Amy Wilson Carmichael was born in the small village of Millisle, County Down, Northern Ireland in 1867. She was raised in a Christian family, the oldest of seven siblings. When Amy was 20 years old, she heard Hudson Taylor at the Keswick Convention and felt called to become a missionary. However, she was an unlikely missionary candidate as she suffered from neuralgia, a disease of the nerves. But Amy was determined, and at the age of 26, was sent to Japan as a missionary. Her stay in Japan lasted less than 2 years due to her health, and Amy returned home.
Amy never actually received a "call" to go to India. Rather, she was advised that the climate in Bangalore, India, would benefit her health. So Amy went to India. She began her ministry by traveling with several Indian sisters to the surrounding villages, sharing the Gospel message of hope. It was during these early travels that Amy was confronted with the horrors of temple prostitution. Young girls were given to the temple--either because of a "sacred vow" by family members or sold for money. These girls were then dedicated to the gods and forced into prostitution to earn money for the priests/"pimps."
It was 1901 and Amy had just returned from a year of ministry to the villages when she was greeted by a sweet, seven-year-old girl, Preena (or "Pearl Eyes"). Preena had escaped from the temple and looked to Amy for help. Displeased temple people came screaming and yelling--but slowly their anger subsided and the crowd dispersed. Amy was left with Preena. And so began the work of what would later be known as Dohnavur Fellowship.
Over the next 50 years, Amy Carmichael rescued over 1000 girls from sex slavery. In addition Amy, affectionately called "Amma" by her community, made a home and family for many other abandoned children. Dohnavur Fellowship, situated in Tamil Nadu, thirty miles from the southern tip of India, is still in existence today ministering to children in need of rescue from destitute poverty, neglect or abandonment.
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