destitute without the Lord! 

Thankfully, Reynold gave report of some of the wonderful ways in which the people have already been turning back to the Lord.  Many of the people have forsaken their witchcraft and have trusted in Jesus Christ for their deliverance.  There was even a three day period of prayer and fasting that was sanctioned by the national government.  Christian Churches have witnessed a resurging increase in attendance and interest.  And many Christian relief organizations have been invited to come with Bibles and other resources that exalt the Lord Jesus. 

We watched some of the dramatic images that came after the earthquake.  With a death toll estimated at approximately 150,000, we were reminded of the necessity of performing group funerals and digging mass graves.  By the magic of multi-media, we were introduced to a small sample of the terrible pain and suffering that has become so prevalent for the people of Haiti. 

The conditions in Haiti are very serious.  There’s still so much for us to pray about.  And there are many opportunities to give.  Our own denomination, the Christian and Missionary Alliance has sent representatives from our Southeastern District and members of our relief agency, CAMA Services to help to alleviate some of the suffering.  Each of us can give something to the “Haiti Relief Fund,” either through our local C&MA church or directly to CAMA Services. 

We’re grateful for the time that Reynold Jean-Baptiste could be with us last night.  May the Lord continue to bless his ministries in Orlando, as well as the ministry relationships that have been developed over the years in Haiti.

Don and Joan Ewan

The Ewans began their missionary career working with the Alliance Academy in Quito in the 1970’s.  While teaching there, God laid the burden on Joan’s heart to minister to the international women being incarcerated at the El Inca Women’s Prison there in the capitol city.  It was from this tiny beginning, years ago, that the Lord raised up the “Soul Light Link” prison ministry.  Soul Light Link is a non-profit ministry that reaches South American imprisoned women with the good news of Jesus Christ.  They are currently working in Quito, Ecuador and Lima, Peru, but would like to expand their influence into many other international prisons. 

Joan captured our imaginations as she described the deplorable conditions of the South American prisons.  Unlike the United States, the prisoners there have very little rights and privileges.  They receive very few supplies and they have very few resources even for their necessary items.  And no matter how severe the offense, they all receive the minimum sentence of 8 years of hard time.  The prison is typically a place of hopelessness and despair.  It’s a place of utter darkness, where the women are hard and calloused. 

But, by God’s grace, Joan was used to bring the Light of Jesus into their world of darkness.  Many of the prisoners came to a saving knowledge of Christ behind those prison bars.  They began meeting regularly for worship and Bible study, as the women encountered hope beyond hope.  Under the direction of God’s Spirit, Joan had won the respect and trust of the previously hardened prison women.  As a result of her faithfulness and obedience to God, there was a new joy that became evident in the faces and voices of the women.  And with that hope and joy came a new purpose for each of them – to share the Light in their own homes and communities upon their release. 

My oldest daughter reminded me that Joan’s ministry was similar to a significant chapter in Gladys Aylward’s life.  As you recall from my previous post, Gladys Aylward was a missionary to China before World War II.  While there, she was called upon to restore order in the prison when the inmates had turned upon one another in violence.  the Lord protected her and helped her gain their respect as she helped to initiate much-needed prison reform over the next several years.  Similarly, Joan Ewan helps bring about prison reform as her ministry provides many of the things that help to make the prisoners’ experience more sanitary and tolerable.  And then she uses that platform to give the glorious gospel of Christ which results in true freedom for all who believe. 

Joan shared with us the inspirational story of a young woman named Andrea.  We were all moved with compassion as we heard about her plight.  Unfortunately, Andrea’s life was a troubled one from the time of her adolescence.  She was exposed to a great many abuses that would threaten anyone’s sanity.  So she turned to the underworld of drugs in a desperate attempt to control her misery.  However, she gave birth to a boy that she dearly loved.  But while her son was still a small boy she was convicted on drug charges and thrown into prison. 

