Gladys Aylward's Journal
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| photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com |
Chu En returned home for a visit one year later. He had grown tall and still loved the Bible stories. He pulled me aside and said, "Ai-weh-dah, I want to go back to Yang Cheng to help the people."
I shook my head. "Oh, no, you mustn't. Yang Cheng isn't the same. You'd be in great danger there."
He tipped his head, placed his hands on my shoulders, and smiled. "Now, Mother, you didn't let anyone stop you from coming to China."
He had a good argument, but--I couldn't say yes. "No, the town has been destroyed, most of the people you knew have left, and Japanese soldiers have occupied many of the homes--no."
He sighed and returned to his training with Dr. Tsung. A few months later I heard a noise in the kitchen. "Who's there?"
Chu En poked his head out from another room. "It's me, Mother."
He shouldn't be home yet. There must have been a problem. "Are you sick. You didn't run away, did you?"
"No." He smiled. "I came home to tell you I must go to Yang Cheng. I can't wait any longer. God is telling me to go." He came close, gave me a hug then look straight into my eyes. "Will you ask God to give me a stethoscope to use there?"
He'd made up his mind. I couldn't stop him any longer. At least I could ask God to give him new pants and shoes which he truly needed along with my prayer for the stethoscope.
Two weeks later God had not yet provided new shoes or pants for him. I thought about this as I walked down the village street. On my walk I saw a women. I greeted her. "Good morning, how are you?" She invited me to her hut. As we talked I looked around at the few things she had. On a shelf I saw a box. "What's in the box?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. It belonged to a lady who visited my village long ago. She told us about Jesus. Days later Japanese soldiers came. Some villagers rushed her to a cave to hide from the soldiers. She never returned to my home for her box."
Yes, I was curious about the contents, very curious. "May I open the box?" She took the box down from her shelf and handed it to me. Inside I found clothes, books, old food and a small case.
What could possibly be in such a strange looking case? I opened the latch, lifted the lid and gasped. A stethoscope! A gift from God! He sent it through a missionary who left it in this village woman's home months ago and brought it here, not knowing--not knowing it was needed.
"Would you like me to care for these things?"
"Well, you do look like her, and you tell Bible stories like she did, so I guess that would be good."
I ran as fast as I could back to the house. "Chu En! Chu En! Look what God has given!!"
His eyes grew wider than a saucer. "Really?" He took the stethoscope and rubbed his hand along every inch. Only God could have sent such a gift to a small village in the mountains. Chu En reached down and hugged me. "Now, Mother, do you believe God wants me to go to Yang Cheng?"
What could I say? "Yes, Chu En. I believe you must go."
Two years later I met a man who spoke like someone from Yang Cheng. "Can you tell me about Jesus?" he said.
Not many people walk up to me and ask that question. "Why do you ask?"
In my village of Yang Cheng there is a young man who has a strange instrument that lets him listen and know what is happening to a heart. He says there is a way to know peace and joy in our heart with Jesus."
Firework happiness popped in my heart. This man spoke to Chu En!
I have more to tell you next week. God continues to bless in China.
Gladys Aylward
photo courtesy of Biblevisualimages.com
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