Reading Maketh a Full Man...

This book was written by Amy Carmichael in 1924. Amy was a Christian missionary in India who established an orphanage and founded a mission on Dohnavur. More information about her can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Carmichael .The book is a true story, and all the more powerful because of that. Amy sought to rescue children and babies who were not wanted in their Hindu families for various reasons. A poor family with many daughters would often take the "extra" girls to a temple to be sold into temple prostitution to alleviate the need for providing a dowery for them when they married. Amy would take these young children when she could, and raise them and teach them. They referred to her as Amma, which means "mother" in the Tamil language.The story of Mimosa is a story of two sisters. The father agrees to bring his oldest daughter, Star, to Dohnavur to live so she can be educated. At any time he can come to the mission and retrieve Star. A few years later, he comes to the mission with his younger daughter, Mimosa, who is about 6 or 7 at the time. He is thinking of leaving her there as well. While he discusses this with those at the mission, Amy speaks with both Star and Mimosa. In a brief half hour she teaches Mimosa of the God who loves her, who created the entire world, and who listens to her and cares for her. Mimosa begs to be allowed to stay and learn more, and even promises that she will willingly come home if only she can learn a little bit more. However, her father changes his mind and takes Mimosa away.For twenty two years, Star lives and learns and teaches at Dohnavur. She learns to read, she reads the Bible, and she becomes a Christian. She in turn teaches other young children the truth that she has learned and come to live by. She never hears from her sister, although she writes to her. For twenty two years, Mimosa lives in her village without contact from one other Christian. She cannot read, and the caste system being such as it is she is not allowed contact with any in her village who are Christians, and she grows up totally untaught about the God of the Bible. Yet, Mimosa too has become a Christian and lives her life day by day in a way that honors the one true God. Mimosa hears and treasures the words of encouragement written to her by her sister, but never writes back because she cannot write. The two sisters live totally ignorant of each other in these years.The brief 30 minute time that Amy had with Mimosa was so short that she could not even share the name of Jesus with her! Yet Mimosa had heard God's truth and believed. She then begins to live her life differently. She rejects participation in the Shiva cult, she withholds herself from the common rituals involved with the various Hindu gods. No one taught her to pray, yet she speaks with God often about the many things she needs help with. She grows up into a young woman, and is given in marriage. Her husband tolerates her "differentness" and her one God, yet he is not a good husband. She is deceived by him, by her husband's family, and betrayed even by her own mother. She bears sons and raises them up to follow the one true God. She endures humiliation, ostracism, unceasing criticism, and daily hard labor. When one of her young sons becomes ill, she is urged to offer sacrifices to the gods for him. When he dies, her family and neighbors all accuse her of not appeasing the Hindu gods and thus causing his death. All this she endures with patience, with hours spent in her private "prayer" room in the inner part of the house. When confronted with difficulty, she prays, "O God, my husband has deceived me, his brother has deceived me, even my mother has deceived me, but You will not deceive me. Yes, they have all deceived me. But I am not offended with You. Whatever You do is good. What should I do without You? You are the Giver of health and strength and will to work. Are not these things better than riches or people's help?" Not one scripture did she know. But she reported being filled with a peace that passed her own understanding. Yet God provides for her time after time, bringing her the help she needs exactly at the right time. She clings to Him as he faithfully hears her prayers, and comforts and teaches her in the ways of God's truth.Twenty two years later, Mimosa arrives at Dohnavur with her own son to leave there to be educated. It is only at this time when Sister and Sister meet again, that both realize they each have believed the truth and lived it out in their lives. Star has enjoyed being fed through scripture and the encouragement of fellow believers. Mimosa has been fed from the Holy Spirit ministering directly to her spirit through the suffering she has endured. Mimosa says to Star, "You know Him by learning, I know Him by suffering." Eventually through the constant witness of kindness and love that Mimosa demonstrates over decades, her own husband comes to believe in Jesus. Her sons are taught at Dohnavur and her entire family is transformed as they become Christians also. She learns to read herself, and is able to read the Bible and call Jesus by name in her prayers.What a wonderful story of God's miraculous love and care. Who are we to believe God can be hindered in any measure when He calls someone to salvation? Being taught from scripture and living in Christian community are so important, tradition and church family and the support from other believers is important too, but more important than even that is the transformation of the heart who believes in Jesus. That heart can live for Jesus when no other support is visible -- no family, no scriptures available to read, no church, no sacraments, nothing but the unshakable understanding that the one true God is indeed the mighty God who created all things and loves us! THAT is a story worth telling!!