In prison, Andrea fell into the harsh realities of dark depression.  She was languishing in a hell of her own making.  She even claimed to be a witch associated with the pagan Wiccan religion.  By all appearances, she would become another one of the multiple, faceless victims of Satan’s destructive exploits.  But, thankfully, as she participated in the Bible studies, she was radically transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Although it didn’t happen immediately, her life began to change as God’s grace was revealed more and more in and through her.  Joan was thrilled to find a different person, a new person in Christ, and she had the privilege of baptizing her as a testimony of her Christian faith.

Andrea’s story is just one of many that have unfolded in the years of Joan’s prison ministry in Ecuador.  And there are countless other stories just like them all around the world as people encounter the freedom in Christ.  People need the Lord in all places and circumstances.  Wherever darkness abounds (and that’s everywhere outside of God’s grace) the Light of Christ is the only thing that can expel the darkness. 

The people of our church were inspired by Joan Ewan’s testimony last night.  Each person in attendance was challenged to do something that made a difference for God’s kingdom in this world.  Every one of us can make an impact in our own little circles influence.  We all know people that are imprisoned in sin that can only be liberated by the gospel.  That’s what missions is all about, whether at home or abroad. 

We greatly appreciate the Ewans and their work for the Lord.  Please pray for them to be enriched by God’s abiding grace.  Pray for the Soul Light Link prison ministry in Ecuador and Peru and for the opportunity for their expansion in the coming years.  May God be glorified through our efforts in missions and evangelism.

Rev. Joseph Wong and family

The Living Stone Community Church began in October of 2007 and has been functioning very well ever since.  They meet every Lord’s Day in the family life center at Downey Memorial Church, one of our affiliate churches.  God has been faithful to provide for the newborn church which had its beginning during a time of difficult economic downturn.  And in spite of the odds against its success, they have enjoyed a healthy, vibrant community of Christ for almost two and one half years now.  The lasting impact of Living Stone Community Church serves as a witness to the Lord’s sovereign purposes and providence on their behalf.

Rev. Wong challenged us with a message from the fourth chapter of the gospel of John.  But it probably wasn’t from the passage you would have first expected.  Instead of preaching about the woman at the well and her encounter with Christ, he preached on the passage immediately following, where Christ addresses His own disciples about the harvest.  The conversion of the woman at the well was compelling evidence that the harvest was ripe.  But the disciples were too blind, or unwilling, to see where the fields were ready for harvesting. 

He spoke of the moment of “good success” (Qarah) that each of us can experience, just as Abraham’s servant found as he prayed for God’s direction in choosing a wife for Isaac.  This “good success” has nothing to do with the modern form of a prosperity gospel.  It’s not about us experiencing material or financial prosperity in this world.  But, rather, as he referred to this moment of good success, I understood it more like what we might call a “divine appointment.”  In other words, each of us can experience this moment of good success as we pray and ask God to give us favor in doing His work.  Only He will open the doors so that His purposes in missions or evangelism or anything else will prosper. 

In his sermon, Rev. Wong reminded us that it was the Lord who sows the seed!  We are simply the reapers of the harvest, if we are willing to engage in the Lord’s work.  We must avoid our tendency to delay or put off the work that the Lord has called us to do.  But we are greatly encouraged to know that God is ever working to sow the seed so that we’ll have a harvest to gather.  That’s the kind of Biblical promise that ought to fuel the work of missions and evangelism rather than deter them!

I loved the four principles that Rev. Wong closed his message with.  He said that we should (1) go to places we never go, (2) talk to people we don’t normally talk to, (3) dream the dreams we never dream, and (4) do the things that we never do.  When we do these things, we will submit to the Lord’s direction rather than operate from our own personal agendas. 

Please pray for the Living Stone Community Church in Orlando and for Rev. Joseph Wong their Pastor.  Pray for his family that faithfully serve God as they passionately do His work.  And pray for the Church Multiplication division of the Southeastern District and the Christian and Missionary Alliance.  Praise the Lord for church plants like Living Stone that desire to reach particular communities or peoples for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

C&MA logo

A.B. Simpson

Year’s after A.B. Simpson’s death, it became necessary to shift the organization’s leadership from the control of individuals to more of an ecclesiastical authority structure.  Therefore, the C&MA became a full functioning denomination, complete with its own statement of faith and its core distinctives.  However, the C&MA has never lost its zeal for missions and for the development and installation of international missionaries.  Although the organization looks somewhat different today than what Simpson has intended, it continues lead the way in mission activity throughout the world.

