Ida Scudder
1870-1960 20th century
Hearing God's call in the concrete distress that knocks at the door.
Who was Ida Scudder?
Daughter and granddaughter of medical missionaries in India, she had sworn never to go back. One night in 1894, three men knocked at her door: their wives were dying in childbirth and no male doctor could attend them; all three died before dawn. She left to study medicine and returned to Vellore, where her one-room dispensary grew into one of Asia's largest teaching hospitals, training generations of women doctors.
In their own words
Within the very touch of my hand were three young girls dying because there was no woman to help them. I spent much of the night in anguish and prayer.
I think that was the first time I ever met God face to face, and all that time it seemed that he was calling me into this work.
After much thought and prayer, I went to my father and mother and told them that I must go home and study medicine, and come back to India to help such women.