Amy Carmichael-When the Sky Was Dark

By Mary Vee

Year: 1894 

Amy Carmichael: 27 years old

From Amy's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Amy Carmichael. I am a missionary helping Barclay Buxton and his family tell the people of Japan about the God who loves them.

I'd learned some basic Japanese. Not enough to tell a Bible story, but at least enough to survive. My interpreter, Misaki San and I became good friends. I'd learn to trust her with the words I wanted said in Japanese.

While I continued my studies, I tried to think of a way that I could meet with the people and share God's love. If only they knew that God provided a simple way for them to go to heaven. They didn't need to do all the things required for a Buddha god who wasn't even alive.

I remembered the days in England when Mother moved us to the city. I went to the sections where the poor people lived and invited the factory girls to a Bible study. That went really well. 

I suggested to Misaki San that we should do the same here. Many poor Japanese women worked in factories and lived in small housing. They had to be at work at five in the morning and didn't get off work until six at night. Maybe they would like to come to a Bible study.

I knew the girls would be tired and wasn't sure if they would come. They might have rules about going straight to their homes after work. I didn't know. Misaki San agreed to help me invite the girls. We went to the poor section of Matsuye after the normal work hours for several days and told every girl we saw about the Bible study. 

The boys watching us followed me and teased saying, "What is the foreign devil doing here?"

I wasn't sure if the mean words would keep the girls from coming. They didn't know me. I didn't look like them. I didn't speak their language very well. 

I prayed. God please bring the girls to the Bible study. Let them learn about you and your love for them. Amen.

The next night Misaki and I went to the room where we planned to have our meeting. I opened the door and, to my surprise, eighty girls sat there waiting for me! 

Apparently the girls were bored with the short free time after work when the sky was dark. They wanted something to do to fill the emptiness. I was so excited to tell them about Jesus, the Bible stories, and answer their questions.

They came back week after week. They told their friends who also came. What a great start to my missionary work in Japan. 

Every morning when I woke, I thanked God for giving me another day to tell someone about His love.

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.

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