It’s been said that the C&MA sends the most number of missionaries per capita than any other Protestant denomination.  There are others that send more missionaries total, but none that send a greater percentage of its adherents to the mission field.  Compared to other church denominations we may be relatively small, but we’re big when it comes to missionary impact around the globe. 

The C&MA has been involved in sending missionaries to unreached peoples and places for over 100 years now.  Consequently, we’ve implemented a pretty good system to develop mission-minded churches in the groups that we reach with the gospel.  That’s why there are now other regions besides the Americas where C&MA churches are sending their own missionaries to foreign lands.  The Philippines has actually surpassed the United States in the number of missionaries that they send overseas. 

Ralph Winter, the late founder of the U.S. Center for World Mission, once remarked about the success of C&MA missions that, “In the United States in the last half-century, no one denominational mission board has a better record in starting mission-minded overseas churches than the Christian and Missionary Alliance.”  This means that others have acknowledged what has always been at the heart of our missions purpose.  We want to raise other indigenous churches to missions maturity.  In the case of the Philippine church, the mother church (USA) couldn’t be more happy about the daughter’s (Philippines) missions priority.  Praise God for the way He works through the efforts of missionaries around the world. 

The missions work of the C&MA cannot exist as a separate entity, though.  Missions in the C&MA has always been directly linked with the mission of the local church.  In other words, missions is part of the church’s mission!  The leadership of our missions board is under the same ecclesiastical authority that exists by the church.  The missionaries themselves are raised up in and called out from the local church.  The resources that supply the work of missions (such as finances, etc.) are funded by the local church.  C&MA cannot operate without the local church!  That’s why missions is so important to us.

Every year, our churches host a Missions Conference to create greater awareness, generate more interest, and encourage better participation in the work of missions.  We challenge everyone in the church to give sacrificially and enthusiastically to the Great Commission Fund (GCF), so that the work will continue until the task is complete.  There are also many opportunities throughout the year to join the work on short-term missions experiences.  In fact, there’s a new initiative in the Alliance for churches to have an increased partnership with individual missionaries or particular missions projects.  This would help create more “ownership” for us folks back home. 

For those of us in Alliance churches, we’ve always known that missions is part of our DNA.  I hope that now you can get a new appreciation of why it’s so important to us.  As long as their are people in this world that still have yet to trust Christ as Savior, we will continue to fan the flame for international and home missions.  We encourage you to join us in this necessary work.  Perhaps, then, missions will become part of your DNA too!

Dorothy was born and raised in Guinea, West Africa, where her mother was also a missionary.  After completing her Bible School and nurses training in the United States, Dorothy was assigned by the Christian & Missionary Alliance in 1951 to return to Guinea to serve as a medical missionary.  She served the Lord faithfully there in Guinea for multiple terms and many years.  Upon leaving Africa, the doors opened for Dorothy to live in Brooklyn, New York, where she served for a number of years ministering to Muslim women in that community. 

Dorothy’s missionary career was, and still is, a tribute to God’s grace and power as displayed through an individual’s life.  Through all the years in Africa, as well as in Brooklyn, God’s protection and preservation were made manifest time and again in the face of dangers and challenges.  When she spoke of her encounters with those that meant her harm, she always gave glory to God for the way that He turned those potential disasters into opportunities to share a testimony for Christ.  When she told of various healing miracles that she witnessed in her work, she did it with confidence that He could do the same for us. 

Dorothy Adam is a truly remarkable missionary.  She doesn’t look at the difficult circumstances that we encounter in this life as obstacles to her ministry, but rather as opportunities for ministry in the name of the Lord.  She challenged us last evening to be thankful for where God has placed us and to use our situations to testify of what the Lord can do through us.  In fact, Dorothy reminded us who we were – companions of Christ as we walk with Him, a sweet-smelling aroma to God the Father, and partakers of all His blessings through the Spirit. 

