She was born on 8 March 1866 in Holland. Daughter of a poor family, she lost her mother very early and the six orphan children were taken in by neighbours. Anne went to live with a family of labourers who were richer in love than in money … In school, attentive to her study and faithful to prayer, she was also the first in games and was very joyful and communicative.

After Primary School, she understood that she had to help her adopted family and worked as a labourer in the village factory, where she packed coffee. Later she was employed by a well-to-do family and then went to Antwerp for the same work.

The young Anne matured, her personality and her faith grew; she understood that true joy comes from a spring which never dries up, and that this joy is bought at the price of suffering.
She began to perceive an immense love that calls and found peace in the desire to serve within a bigger family without frontiers.
In 1893 she entered the novitiate of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in Antwerp. To the question: "Why do you desire religious life?" she replied: "Because of a desire to serve Our Lord."
Like the strong woman of the Scriptures, Marie Adolphine gave herself without any useless complaints, without any noise, to the humblest and most difficult work.

Adolphine did not think herself worthy to shed her blood for her faith. But she set out. "Marie Adolphine is a sister of whom we can ask anything" said Hermine, her superior. And she herself wrote: "May Jesus give me the grace to draw my Chinese helpers to His love, but for this I must fulfil my mission as a true victim, given up totally to God and souls." God heard her desire. Marie Adolphine did not miss the rendez-vous. She witnessed by her total gift of her life for her faith in Jesus.

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