EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1900; MARIELEINE HOFFETT P/7

 

In this brief post I will focus on a woman named Marieleine Hoffett. She lived from 1905 - 1996. Marieleine was a pastor's daughter who studied theology in Strassburg, Geneva and Edinburgh. She was a vicar with the Reformed Church of Alsace Lorraine and got married in 1931. She took an active part in the resistance movement and in 1945 accepted a position no one wished to take, namely chaplain in former collaborators' internment camps.She then turned to women's bible teaching. She fought against the rule forbidding married women to become pastors, which was suspended in 1968.

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1900; GLADYS AYLWARD P/6

                                                                                                                                                                           

In this post I will continue to focus on a woman named Gladys Aylward. She lived from 1902 - 1970. Gladys became a national of the Republic of China in 1936 and was a revered figure among the people, taking in orphans and adopting several herself, intervening in a volatile prison riot and advocating prison reform, risking her life many times to help those in need. 

In 1938, the region was invaded by the Japanese forces and Gladys led more than 100 orphans to safety over the mountains, despite being wounded and sick, personally caring for them (and converting many to Christianity).

Gladys did not return to England until 1949, when her life in China was thought to be in great danger from the Communists - the army was actively seeking out missionaries. 

After her mother died, Gladys sought a return to China. After rejection by the Communist Government and a stay in Hong Kong, she finally settled in Taiwan in 1958. There she founded the Gladys Aylward Orphanage, where she worked until her death in 1970. 

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1900; GLADYS AYLWARD P/5

                                                                                                                                                                         

In this story I will continue to focus on a woman named Gladys Aylward. She lived from 1902 - 1970. Upon arriving in Yangcheng County, Gladys worked with an older missionary, Jeannie Lawson, to help manage the Inn of the Eight Happinesses, a name based on the eight virtues of Love, Virtue, Gentleness, Tolerance, Loyalty, Truth, Beauty and Devotion.

There, Gladys and Mrs Lawson not only provided hospitality for travellers but would also share stories about Jesus, in hopes of spreading the gospel. 

For a time she served as an assistant to the Government of the Republic of China as a"foot inspector" by touring the countryside to enforce the new law against foot binding of young Chinese girls. Gladys met with much success in a field that had produced much resistance and even violence at times against the inspectors. 

Gladys became a national of the Republic of China in 1936 and was a revered figure among the people, taking in orphans and adopting several herself, intervening in  a volatile prison riot and advocating prison reform, risking her life many times to help those in need. 

 

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1900; GLADYS AYLWARD P/4

 

In this story I will focus on woman named Gladys Aylward. She lived from 1902 - 1970. Her parents were Thomas John Aylward and Rosina Florence Aylward. They lived in Edmonton, North London, England. 

From her early teens, Gladys worked as a housemaid. Following a calling to go overseas as a Christian missionary, she was accepted by the China Inland Mission to study in a preparatory three-months course for aspiring missionaries. Because of her lack of progress in learning the Chinese language, she was not offered further training.

On 15 October 1930, having worked for Sir Francis Younghusband, Gladys spent her life savings on a train passage to Yangcheng, Shanxi Province, China. The dangerous trip took her across Siberia on the Trans-Siberian Railway at a time when the Soviet Union and China were in an undeclared war. She was detained by the Russians, but managed to evade them with local help and a lift from a Japanese ship. She then travelled across Japan with the help of the British Consul, and took another ship to China. 

EVANGELICAL WOMEN WHO LIVED IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1900; LILLIAN RUTH LEVESCONTE DICKSONP/3

  

In this post I will continue to focus on a woman named Lillian Ruth LeVesconte Dickson. She lived from 1901 - 1983. During her time in Taiwan, Lillian developed a Boy's Home for young boys who were caught in committing petty crimes.She also helped parents who had children out of wedlock which was marked on their certificates of identification. Due to the social stigma against these kind of families, children were considered illegitimate and denied access to school and the parents had difficulty finding work.Lillian helped the parents find work and the children gain access to school

Lillian also founded the interdenominational Mustard See International and the Mustard See Mission to support her missionary work. She helped establish kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools. Furthermore, her work has led to Bible College and Seminary training for pastors, lay leaders and church planting teams.

Lillian died in 1983. 

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1900; LILLIAN RUTH LEVESCONTE DICKSON P/2

 

In this post I will continue to share the story of a woman named Lillian Ruth Levesconte Dickson. She lived from 1901 - 1983. Upon Lillian's return to Taiwan, her intent was to evangelise the Taiwanese children. However, it was her medical missions that attracted her American donors. That work started with her focus on the leper patients and their children in leper hospitals.

When the children remained with their parents who were affected by leprosy, it was evident that the children were at high risk of contracting the disease. Lillian, consequently, established an An-Lok Babies Home to house the newborn babies with parents who had leprosy.

From then, Lilian went to create expansive leper colonies. In 1955, the leprosarium Lillian served had over 800 patients alone.