We were all deeply moved by Dorothy’s testimony.  We’re grateful to God for using Dorothy the way He has for so many years, and for bringing her to our church to share her stories of His faithfulness.  May God continue to richly bless her and her ministry for many more years.

It’s designed for you to personalize it with particular missionaries that you know of and may even support.  Each of the points listed provides a blank space where you can fill in the individual names to make it more specific.  I’ve found the resource to be so helpful that I’m going to be using it for the entire month at each of our services to pray those things over our Alliance missionaries, as well as some of the particular ones that are close to our own church family. 

I’ve also decided to make it available to you right here, in the paragraphs that follow.  I hope you’ll find it as useful as I did.  However you use it, please make a commitment to pray for missions and for missionaries around the world.

Prayer for Missionaries and Their Families

(by Heather Kaiser)

Missionaries are like soldiers on the front lines of a fierce battle.  These prayers will help you intercede more specifically and effectively for the missionaries you know. 

Intimacy with God.  Lord, keep _________ close to You.  Cause them to love You with all their hearts, souls, and minds.  Draw them into Your Word each day, and fill them with thankfulness. (Mt. 22:37; Col. 3:16)

Language.  Help _________ to learn well the language of the people they serve so that they may present the gospel clearly.  May their speech always be seasoned with love. (Acts 2:11; I Cor. 13:1)

Cultural sensitivity.  Dear Father, enable __________ to understand and appreciate the local customs.  Help them to be humble, wise, and respectful as they interact with others so that they will not offend their neighbors or sin against You.  (I Cor. 10:23-32; Jas. 3:17)

Evangelism.  Great God, equip __________ always to be ready to give an account for the hope that is in them.  Teach them how to do so with gentleness and reverence.  (I Pet. 3:15)

Discipleship.  Lord, help __________ to make disciples who also can teach others so that Your kingdom will expand. (II Tim. 2:2)

Protection.  Lord, I praise You that You do not slumber as You watch over ___________.  Grant them good health, and protect them from physical danger.  Shield them with Your armor so that they can stand firm against evil.  Remind them that You have not given them a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (Ps. 121; Eph. 6:13; II Tim. 1:7)

Support.  Father, supply __________’s financial needs fully.  Lead others to contribute even before they are asked.  Stir up individuals and congregations to be zealous for ___________’s well-being, to rejoice and mourn with them, to encourage them while they are in the field, and to refresh them when they are on home leave. (Phi. 4:19; II Cor. 7:6-7)

Peace.  God of all peace, remind ___________ not to worry but to commit all their concerns to You.  Comfort them when they are homesick.  Help them to rejoice in You whatever their circumstances. (Phi. 4:4-7, 11)

Marriage.  Cause ___________ to honor their marriage and remain faithful to each other in every way.  Help them to love one another as You love them so that their relationship will point others to You. (Heb. 13:4; Jn. 13:34-35)

Singleness.  Enable ___________ to enjoy undistracted devotion to You.  Provide ___________ with godly companionship that will give encouragement, support, and a sense of belonging. (I Cor. 7:35; Ps. 68:6)

Children.  Heavenly Father, draw ___________’s children into relationship with You.  Enable them to adopt to the culture and deal well with the extra attention they may attract.  Grant them good friends, and provide the education they need to fulfill the purposes You have for them.  Give ____________ wisdom to discern each child’s unique needs.  Help the children to understand that they, too, are witnesses of You. (Mt. 19:14; Pr. 1:5, 22:6; I Tim. 4:12)

Friends.  Surround ____________ with wise, faithful, and caring friends.  May their friends encourage, strengthen, and comfort them with Your truth and bring joy to their lives. (Pr. 17:17, 27:6,9; Acts 27:3; Ecc. 4:9-12)

