Lotus Buds

Amy Beatrice Carmichael (16 December 1867 – 18 January 1951) was a Protestant Christian missionary in India, who opened an orphanage and founded a mission in Dohnavur. She served in India for 55 years without furlough and wrote many books about the missionary work there.Born in Belfast Ireland, to a devout family of Scottish ancestry, Carmichael was educated at home and in England, where she lived with the familt of Robert Wilson after her father’s death. While never officially adopted, she used the hyphenated name Wilson-Carmichael as late as 1912. Her missionary call came through contacts with the Keswick movement. In 1892 she volunteered to the China Inland Mission but was refused on health grounds. However, in 1893 she sailed for Japan as the first Keswick missionary to join the Church Missionary Society (CMS) work led by Barclay Buxton. After less than two years in Japan and Ceylon, she was back in England before the end of 1894. The next year she volunteered to the Church of England Zenana Missionary Society, and in November 1895 she arrived in South India, never to leave. While still learning the difficult Tamil language, she commenced itinerant evangelism with a band of Indian Christian women, guided by the CMS missionary Thomas Walker. She soon found herself responsible for Indian women converts, and in 1901, she, the Walkers, and their Indian colleagues settled in Dohnavur. During her village itinerations, she had become increasingly aware of the fact that many Indian children were dedicated to the gods by their parents or guardians, became temple children, and lived in moral and spiritual danger. It became her mission to rescue and raise these children, and so the Dohnavur Fellowship came into being (registered 1927). Known at Dohnavur as Amma (Mother), Carmichael was the leader, and the work became well known through her writing. Workers volunteered and financial support was received, though money was never solicited. In 1931 she had a serious fall, and this, with arthritis, kept her an invalid for the rest of her life. She continued to write, and identified leaders, missionary and Indian, to take her place. The Dohnavur Fellowship still continues today.Her example as a missionary inspired others (including Jim Elliot and his wife Elisabeth Elliot) to pursue a similar vocation.

"Lotus Buds" by Amy Carmichael is a collection of insightful and heartwarming stories that revolve around the experiences of children in India. Amy Carmichael, a Christian missionary and writer, shares narratives that reflect her deep love and compassion for the children she encountered during her work in Southern India.The stories within "Lotus Buds" provide glimpses into the lives, struggles, and joys of Indian children, particularly those in and around the Dohnavur Fellowship, a Christian mission founded by Carmichael. The title, "Lotus Buds," is symbolic, representing the potential for beauty and purity in the lives of these young ones despite challenging circumstances.Carmichael's writing is characterized by empathy and a keen understanding of the cultural context. Through these tales, she conveys important moral and spiritual lessons, often drawing parallels between the natural world and the spiritual realm.This collection is suitable for readers interested in missionary literature, Indian culture, and stories that celebrate the resilience and innocence of children. "Lotus Buds" stands as a testament to Amy Carmichael's dedication to her mission and her commitment to sharing the transformative power of love and faith.