Year: 1894
Amy Carmichael: 27 years old
From Amy's Journal
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| Photo Courtesy- Japan |
A month after my last visit to Hirose, Misaki San and I planed another visit. I woke the day before we left and had a feeling that God would save eight souls.
When I told the other missionaries in our group about the eight souls, they said the number was too high.
"Amy, my dear, perhaps you should instead pray for God's blessings on the meetings instead. I mean, who are we to say if 2 or 6 or even 8 people will choose to follow Jesus," said one of the missionaries.
"I'm sorry," I said. "But I believe with all my heart that God is saying eight people will desire to choose to follow Jesus and I'm asking you to support my going with prayer."
"All right. we will," they finally agreed.
The prayer meeting began and kept going after Misaki San and I left. The missionaries prayed for the eight people who would choose to follow Christ. That night in Hirose I held a Bible study. Eight people chose to follow Christ. Although I made several visits after this one, God did not give me the feeling that others would choose to follow Him.
I am thankful for what was done in Hirose. The number of people who now believe in Jesus as their Savior had tripled.
After each visit to Hirose, though, my headaches worsened. Light hurt my eyes. I had to lay in bed for weeks and still the headache did not improve. I took a boat to China to visit a doctor there. He said my health would not allow me to continue working in Japan.
I didn't want to believe him. I also didn't want to be a burden on the missionaries in Japan. A missionary on the other side of the island said they urgently needed help. Maybe the weather would be better there. I couldn't wait to go.
There was a terrible storm that rocked out boat. I became sick so terribly sick that I fainted. Some help, huh. I'd became more sickly than the missionary I was replacing. My only choice was to go back to Matsuye.
I finally had to realize, God had another place for me. With a huge amount of sadness, I bought a ticket to sail to China.
As I boarded the boat, my heart ached horribly. I wasn't a failure, but I wished I could have stayed and continue the work. The other missionaries in Matsuye were so very kind. They all pretended I would be back after a nice six month rest. We all knew it wouldn't be so. I would never be well enough to live here full time.
The ship pulled away from the dock. I slipped my hand into a pocket and found a note from Misaki San. She wrote, "I know you will miss me. I have a favor to ask of you. Remember that Christ is sitting by you at this very moment. Talk with Him. Tell Him everything you are thinking. Do this to forget me."
This was a difficult assignment. Misaki San and I were more than friends. We had become sisters. She was right, only Jesus could help me.
And now, I wonder where God will lead me next.
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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