‘Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do’. Galatians 2:10

Australia Day celebrations are fast approaching, so I’d like to share a story of an amazing lady who shaped our country’s history, Carolyn Chisholm. She is the lady featured on our old 5$ note.

Carolyn arrived in Australia with her hubby and 2 children in 1838 when she was just 30 years old. She would meet the ships at the port in Sydney to help young girls. Most of them were immigrants and would give them shelter and job opportunities. Often, she would place the young girls within families who lived in the country, particularly when she knew there was an eligible bachelor living nearby 😊; There were many marriages as a result.

She was so effective that from 1841- 1844 Carolyn assisted 14,000 people and over 11, 000 of these were fresh immigrants. Carolyn never tired of helping the poor and marginalised. Often the official government bodies wouldn’t be so helpful, so then she would use other channels, like help from her husband and friends to accomplish her dreams of helping the young women.

Carolyn had a heart for the vulnerable because of her background. Her family were active Christians and when she was 7, her family nursed a soldier back to health. While he was recuperating at their home, he would fascinate Carolyn with stories of hardship and battles of British colonies in foreign lands. After that she would play imaginary games called ‘Immigrants’- with boats made from Broad beans and little dolls.

This obviously made a big impact on her, and she married someone who would be supportive of her dream to help immigrants, hence travelling to Australia at such a young age.

She was once the most famous woman in England and NSW, but died at 86 relatively unknown in a hovel in Northampton, 100 kms from London. But she was known to God.

Question: Can you remember your childhood? What event had impacted you to be involved in early childhood?

Be Blessed. Yvette Wynne