Holiness.  Holy One, protect ___________ from every kind of impurity.  Teach them to fear You rather than man.  Enable them to resist the compromises that may be present in the sourrounding culture so that they can shine like stars in the universe as they hold out the Word of Life. (Eph. 5:3; Gal. 1:10; Phi. 2:15-16)

Unity.  God, the evil one wants to destroy the unity of the believers where ___________ serve(s).  Help ___________, their fellow missionaries, and the local believers daily to exercise hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love for one another. (Col. 3:12-15)

Local peace.  King of kings, grant ___________ favor with the officials and those in authority where they serve so that they may lead tranquil lives of godliness and holiness. (I Tim. 2:2)

More workers.  Lord of the harvest, please send out more workers to help ____________ serve in the place to which You have called them.  (Mt. 9:38)

Fruitfulness.  Mighty God, cause ___________ not to lose heart in doing good.  As they seek the growth of Your kingdom, let them see the fruits of their labors. (Gal. 6:9; Col. 1:10)

There are certain months of the year that are known for something particular.  For example, January is known in our circles as “sanctity of life month” which values the life of the unborn while remembering that fateful “Roe v. Wade” decision that made abortion legal in this country.  February is known as “black history month” as it celebrates the achievements of African-Americans in the development of our nation’s history.  So why can’t we treat March as the month to celebrate missions and honor the Lord for the work that He’s done, and continues to do, through His faithful missionaries. 

Because of the additional missions speakers, we will be blessed to have a different missionary speaking on every Sunday evening in March.  And we’ll have several missionaries speak during the week of our missions conference.  Our church is excited about how the Lord will awaken and challenge us to the work and needs of missionaries around the world.  Below is a schedule for our Missions Conference, along with the pre-conference and post-conference speakers:

Sun. 3/7        6:00 p.m.          Dorothy Adam (Africa)*

Sun. 3/14    10:30 a.m.         Home Missions Report: Joseph Wong

                       6:00 p.m.          Don and Joan Ewan (South America)*

Mon. 3/15     7:00 p.m.          Reynold Jean-Baptiste (Haiti)

Tues. 3/16    7:00 p.m.          Toby and Kiersten Hull (Africa)*

Wed. 3/17    7:00 p.m.          Toby and Kiersten Hull (Africa)*

Sun. 3/21    10:30 a.m.         Missions Message: Barry Peterson

                      6:00 p.m.          GCF Pledge: Evelyn Mangham

Sun. 3/28     6:00 p.m.          Chris and Cassie Hill (South Asia)*

*Identified by continent for security and sensitivity reasons

Please join us for our 2010 Missions Conference.  The theme for this year’s conference is “Open Doors.”  We will trust the Lord for more and more open doors to share the gospel throughout the world, both at home and abroad.  May God be glorified!  May Christ be magnified!  May the Holy Spirit be electrified!  And may each one of us be fortified!

While still newlyweds, John and Mary Paton sailed away from their Scotland home to become missionaries to the islands of the South Seas in 1858.  Months later they landed in the New Hebrides Islands and began to build a house and start a new life there together.  From their home they would work to reach the superstitious natives with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Little did they know how much their own lives would be in danger because of their presence on the islands and their persistence in sharing about God’s love. 

As a missionary, Paton would soon have to learn how to endure loss.  Shortly after the first year on the islands, Paton’s young wife contracted a serious illness and died.  Just one month after that his infant son died as well.  Years later he married again, to his second wife Margaret (Maggie) and had more children.  But four out those six children died at birth or in the first year too.  In spite of his personal losses, however, Paton worked relentlessly to help the island peoples.  He diligently labored to translate the Bible in their native language, and to proclaim the gospel to the unreached, even against strong opposition.

On one occasion when Paton was preaching in one of the villages, three sacred men stood up and declared that they could kill him by Nahak (sorcery), if they could only get possession of any piece of fruit or food of which he had eaten. With the Lord’s help, Paton decided to turn this challenge into an opportunity to strike a blow at the tremendous power for evil used by the sorcerers. After taking a bite out of three plums, he handed one of them to each of the sacred men. The natives were astounded at his action and expected to see him fall over dead at any moment, as the sorcerers proceeded with their spells. With many gestures and mutterings, they rolled up the three plums in leaves, kindled a sacred fire and burned them.  Confident that their gods weren’t real, Paton began to mock them.  (Much like Elijah mocked the false prophets on Mount Carmel in I Kings 18)  ”Stir up your gods to help you,” urged Paton. “I am not killed. In fact I am perfectly well.”[i]

Finally, the sorcerers said that they would call all the sacred men together and that they would kill Missi (what the natives called him) before the next Sunday arrived. Paton told the people he would meet them at that same place the next Sunday morning. Great excitement prevailed on the island. Every day messengers came from different places inquiring if the white man was ill. On Sunday morning he appeared before the people in sound health and said: “Now you must admit that your gods have no power over me and that I am protected by the true and living God.  He is the only God who can hear and answer prayer.  He loves all human beings, despite their great wickedness, and He sent His dear Son, Jesus, to save from sin all who will believe and follow Him.”[ii]  From that day two of the sacred men were very friendly.  But the others continued to be bitter enemies and incited the natives to new levels of hatred toward him.

About this time, terrible things were happening on the island of Erromanga.  Years earlier, two missionary men were beaten to death by clubs and eaten by the Erromangans.  But in time other courageous missionaries took their places.  Then, after four years of devoted service, the new missionaries, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, were beaten and murdered, too.

When the Tannese heard of this horrible deed, they shouted to one another: “Our love to the Erromangans! They are brave men. They have killed their Missi and his wife while we only talk about it.”[iii]

Because of the frequent attacks upon their lives and the murder of one of them, all the native  teachers, except Abraham, returned to their own island.  This dear fellow, formerly a blood-thirsty savage, was a true hero of the Cross.  In the face of imminent death he determined to stay with the missionary at the post of duty and danger.  As hundreds of furious cannibals shouted for their death, the two knelt in prayer.  ”O Lord,” Abraham prayed, “make us both strong for You and Your cause, and if they kill us, let us die together in Your good work, like Your servants, Missi Gordon the man and Missi Gordon the woman.”

The savages encircled them in a deadly ring and kept urging each other to strike the first blow or fire the first shot. Suddenly a killing-stone, thrown with great force, grazed Abraham’s cheek. The dear old saint turned his gaze heavenward and said, “Missi, I was nearly away to Jesus.”

“In that awful hour,” writes Paton, “I saw Christ’s own words, as if carved in letters of fire upon the clouds of heaven: ‘Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.’”  As he stood praying, he saw the Lord Jesus hovering close by, watching the scene, and an assurance came to him, as if a voice from heaven had spoken, that not a musket (gun) would be fired, not a club would strike, not a spear leave the hand in which it was held vibrating to be thrown, not an arrow leave the bow, or a killing-stone the fingers, without the permission of Jesus Christ, who rules all nature and restrains even the savages of the South Seas.[iv]  How were the savages prevented from carrying out their murderous plot?  It was a miracle, coming from the protecting presence of the Lord.  When he was asked how he could have survived such an ordeal, Paton said that he was protected from the same hand that restrained the lions from touching Daniel.

On another occasion, the men of the village surrounded the Paton’s home with the intention of killing them.  They were all painted for warfare, wearing their traditional battle attire and carrying spears and other deadly weapons.  When it became obvious to the Patons that there was no possible way of escape, they began to pray intensely to the Lord, surrendering their lives to His will.  They prepared themselves for the worst, submitting to God’s sovereign purpose if this was how He desired to take them home.  After a while, when nothing had happened, they looked out to find the natives quickly retreating to the jungle.  Immediately, John and Margaret thanked God for His hand of providence in allowing them to continue to live and do their missionary work.  A year later, when the chief of the tribe had come to believe in Jesus Christ, John asked him what prevented the natives from following through with their plan to kill them that day.  The chief said it was because of the army that was protecting the house.  But John told him that there was no army, for it was just he and wife at the house.  Then the chief proceeded to tell him that there was indeed an army there.  There were hundreds of large warriors wearing shiny suits of armor with their swords drawn, circled around the home of the two missionaries.[v]

Were these shining warriors really angels that God used to protect His faithful missionaries?  Only God knows for sure.  But God had certainly used supernatural events to display His victory over false gods in the past.  And our God will most surely accomplish His intended purposes, whether it be through natural means or supernatural means.  God was greatly glorified through the life and ministry of missionary John Paton.  And as a result, many of the natives in the islands he served were harvested for Christ’s kingdom.  Praise God for His marvelous protection and providence! 

