Ada Boyd was one of the many missionaries who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of Indian women living under the Purdah system. This practice, common among Muslims and upper-class Hindus, prevented women from appearing in public or interacting with men. Ada visited these women in their homes and introduced them to the love of Christ.
Biography:
- Birth: Around 1866
- Home Calling: 1915
- Native Place: Indiana, USA
- Place of Vision: India
Ada was born in Indiana and was raised by her grandmother. When the Christian Woman’s Board of Missions sought women to serve as missionaries in India, Ada volunteered. Along with Mary Graybiel, Mary Kingsbury, and Laura Kinsey, she arrived in India in 1882 and reached Bilaspur in 1885.
She was diligent and determined, and she immediately began learning Hindi so she could start preaching about Jesus as soon as possible.
Ada Boyd’s Ministry in India
Despite many challenges, Ada continued her mission and reached out to women of all castes. She befriended local women by teaching them sewing and knitting and offering medical help. She also taught them to read the Bible, believing that reading would help them think independently.
Since women were not allowed to gather publicly, Ada traveled from house to house, often in harsh heat and dirty conditions, to teach them. She was a compassionate woman. During the famine and disease outbreak of 1899–1900, she worked tirelessly and even used her own money to feed poor children.
Ada established an orphanage and adopted several homeless children. She also started schools and Sunday schools for them, and many of these children later accepted Christ and were baptized. Throughout her life, Ada remained a devoted servant of God, committed to her mission. After 33 years of service in Bilaspur, she passed away in 1915.