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Lotus Buds
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
484 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1909
About the author
Amy Carmichael
82 books304 followersAmy Wilson Carmichael was a Protestant Christian missionary in India, who opened an orphanage and founded a mission in Dohnavur. She served in India for 55 years without furlough and wrote many books about the missionary work there.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 1, 2021
Such an inspiring book, which contains records of incredible events, mixed with the common yet divine routine in an unusual orphanage.
While even the least of the children is carefully described and appreciated, you can nowhere find self appraisal coming from this hero-author, brave fighter against human trafficking and humble minister of Jesus. No self description, not even introspective remarks to get a hint of how the author thinks of herself, or of what makes her mark in history. But you can surely feel the words permeated with love towards God, and towards the neighbour. And you can undoubtedly see the recurring hints to the lines of the Face that most greatly shines throughout the whole book.
My feeble appreciation doesn't do justice to how the precious character of the author shows up through words of wisdom, strength, and deep insight into both realities (heavenly and earthly alike).
May we look at these saints and follow their way of living, praying, sacrificing, serving and loving.
May God bless humanity with more people like Amy Carmichael.
While even the least of the children is carefully described and appreciated, you can nowhere find self appraisal coming from this hero-author, brave fighter against human trafficking and humble minister of Jesus. No self description, not even introspective remarks to get a hint of how the author thinks of herself, or of what makes her mark in history. But you can surely feel the words permeated with love towards God, and towards the neighbour. And you can undoubtedly see the recurring hints to the lines of the Face that most greatly shines throughout the whole book.
My feeble appreciation doesn't do justice to how the precious character of the author shows up through words of wisdom, strength, and deep insight into both realities (heavenly and earthly alike).
May we look at these saints and follow their way of living, praying, sacrificing, serving and loving.
May God bless humanity with more people like Amy Carmichael.
March 12, 2013
Amy Carmichael ran an orphanage in South India for 50 or more years in starting in the early 1900s. This book is about many of the babies who were raised in her care and in the care of those who worked along side of her. Many of the little girls came from people who were going to send their daughters to become Hindu temple priestesses. She doesn't explain much about what goes on at the temples (and keeps it completely clean), but many of them were used as purification and the girls belonged to the gods and many men would go to these temples to have sex with these girls. However, she does mention that these girls were used to dance and were dedicated to the gods to be of service to the gods and that many were being sold off as "wives" to priests in India, which she herself called "traffic" before the term became "human trafficking" in which this is a form of. Amy Carmichael's way of writing is always so beautifully done. How I love to read her descriptions. She does tend to go off in descriptions of what the orphanage looks like and how the babies and girls look, but then again, this book originally came with about 50 photographs. I am so sad that NONE of these photographs show up in this kindle version of the book, and I had to look up many of them on the internet, which I only found maybe 15 at most as it is. This was a good book, especially if you are interested in the mission field in India and want to learn some of the history there.
February 16, 2016
Reading about the heartbreaking things that were happening during hundreds of years, makes me wonder what terrible things are happening now that we are simply turning our heads away from because the work of rescuing is too hard and painful.
This is a lovely book, but not for the faint of heart.
This is a lovely book, but not for the faint of heart.
January 19, 2017
A series of stories of her work in India rescuing temple girls.
March 13, 2012
Fanstastic book. Lots of beautifully insightful stories of the little ones in her care. The final third of the book carries a plea for justice for the girls of Southern India.
August 25, 2018
Lotus Buds is a missionary book, written by Amy Carmichael describing the work at Dohnavur. It was wonderful learning more about what she and the others actually did there.
This is an emotional ride for sure! The early parts of the book describe the children and the workers--a happy picture it paints, of beautiful Indian children with mischief and love in their hearts, girls full of life and joy. The workers, too, are described in encouraging ways, some of whom were rescued girls themselves.
But then the picture turns dark. In delicate but real detail, Miss Carmichael describes the temple children, both those dedicated by their parents and those born to the temple women. It's an appeal to the reader to pray that such practices would end. This was written in 1912--just over 100 years ago!
After some research, I was saddened to learn that temple dedication still happens in India today. Although the British government outlawed the practice some 20 years after Lotus Buds was written, it continues in remote villages and many of these girls end up as prostitutes with diseases, dying young because their parents thought it more honorable to give them to the gods than to raise them themselves. It's heartbreaking to know that this is still happening. May God move in that land and bring an end to these atrocities!
This is an emotional ride for sure! The early parts of the book describe the children and the workers--a happy picture it paints, of beautiful Indian children with mischief and love in their hearts, girls full of life and joy. The workers, too, are described in encouraging ways, some of whom were rescued girls themselves.
But then the picture turns dark. In delicate but real detail, Miss Carmichael describes the temple children, both those dedicated by their parents and those born to the temple women. It's an appeal to the reader to pray that such practices would end. This was written in 1912--just over 100 years ago!
After some research, I was saddened to learn that temple dedication still happens in India today. Although the British government outlawed the practice some 20 years after Lotus Buds was written, it continues in remote villages and many of these girls end up as prostitutes with diseases, dying young because their parents thought it more honorable to give them to the gods than to raise them themselves. It's heartbreaking to know that this is still happening. May God move in that land and bring an end to these atrocities!
May 4, 2024
Originally written in 1909, this is an older book! Amy Carmichael was a missionary to India. When she discovered that babies and young girls were being given to the temple to be married to the gods which involved performing dances and prostitution, she devoted herself to rescuing as many of these girls as she could and to provide a home for them. She describes many of these babies with so much love. She also talks strongly about the system that made this practice almost impossible to reform.
I looked this up on the Internet and discovered that even though this practice of giving babies and little girls to the temple is now illegal, it is still being practiced today. These girls are known as devadasis. Very sad! https://www.thenationalnews.com/world...
I looked this up on the Internet and discovered that even though this practice of giving babies and little girls to the temple is now illegal, it is still being practiced today. These girls are known as devadasis. Very sad! https://www.thenationalnews.com/world...
March 4, 2019
She writes with such conviction and strength about her work and the cause she is passionate about.
At the same time she manages to describe real life with so many children underfoot, with humor and love. She knew so many of 'the babies' personally, knowing their gives and virtues and loving them for it.
Her descriptions of their antics and funny sayings are just perfect.
As are her prayers for people to come and help, or even just to care.
At the same time she manages to describe real life with so many children underfoot, with humor and love. She knew so many of 'the babies' personally, knowing their gives and virtues and loving them for it.
Her descriptions of their antics and funny sayings are just perfect.
As are her prayers for people to come and help, or even just to care.
March 8, 2021
From pictures and introductions to the little girls at Amy’s boarding school and nursery to the reasons why these children were brought there, this book will give you smiles and tears.
June 23, 2023
The Christian propaganda is to dangerous. The book is about culture appropriation, but readers will mostly see a good hearted woman's taking care of orphans
September 12, 2023
Surprisingly a slog. Very repetitive.
Shelved as 'dnf'
August 28, 2018Dnf. Didn’t like some of the Librivox narrators.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews