Amy Carmichael is not included in the current NZ lectionary list, but is included here with permission of the Archdeacon.

Amy Carmichael grew up in a Presbyterian family in Ireland, the oldest of 7 siblings. The family moved to Belfast when Amy was age 16. A year later she had a profound experience, on the way home from church, she and 2 siblings reluctantly helped an old lady with a heavy load, they heard what she knew to be a voice from heaven speaking so clearly she and others turned to see who had spoken. It said, ‘Gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble — every man’s work will be made manifest; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide…”

That afternoon, Amy shut the door to her room, seeking God. It changed the course of her life, profoundly impacting her priorities. She began a journey of true discipleship.

By age 22, she had started a ministry to the Mill girls, “shawlies” in Belfast. Her ministry grew very quickly and soon they needed their own building for worship so the Carmichaels founded the Welcome Evangelical Church.

Amy suffered from neuralgia, a disease of the nerves that made her whole body weak and achy and often put her in bed for weeks on end. But she applied and headed to Japan for a 15 month mission trip through the CMS (Church Missionary Soc.) but fell ill and had to return home. After a brief period of service in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), she went to Bangalore, India for her health and found her lifelong vocation.

Once temple musicians and dancers held a respected, influential position in Indian Culture, but the Raj could no-longer financially support them, and children given to the Temples to train as musicians and dancers were now being abused, exploited and trafficked as postitutes. Amy rescued these children, setting up orphanages and ministering to the people she met. The children called her "Amma" which is “mother” in Tamil. She spent 53 years in India with no furlong. Amy, became "Amma" to hundreds of children, giving them a hope for a future on earth and in heaven.

In 1912 Queen Mary recognized her work, and helped fund a hospital at Dohnavur. By 1913, the Dohnavur Fellowship was serving 130 girls. In 1918, Dohnavur added a home for young boys, many born to former temple prostitutes.

In 1931, a fall severely injured Amy, and she remained bedridden for much of her final 2 decades. However, it did not stop her from writing, having already written many books she published 16 additional books (including 'His Thoughts Said . . . His Father Said' (1951), 'If' (1953), 'Edges of His Ways' (1955) and 'God's Missionary' (1957), she also revised others she had previously published. Biographers differ on the number of her published works, which may have reached 35 or as many as 6 dozen, although only a few remain in print today. There is a new animation of the Amy Carmichal story at Lunch (Sext) please note it is just over a half hour long.

BORN: 16 December 1867, Millisle, County Down, Ireland

DIED: 18 January 1951, Dohnavur, Tamil Nadu, India