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Ibid.

[v] Graham, Billy, Angels: God’s Secret Agents (Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company, 1975), p. 3.

One of the things that makes her biography so compelling is that the Lord accomplished so many great things through her missionary service, despite the incredible odds against her.  Throughout her life she had to overcome incredible challenges to reach her goals.  And during the time she was on the field she encountered several major setbacks that would have devastated the career hopes of any average person.  But she continued to persevere, prevailing over each obstacle in her way, and giving the glory to God.

Gladys was born in Edmonton, England in 1902.  And by the time she was a young woman, she knew that the Lord had called her to be a missionary in China.  However, because of her poor academic background and her small physical stature, the China Inland Mission refused to commission her, declaring her to be unqualified for missionary service.  Nevertheless, in spite of their decision, she held onto her dream and began saving money to make the trip to China.  She didn’t quite know how, but was more determined than ever to find her way to the mission field.

After a couple of years of hard work and self-sacrifice, she had saved enough money for the one-way train fare to the far east.  But the trip itself turned out to be far more than what she had bargained for.  Because of the military skirmishes at the Russian-Chinese border, she was forced off the train during severe winter weather conditions, and left to find her way by other means to her ultimate destination.  There were many perils along the way, including some terrifying encounters with ruthless men, but she survived as a result of God’s grace and providence.  She finally found her way aboard a freighter headed to China, after nearly a month of travel, and without any food or money left. 

When she arrived, and finally found the veteran missionary woman that she was going to assist, she was not met with a warm welcome.  In addition to the sneers and taunts of the Chinese, she experienced many difficult living conditions and culture shocks that left her discouraged.  And just when she was starting to get used to her new home, her elderly missionary mentor, Ms. Lawson, unexpectedly died, leaving her on her own as the lone European in their village of Yangcheng.  But instead of leaving to find another mission opportunity, she vowed to stay and make the best of her situation. 

This resolution would begin to pay off for her.  Before Ms. Lawson died, they had decided to turn their mission home into an inn for the mule drivers, which they affectionately called, “The Inn of Eight Happinesses.”  They would use this inn as a means to make connections with the local people in order to have a platform for sharing their Christian gospel.  Consequently, she began to see her first signs of success as her first converts were introduced to Christ.  But, without the financial resources of Ms. Lawson, she was facing the inevitable prospect of closing the inn.  That’s when she received her big breakthrough!

Gladys was informed that she was to be visited by the Mandarin, the prestigious village ruler who had sovereign authority.  This was a rare visit by the Mandarin to a private residence, something that caused her much anxiety.  She was afraid that he was going to require her to pay heavy taxes on the inn that would have broken her financially.  But instead of this, he came to request a favor from her.  This request would be the answer to her prayers and concerns, and it would far exceed her greatest hopes.

The Chinese had developed a horrible custom of binding the feet of their little girls so that as they grew the feet would remain smaller, and more attractive to would-be marriage suitors.  However, the government had only recently banned the practice, and they needed an able-bodied woman with unbound feet herself to serve as a foot inspector for their entire province.  This foot inspector would travel to all the villages, on behalf of the Mandarin, to enforce the abolition of the foot-binding practice.  Gladys was happy to oblige the Mandarin’s offer with the condition that she could share her Christian faith with all those she came into contact with.  Upon the Mandarin’s approval, she now had an open door for ministry in every home of her entire province – a ministry that would be funded by the salary she received from the Mandarin!  Only the Lord could arrange the circumstances in that way!

