Home-At Last!

By Mary Vee

From Ninepence's Journal

I have watched my mother care for many orphaned children--Chinese children. I was the first orphaned child she adopted. She has taught me the meaning of true sacrifice and love.

You may know her as Gladys Aylward, but I call her Ai-weh-deh.

She wanted to write today's story about our reaching our new home, but she fell ill; I fear for her life. She always gave the food first to the young children, then to us older ones. She only ate the grains left in the bottom of the pot.

Liang and I went to one of the Buddist priests and begged for medicine for her. He took some herbs, cooked them then let them cool before giving it to us. The medicine made Ai-weh-deh sleepy.

We guided the children off the train and led them in the crocodile way that Ai-weh-deh taught them. Mother didn't seem to focus on her steps; she struggled to find the words she wanted to say.  

We asked Jesus to touch her body and heal it from whatever troubled her. Oh how I prayed.

When we reached the city gate of Fufeng, villagers gathered around us and cheered. They showed us our new home and school, filled our bowls with food, gave us new shoes and clothes, and helped us bathe. We felt like princes and princesses. I've never seen mother so happy! 

At last we were home.

Some of the ladies of the village asked Ai-weh-deh how she felt, even these stranger saw she was sick. They offered mother a bed and asked her to stay awhile at the orphanage to help care for us. Ai-weh-deh shook her head. "I have too much work to do. I must go and preach to other villagers."

She called us to come to her. All one hundrend children circled the woman who had kept us alive,

given us her food,

held little ones even when her arms ached,

hugged us when we cried,

comforted us when we were sad,

told us stories when we were bored,

sang songs to keep us moving on the journey

and loved us as if we truly were her own children.

She said, "Children, you are home. In this place which God has prepared, you will have plenty to eat, go to school, make friends, and grow up to be healthy men and women who love God.  My work is finished here."

One of the young children blinked her eyes and pouted. "But where will you go?"

Ai-weh-deh laughed, reached down to hug the little girl and pointed to the land far away. "I will go to new villages and tell them about Jesus." Then she kissed the little girl.

"Come, children. Say the Lord is my Shepherd with me."

Tears dripped down our faces as we honored our mother with her request. Ai-weh-deh hugged each child and called them by the special name she gave--and then she left.

Dear Jesus, Please heal our mother. Please take care of her as she goes to new villages. 
Thank you for her love for us and for You.

Ai-weh-deh's story isn't over! Come back and read what God did for her.

With the greatest of respect for my mother,

Ninepence

Photo of a Chinese young woman used with permission from Bible visual images.

Ninepence Kidnapped?

By Mary Vee

Gladys Thoughts

photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

I loved having Ninepence and Less as my children. They played with each other and helped do chores at the inn.  We laughed, played, and sang together. I can't begin to tell you the fun we had. I no longer felt lonely. 

God blessed me more than I could image. No really! Within a short period of time many more children with no parents joined our family. 

Although Less was younger he acted like an older brother toward Ninepence. Of all my children these two took care of each other as blood brother and sisters would.

Usually mothers taught children at home, but I couldn't,I still had to work at the inn and do foot inspecting. We needed a school in Yangcheng. The Mandarin permitted a teacher to come.


Five years after the school opened, Less told me about a stranger outside the school gate. A man pulled Ninepence away and talked with her several times that week. One time the man grabbed her and tried to take her away. Less told me he protected her, poor thing.


I went to the school to meet them the next day. Less saw me and pulled Ninepence's in my direction. He pointed toward the man. "That's him." The man glared like he wanted to hurt us. 


"Come children, Let's go home." Problems like this were difficult to solve in the Chinese culture. Rules and laws had to be obeyed for everything.  I went to the Mandarin for help. 


"Ai-we-dah," he said, " I would like to help but the man hasn't done anything wrong yet. I am willing to send a soldier to the school. Tell Ninepence to scream when the man approaches her. If she will do this the soldier will have proof to arrest the man."


