In 1895, this Irish lassie was commissioned by the Church of England Zenana Missionary Society to go to Dohnavur, India, where she served fifty-six years as God’s devoted servant without a furlough.

A major part of her work there was devoted to rescuing children who had been dedicated by their families to be temple prostitutes. More than a thousand children were rescued from neglect and abuse during Amy’s lifetime. To them she was known as “Amma,” which means mother in the Tamil language. The work often was dangerous and stressful. Yet she never forgot Jesus’ promise to “keep them in all things.”

Sherwood Eddy declares that “her life was the most fragrant, the most joyfully sacrificial that I have ever known.”

Here’s one of her most inspiring and challenging poems:

“Towards Jerusalem”

From prayer that asks that I may be;

Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,

From fearing when I should aspire,

From faltering when I should climb higher,

From silken self, O Captain free

Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,

From easy choices, weakenings,

Not thus are spirits fortified,

Not this way went the Crucified,

From all that dims Thy Calvary,

O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Give me the love that leads the way,

The faith that nothing can dismay,

The hope no disappointments tire,

The passion that will burn like fire,

Let me not sink to be a clod,

Make me Thy fuel, O Flame of God.