All About Amma

Part 2

Amy has been called many things:  "The Hero We Need," "Selfless Servant of India." "Hero of the Faith," "Pioneer Missionary," "Torchlighter," "A Woman of Faith," "Rescuer of Precious Gems," "Rescuer by Night." 

I believe that most of these titles would have embarrassed this humble servant of God, all except one - Mother of the Motherless.  That title was her dream, her destiny.

Amy was born in Northern Ireland in 1867.  After a brief stay in Japan, she arrived in India on November 9, 1895, and never left India until her death on January 18, 1951.

Her time in India wasn't easy.  Many of her friends misunderstood her and failed to support her work of saving the children who were often given to the temples and used as prostitutes among other things.  Often she was threatened by physical danger and death for the work she was doing.  An injury and pain finally pinned her to her bed for the last remaining years of her life, but the work went on because she was warrior.

The first six years in India were spent with a group of Indian Christian women who traveled the rural areas evangelizing.  In 1901, a terrified little girl destined to become a temple prostitute was brought to Amy's compound at Dohnavur.  The rest is history - HIStory.

One of my favorite biographies of her is Elisabeth Eliott's A Chance to Die.  Amy's life afforded others a chance to live and herself a chance to lay down her life and follow Him who laid down His life so that we could live.  She followed His holy example by becoming broken bread and poured out wine for all those she met.

Below are a few of my favorite Amy sayings.

You can always give without loving,

but you can never love without giving.

 

It is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill the desires which He creates.

 

We have all of eternity to celebrate the victories

but only a few short hours before sunset to win them.

 

Give me the love that leads the way,

the faith that nothing can dismay,

the hope no disappointments tire,

the passion that'll burn like fire.

Let me not sink to be a clod.

Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

 

 Satan is so much more in earnest than we are.

He buys up opportunity



while we are wondering how much it will cost.

 

A cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill

even one drop of bitter water

however suddenly it is jolted.

 

The pilgrim of love does not need a map or chart.

I know my road, and it leadeth to His heart.

 

God hold us to that which drew us first,

when the Cross was the attraction,

and we wanted nothing else.

 

Joys are always on their way to us.

They are always traveling to us through the darkness of the night.

There is never a night when they are not coming.

 

Let us not be surprised when we have to face difficulties.

When the wind blows hard on a tree, the roots stretch and grow stronger.

Let it be so with us.

Let us not be weaklings yielding to every wind that blows,

but strong in the spirit to resist.

 

Amy was definitely no weakling.  She faced her winds strong in the spirit to resist and died climbing and singing and smiling with her precious gems all around her.

 

God bless you and utterly satisfy your heart . . . with Himself.

~Amy