Sure enough, the man stood outside the school gate the next day. The second she walked out of the school he grabbed Ninepence's arm and dragged her toward the bushes. Ninepence screamed and kicked. The soldiers ran after the man, pulled him away from the bush, and arrested him. 


The next day, the Mandarin called me to his office. "Ai-we-deh, the man was Nincepence's uncle. He wants to take her home. If you wish to keep her you will have to go to trial."


"But, honorable Mandarin, he only wants money. It I say the wrong thing at the trial, he will take her away from our home and sell her to people who don't love her."


He smiled. "Yes, Ai-we-deh, I know. I will help you. Remember I am the judge.  If I give a small nod, say, 'Yes' at the trial. If I shake my head a little, say, 'No.'"


My knees trembled at the trial. I watched Mandarin carefully and said yes when he nodded and no when he shook his head.  The man spoke at the trial, also. "She is my niece. I have the right to take her. She is my property." He glared and shook his fist at me.


God took control. The Mandarin asked questions to follow the laws. He also asked questions in a way that would help Ninepence stay with me. When everyone finished speaking, Mandarin hit the gong with a stick. "The decision has been made. Ninepence shall stay with Ai-we-deh."


The man bowed to the Mandarin then glared at me before leaving.


Once again, God showed his love by protecting Ninepence from her evil uncle, and by blessing me with her sweet smile a little longer.  Thank you, God.

Come back next week to read more, God had more adventures for me!


Gladys Aylward

Five Chinese Coins

By Mary Vee

Glady's Thoughts

photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

I kept my promise with the prisoners. I visited them often and told them Bible stories. 


One day, the Mandarin surprised me by granting permission  to take the men outside the prison walls for a church service. The prisoners stared at the mountains, trees, and village in the distance as they listened to God's Word. Tears drip down their faces. When they returned to the prison they bowed and said, "Thank you, Ai-weh-deh. You have shown us great kindness."

It sure felt good to see their happy faces. Perhaps some will ask Jesus into their heart.

I spent most of my time in nearby villages. Actually, the Mandarin paid me to inspect the little girl's feet to make sure they grew strong. When I finished his work, I played with the children and told Bible stories. We sang songs and laughed until I had to leave. 

I loved the Chinese people more each day, but I didn't like some of the things they did. When I returned from the mountain villages last week, I decided to talk with the Mandarin about a few  problems.

I walked through the center of Yang Cheng toward his office, practicing what I would say to him. On the side of the street sat a woman  wearing silver earrings and shiny necklaces. A small child cuddled next to her. The poor thing sat in the hot sun with dirty, torn clothes, and she had a swollen belly. She must have been starved.

I said, "You should cover the child's head to protect it from the heat or it will die."

The woman shrugged. "I don't care. I can get another child whenever I want. You can have her for two shillings."

This woman buys and sells children!  "I don't have two shillings." I didn't want her to think I approved of selling children. Maybe the Mandarin can help put a stop to selling children.

I continued to the Mandarin's office and waitied to see him. The door opened when the gong rang. We said our greetings to each other then he let me speak. "Mandarin, I saw a woman selling a child in town. How can we protect the children?"

He sighed. "Ai-weh-deh, I cannot help where there is no law. Goverment works slow. You must be patient. Walk on the other side of the road and do not look at the child."

As I walked back through the Yang Cheng, I saw the woman again. My heart cried for the child next to her. I reached into my pocket and pulled out five Chinese coins which was about ninepence in English money. "Here. This is all I have."

She shoved the sad girl toward me. "Take the child, she's yours." 

The poor thing cried. I sang to her and held her close all the way to the inn. She gobbled the food I gave as if she hadn't eaten in days, maybe weeks. When she felt better and seemed ready to trust me, I gave her a bath, fresh clothes, and a place to sleep.

She didn't have a name as far as I could tell. I decided to call her Ninepence. She cried and hid for many months.  Ninepence didn't believe she had a real home, food, clothes, and someone who loved her.

Then--one day--I saw her smile.

My sweet Ninepence, a gift from God.

Come back next week to hear what else God did for me and the people of China.

Gladys