02528cam a22003133u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000320011324500150014526400510016030000470021133600260025833700260028433800360031050000310034650802580037752014100063553400450204565300220209065300370211265300220214985600430217129427UtSlPG20260610133654.0mcr n260607r2009||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aBV1 aCarmichael, Amy,d1867-195110aLotus Buds 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2009  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier  aRelease date is 2009-07-16  aE-text prepared by the Bookworm, Emmy, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from digital material generously made available by Internet Archive/American Libraries (http://www.archive.org/details/americana)  a"Lotus Buds" by Amy Wilson-Carmichael is a memoir written in the early 20th century, recounting the experiences of the author in her work with children in South India. The narrative focuses on the lives of vulnerable children, particularly those at risk of being dedicated to temples, and explores themes of love, faith, and redemption. Key characters include Bala, a serious and introspective child, and Chellalu, a vivacious and carefree spirit, showcasing the contrasting personalities of the children in Carmichael's care.  At the start of "Lotus Buds," the author introduces a serene lotus pool near an ancient temple in Southern India, symbolizing the innocent beauty of the children she serves. This tranquil scene is abruptly contrasted by the harsh reality of the children's potential fates as temple sacrifices. Carmichael reflects on her encounters with both the lotus flowers and the children, emphasizing their sacredness and inherent value as belonging to God. The narrative then shifts focus to specific children like Bala and Chellalu, highlighting their unique characteristics and experiences that shape their lives while under the author's guidance in the nursery. This opening presents the reader with a poignant introduction to the themes of caretaking and the spiritual struggle against the societal norms that put these children at risk. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  nOriginal publication data not identified  aMissions -- India  aIndia -- Social life and customs  aChildren -- India40uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29427