Ebba passa la plus grande partie de sa vie comme missionnaire en Chine, où elle arriva le 2 octobre 1894, jusqu'en 1927.
Rapport de son lointain petit-neveu Lennart Kaj:
In 1917 she went back to Sweden on leave. First she travelled from her school for girls in inland China to Shanghai, from there (July 24) with a steamer to Dalny, Manchuria, on railway through Siberia and Russia to Petrograd (St Petersburg). Due to the political situation it was not possible to go from there by boat to Sweden. So she went by train north through Finland to the Swedish border at Torneå (August 7), but was not allowed to pass. She had to return to Petrograd to get additional papers. Then back to Torneå and by train to Stockholm (August 27).
When returning to China in 1919 it was again possible to go by steamship through the Suez canal, which she had done before, but there was a shortage for tickets. Instead she went from Göteborg (Sept 30) on the steamer “Stockholm” to New York (Oct 11). Then by train to Chicago where she stayed at Moodys Bible Institute for some months. Then by train to San Francisco and by steamer via Japan to Shanghai (1920 Jan 9).