FLIGHT OF THE FUGITIVES Introducing Gladys Aylward Six-year-old Mei-en screamed in terror when she realized her gypsy owner was about to sell her to a foreign lady. Times were hard in the mountainous region of China in 1934, and orphans were often sold for pennies. But foreigners in China were considered "devils," and Mei-en thought surely the little woman in Chinese clothes would eat her for supper But this time Mei-en's new owner was the compassionate and respected missionary, Gladys Aylward. One day outside her new home, Mei-en saw wonderful silver "birds" flying in the sky-but her delight turned to dread when they began dropping bombs that exploded all over the city. Suddenly their lives, and those of nearly a hundred orphan children, were in terrible danger With the enemy in hot pursuit, their only escape is over the mountains