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'''Gladys Staines''' (born c. 1951) is the widow of [[Australia]]n [[missionary]] [[Graham Staines]]. Graham Staines was burnt alive along with their two sons Philip (aged 10) and Timothy (aged 7) by a mob led by the [[Bajrang Dal]] activist [[Dara Singh (Bajrang Dal)|Dara Singh]] in [[Odisha]], [[India]] on 22 January 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/film/graham-staines-the-least-of-these-review|title=Movie on Graham Staines Fails to Be the Reminder India Needs|website=The Wire|access-date=2019-05-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/1999/09/30/anti-christian-violence-rise-india|title=Anti-Christian Violence on the Rise in India|date=1999-09-30|website=Human Rights Watch|language=en|access-date=2020-04-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/indiachr/christians8-05.htm#P629_130858|title=V. ATTACKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY|website=www.hrw.org|access-date=2020-04-07}}</ref>

Shortly after the sentencing of the killers, Staines issued a statement saying that she had forgiven the killers and had no bitterness towards them.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20031231082328/http://www.hindu.com/2003/09/23/stories/2003092305471200.htm "I have forgiven them": Gladys Staines]</ref> Rather than return to Australia, Staines "decided to stay in India where she and her husband had served lepers for 15 years", keeping her daughter Esther, with her, stating: "I cannot just leave those people who love and trust us. I have high regard for the people of India and their tolerance."<ref name=Lee2015>{{cite web|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2015/december/forgiver-india-mother-teresa-award-gladys-staines-martyrdom.html|title=Forgiver of Missionary Martyrdoms Wins India's Mother Teresa Award |last=Lee|first=Morgan|date=15 December 2015|publisher=[[Christianity Today]]|language=en|access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref>

In 2004, ''[[Christianity Today]]'' described this woman as "the best-known Christian in India after Mother Teresa."<ref name=Lee2015/> In 2005, she was awarded the [[Padma Shri]], a civilian award from the [[Government of India]].<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web |url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=July 21, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=October 15, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://religionunplugged.com/news/2019/1/23/film-marks-the-20thnbspanniversary-of-missionary-graham-staines-killing-in-india|title=Film marks the 20th anniversary of missionary Graham Staines’ killing in India|website=Religion Unplugged|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-07}}</ref> As a result of the contributions earned from receiving that award, Staines transformed the leper house she served at into a full [[hospital]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Mother-Teresa-award-to-the-widow-of-Pastor-Graham-Staines-35975.html|title=INDIA "Mother Teresa" award to the widow of Pastor Graham Staines|last=Carvalho|first=Nirmala|date=25 November 2015|publisher=[[AsiaNews]]|language=en|access-date=16 December 2015|quote=Thanks to the contributions received for the Padma Shri award, obtained in 2004, the widow managed to transform the house for lepers in a real hospital, where patients can receive all the care they need. Gladys continues: "I thank God for His Grace and the support of the people which enabled the continue to serve with compassion the people. Through my award, I would like to honor the people, who through God’s help continue the work. The hospital is serving the people afflicted with leprosy. Additionally, after my husband was killed, a hostel for children has been built which gives the children an opportunity for education. The Lord Jesus Christ has given me peace in my heart. I greatest wish for Orissa would be the people would become self-reliant and empowered, and live together in harmony and they may have peace in their hearts ."}}</ref> In November 2015, Staines was awarded the [[Mother Teresa Awards|Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice]] and after receiving the award, she stated "I thank God for his help in enabling me to carry out the work in caring for people with leprosy, even after my husband was killed."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2015/december/forgiver-india-mother-teresa-award-gladys-staines-martyrdom.html|title=Forgiver of Missionary Martyrdoms Wins India's Mother Teresa Award|last=Lee|first=Morgan|date=15 December 2015|publisher=[[Christianity Today]]|language=en|access-date=16 December 2015|quote=Last month, Gladys was named the 2015 recipient of the prestigious Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice by the Harmony Foundation, a Mumbai-based charity that grants the only award endorsed by the famous nun's Missionaries of Charity. “I thank God for his help in enabling me to carry out the work in caring for people with leprosy, even after my husband was killed,” Staines told AsiaNews after being named this year’s winner.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Mother-Teresa-award-to-the-widow-of-Pastor-Graham-Staines-35975.html|title=INDIA "Mother Teresa" award to the widow of Pastor Graham Staines|last=Carvalho|first=Nirmala|date=25 November 2015|publisher=[[AsiaNews]]|language=en|access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/may/15oris.htm "''Kalam meets Gladys Staines''"], 15 May 2003
* [http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/sep/15staines1.htm "''No comments, says Gladys Staines''"], 15 September 2003
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110713025607/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-07-14/mumbai/27170914_1_gladys-staines-dara-singh-australian-missionary-graham-staines "''Gladys Staines may leave India forever''"] - ''Times of India'' article, 14 July 2004
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110713025617/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-07-15/india/27169605_1_gladys-staines-graham-staines-baripada "''Gladys Staines bids adieu to India''"] - ''Times of India'' article, 15 July 2004
* [http://in.rediff.com/news/2004/jul/15oris.htm "''Gladys Staines leaves India promising to return''"]

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Social Work}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Staines, Gladys}}
[[Category:1950s births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in social work]]
[[Category:Australian Protestant missionaries]]
[[Category:Protestant missionaries in India]]
[[Category:Date of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Australian expatriates in India]]
[[Category:Leprosy nurses and caregivers]]

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Gladys Staines - Revision history

imported>GreenC bot at 17:29, 20 April 2021