Soon Gladys became the most well-known and respected person in the province.  Her inn was experiencing increasing popularity, partly because they told Bible stories that the travelers loved.  She had tremendous success at her job as foot inspector, to the extent that the practice was completely eliminated.  Therefore, the Mandarin and the elders of the village of Yangcheng began to rely upon her for other matters of need as well.  She would attend to the sick and assist the poor, all while neglecting her own needs for rest and rejuvenation. 

Once she was called upon to stop a bloody riot at the local prison.  The prisoners had somehow accumulated deadly weapons that they were using against one another without any control.  The scene was horrific, as many were already dead and maimed.  But the prison guards refused to enter the prison to regain control.  They were understandably fearful of being killed themselves.  So they asked Gladys to go in.  When she hesitated, wondering what she could possibly do, the prison guards reminded her that she tells everyone that she had God to protect her.  So now she had to go in.  And asking for God’s help, she immediately took control of the situation and had restored order in just a few minutes.  She was appalled, however, at the prison conditions and instantly became a champion for the prisoner’s rights.  This, along with her other virtues, earned her the title, “Ai-weh-de,” which in Chinese means “virtuous one.” 

Gladys’ ministry began to take on a new direction when she encountered a woman selling a helpless baby.  She was outraged at the thought of what would happen to the child, so she bought the baby herself with all the money she had, nine pence. (which became the name of the baby)  Before long, she had acquired other children who were orphaned or abandoned, and she took care of each of them as if she had been their mother all along.  Gladys was raising five of these children in her inn at the time that tragedy struck. 

The Japanese army suddenly invaded the country of China.  At first, they thought they were too far north to be threatened, but before they had time to prepare they were attacked as well.  The children and the townspeople were delighted when they first saw the planes, but they ran in terror when these Japanese Zeros began dropping bombs and shooting rapid gunfire.  In no time, the village was devastated!  Everyone had no choice but to evacuate and head for the safety of other villages in the mountains.  “Ai-weh-de” knew the terrain well, and she had many friends in each of the villages.  So she organized an effort to protect and provide for the homeless families. 

The effects of the war took their toll on the Chinese civilization.  The Japanese had absolutely no mercy on the people of China, even with regard to the countless refugees.  More and more isolated children found their way to Ai-weh-de and appealed to her mercy and love.  She taught them about Jesus and His adoptive grace.  It became increasingly clear that something would have to be done to take care of the surviving children, now totaling almost 200.  Gladys became aware of a chain of orphanages in the southern part of China that would take the children if she could get them there.  She sent 100 of them to make the trip with one of her most trusted workers.  He successfully delivered the children to their destination but was caught and killed by the Japanese on his return trip.  But she was now responsible alone for the fate of the remaining 94 children. 

Without any other alternatives, she decided to lead the children herself on the treacherous journey over the mountains.  Facing the enormous risk of encountering the enemy, and enduring many other imminent dangers along the way, they set out on foot with only a few provisions that wouldn’t last long.  When their resources ran out, they had to hope for generous villagers to make a sacrifice.  It took many long days of grueling travel.  They were famished, cold, cut and bruised, and without much hope for ever making it alive.  But the Lord miraculously prevented them from illness and death. 

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, and after using every bit of strength and health she had, Gladys reached her destination.  Each of the children were received into a home or orphanage that would provide for their needs.  Against all odds, she had accomplished her mission.  All of the children were accounted for.  None of them would be lost!

There’s much more to the story of the great missionary hero Gladys Aylward.  After recovering for years back in England, she returned to China to work with refugees and students.  But throughout her entire missionary career, every experience of her life was permeated by the presence and providence of God.  It’s ironic that she was once deemed to be unqualified as a missionary.  She may well have been unqualified, but the Lord that she served was more than qualified to lead her through. 

Gladys Aylward is an inspiration to me, because she is the evidence of how God can use someone who was fully consecrated to Him.  She gave up everthing to become a missionary to China.  She simply trusted God to take care of all her needs.  And indeed He did!