“If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.” Isaiah 58:10
At Esther Press, we empower and equip women to courageously stand strong in the truth of who God made them to be. Let us do that for you today by sharing the story of Ida Scudder.
“Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart….” These words, from Ida Scudder’s favorite hymn, echo the heartbeat of a woman who saw suffering and chose to become the hands and feet of Christ in a land desperate for healing.
Childhood Resolve
Born on December 9, 1870, in India to a family of medical missionaries, Ida Scudder was surrounded by the “family business” of serving others. Her grandfather, father, and seven uncles all ministered through medicine in a country ravaged by famine, poverty, and disease. Yet as a child witnessing the harsh realities of life in India, Ida vowed to leave and never return. She longed for a life far removed from the suffering she had seen. So when her family traveled home on furlough, she stayed in the US to pursue her education.
But God had other plans.
In 1891, Ida was called back to India to care for her ailing mother. What she thought would be a temporary visit became a divine turning point. One night, three men came to her family’s door, each pleading for help as their wives struggled in childbirth. Due to cultural and religious norms, these women could not be treated by Ida’s father, a male doctor. Ida, not yet trained, had to refuse. By morning, all three women and their babies had died.
That night shattered her resolve and opened her heart. Ida turned to prayer, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The answer was clear: she would become a doctor—not for prestige or comfort, but to serve the women of India who had no access to care. She returned to the United States and in 1899 became one of Cornell Medical College’s first class of female graduates.
From One Bed to a Movement
In 1900, she began with a one-bed clinic in Vellore—the Mary Taber Schell Hospital—which quickly grew to forty beds. But she knew that healing required more than just her hands. She began training Indian women in nursing, empowering them to care for their own people. Renaming the facility the Christian Medical College, she began instructing women in 1918, which became co-ed in 1945, and founded India’s first graduate nursing program for women in 1946. That facility represented a beacon of hope that would grow into one of Asia’s most prestigious medical institutions and be responsible for the world’s first reconstructive surgery for leprosy as well as many medical firsts for India. Through it all, Ida remained focused on her mission—to bring healing, dignity, and education to those who had been forgotten.
Her journey reminds us that God often calls us into the very places we resist. Ida’s initial vow to never return to India was overturned by a moment of tragedy and a lifetime of purpose. Ida’s story shows that obedience to God’s call can transform not only our lives but entire communities. For Ida, medicine was not just a profession—it was a passion, a calling, a ministry.
Where is God calling us to go? What suffering have we seen that we are uniquely equipped to address? Ida Scudder didn’t seek greatness; she sought obedience. And through that obedience, God used her to change the face of medicine in India.
Prayer:
Lord, please give me a heart of obedience. In the areas where I want to resist Your pull, Lord, help me be more compliant. Help me remember that there is freedom and blessing found in submitting to You. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.
