Gladys Wright

Excerpts from the May 1993 Markham Bible Chapel bulletin:

Gladys Wright is a Markham original! As a matter of fact, the grass roots of the Markham assembly had its beginning in the home of Gladys' parents. A few folks met in the Wright home in [1956]. A regular Bible Study started in 1957, with Colin Anderson "pioneering" this area. The first Breaking of Bread meeting in the chapel building was in Sept 1959. Gladys Wright, Milne Stouffer, and Ron Gee are from the original families of those early gatherings.

Gladys was the third of fie children in the Wright family. When Gladys was 5 months old, her parents took the family back to England and because of the 1st World War, were not able to return to Canaa until 1920 (almost 7 years later).

Gladys was saved and baptized in the Swanwick Hall in her early teens.

Although not a very robust girl, Gladys has served the Lord in a very consistent way these many years. Her summers were busy with Good News Bible Clubs and she was a faithful "care-giver", helping at home with younger family members as well as foster children. She also cared for her parents in their senior years with failing health. Her father passed away in 1966 and her mother in 1977. During the last 18 months of her life Mrs. Wright needed 24hr. a day nursing care -- Gladys was that faithful nurse!

Over the years the Wrights took in foster children, 9 in all, and Gladys shared the word load of these extra mouths to feed. Paul, one of their foster children, was with them for 20 years!

Learning to drive when she was 40 is another indication of Gladys' courage and determination

Although never a "mother", Gladys has had plenty of mothering experiences. Besides foster children, she did "day-care" for her brother's two girls, and at one time was "Nanny" in the home of a local doctor. (His two girls still contact Gladys when it's birthday time - after all these years!) Obviously these children experienced the genuine love Gladys gave them -- sometimes it would be "tough love", no doubt, but in faithfulness to God.

Faithfulness describes her life -- even today. She is always at the meetings, supporting and encouraging those who take responsibility. At home she spends many hours knitting for missionary packets. Pray for Gladys and encourage her. She indeed has been a "mother of Israel".