From Glady's Journal
The war in China had finally ended.
Homes had been destroyed; separated family members searched for each other. I'd say their biggest problem was not knowing what to do next.
Survivors roamed from place to place searching for a home, food, and a new beginning.
I, too, needed a home. My health did not require me to stay with the doctor's family any longer. I needed my own place to live.
One of the big churches in the city posted an ad for help. They wanted someone to tell the refugees about Christ. So many people flooded into the city from the north seeking help. So many needed Christ.
I applied for the job with the condition that I could continue my work with the prison and the leper colony. The church agreed and gave me a small room in the back of the church to live.
I moved into my room and began my ministry, all of which took place outside of the building. One day I decided to explore the church building. Upstairs, in the place where people should gather to hear God's Word, furniture had been overturned and dirt covered everything. How could God's house be treated this way?
The war had destroyed people's houses, people's lives, and now I saw it had also ruined God's house. As I stood in the dark and dingy room, a ray of sun peeked through the gobs of dirt on the stain glass windows. It shined down in the room at the moment. I shook my head, discouraged.
God spoke to my heart. He wanted His light to shine in this room. I made a resolution that day to clean one portion of the church and pray for that place each day. I worked for several days but grew tired due to my health.
I didn't want to give up my resolution to God. I told the pastor of the church what I did. He smiled and agreed to help. The two of us worked to clean and pray. Another day, one of my adopted sons came to visit me. He too stayed to help clean and pray. Then a man from the church came, and another. After forty days the church had been cleaned, sparkling, and radiant!
Now we needed people to fill the church. The pastor and I went out to the city streets and held Gospel meetings. After each meeting we invited people to services at the church. I prayed that God would send more help. Two people couldn't possibly reach all the refugees.
A few days later a request came in the mail from the Youth for Christ organization. They offered to hold Gospel meetings if we provided the volunteers. They also agreed to pay all the expenses.
God is good. He had the church cleaned up, prayed for, and then invitations sent to the people to come.
Gladys Aylward
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