While in her twenties, Gladys Aylward (1902-1970) felt called to serve God in China and enrolled in missionary school. After failing her exam and being told she couldn't go, an elderly missionary in China eventually gave her the opportunity, needing a young woman to help her.

The only problem was that she needed to pay for the journey there. China is very far away! So Gladys worked day and night until, finally, she had enough to buy a train ticket to China.

But her train stopped in Siberia and would go no further. Gladys had to traverse a dark forest, surrounded by packs of hungry wolves.
She met frightening people who thought she was a spy. She sneaked onto one ship, then took another ship, another train, a bus, and finally, a donkey!

When she finally arrived, the villagers were deeply suspicious and threw mud at her. But, in time, Gladys earned the trust of those around her and helped the elderly missionary Jeannie run an inn for weary travelers, where they read them stories from the Bible every night.