After some close studies in Chengtu, Chester Wood shifted from a student to a local missionary leader and he moved to Yachow to perform more specific work. He participated in local school organization, hospital assistance and holding different religious activities, in which he helped connect Christian work with educational and public institutions in the city. Reports from 1923 especially show that he was no longer simply learning the field; he was directing and expanding work through the local church, the YMCA-type civic organization, and rural outstations, while also encouraging Chinese Christians, teachers, and students to participate more fully. He organized the church to have regular morning meetings, more disciplined classes, and clearer instructions on gospel and studies in theologies together with science.
Things became more difficult in 1926 when the instability caused by fiscal crisis and political turmoil in the area impacted Wood’s work. He had frustrations, but still attempted to keep the connections with the local churches and schools. However, he still wrote some poems to encourage himself for the continuous dedication in West China. Due to his pursuit for further studies and his deteriorated physical condition, he eventually returned to the United States that year and started his career in Harvard University during the year-long interval.
