Amy Carmichael-So Many Said Don't Go!

By Mary Vee

Year: 1892 

Amy Carmichael: 25 year old

From Amy's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Amy. 

Last week I wrote about a family friend, Mr. Wilson, who had asked me to help take care of him and his household. It was a good job and gave me the chance to study God's Word.

I also spent time leading Bible studies for people in the poor neighborhoods. There was a meeting for boys, one for girls, and one for factory women called Shawlies. 

My work kept me busy. So busy I barely took time to eat. Oh, I ate an orange or an apple for a meal, but to eat more than that I just couldn't take the time. 

My bad eating habits and spending much of my time around poor, sickly people cause me to become ill. I didn't want to take time to rest or eat. There was so much to do.  

God recently spoke to my heart, telling me to go to another land and tell the people about Jesus. I knew I needed to help the poor in some other land, and as I did, I would tell them about Jesus.

The more I prepared, the more I heard from friends, church people, and neighbors saying I should not go.

They said, "Who would want someone like you, Amy? You are a sickly person. What good could you do?"

I did look sickly. And often felt sickly. But I also knew in my heart God wanted me to go and serve Him in another country.

Mr. Wilson's two sons came to me and said, "You are so selfish, Amy. You know our father depends on you to do chores, care for his medical needs, and talk with him in the evenings. How dare you leave him like this?"

A few women from church stopped me one day and said, "Amy, dear, are you sure the Lord is calling you to be a missionary? Aren't you really looking for adventure? You really are being quite selfish forcing someone in another land to take care of a sickly person like you, after all we can't all be as strong as an ox."

With words like these, anyone would feel discouraged. And I did. 

But God did not give up. He continued to ask me to go and serve Him.

It took me a while, but I finally wrote my mother a letter explaining my desire to serve God in another country, and I sat down with Mr. Wilson to tell him. To my surprise, they immediately agreed to help me figure out what to do. They wrote letters to mission organizations asking where there was a need for someone like me. 

I wasn't surprised when Hudson Taylor invited me to go to China with his missionaries. He had strong rules, but he had a strong faith in God. I was so excited! My mind flittered with plans that needed to be done before I could go.

I was going to be a missionary in China!

Come back next time. I have much more to share!


Resources used for this series:
Benge, Janet, and Geoff Benge. Amy Carmichael: Rescuer of Precious Gems. Seattle, WA: YWAM Pub., 1998. Print.
Davis, Rebecca Henry. With Daring Faith: A Biography of Amy Carmichael. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones UP, 1987. Print.
Dick, Lois Hoadley. Amy Carmichael: Let the Children Come. Chicago: Moody, 1984. Print.
Meloche, Renee Taft., and Bryan Pollard. Amy Carmichael: Rescuing the Children. Seattle, WA: YWAM Pub., 2002. Print.
Wellman, Sam. Amy Carmichael: A Life Abandoned to God. Uhrichville, OH: Barbour Pub., 1998. Print.

Don't forget to comment! 
Let Amy hear from you!