In this post I will continue to focus on a woman named Ann Hasseltine Judson She lived fom 1789 - 1826.
Shortly after the Judsons arrived in India, they were ordered by the government to return to America, so they moved their missionary work to Myanmar (previously Burma). They settled in Yangon (previously Rangoon) and began learning the language. They quickly realised that it would be very difficult to preach Christianity in a language lacking the words "God, heaven and eternity", but nevertheless they proceeded to translate the Scriptures into the Burmese language. They began with the Book of Jonah, which was especially atractive to the Burmese mind.
Ann formed a society of native women who met together on Sundays to pray and read the Scriptures and conducted classes for women. Her greatest contribution to the cause of women and missions was her inspirational writing. She wrote enthralling stories of life on the mission field and the struggles she faced, predominantly when her husband was confined to Burmese prison for nearly two years, She also wrote tragic descriptions of child marriages, female infanticide, and the trials of Burmese women who had virtually no rights except what rights their husbands allowed them.
Ann felt that even worse than the ill treatment of women was their ignorance. Burmese women were not taught and they spent their days in idleness. She worked to remedy this situation and enlisted the help of women back home.
As with most women missionaries, Ann suffered from poor health on the mission field. She served for thirteen years in Burma before she died at the age of 37 on 24 October 1826.
Read Part Thirty HERE
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