Her hair was up in a pony tail,
her favorite dress tied with a bow.
Today was Daddy's Day at school,
and she couldn't wait to go.
But her mommy tried to tell her,
that she probably should stay home.
Why the kids might not understand,
if she went to school alone
But she was not afraid;
she knew just what to say.
What to tell her classmates
of why he wasn't there today.
But still her mother worried,
for her to face this day alone.
And that was why once again,
she tried to keep her daughter home.
But the little girl went to school
eager to tell them all.
About a dad she never sees
a dad who never calls.
There were daddies along the wall in back,
for everyone to meet.
Children squirming impatiently,
anxious in their seats.
One by one the teacher called
a student from the class.
To introduce their daddy,
as seconds slowly passed.
At last the teacher called her name,
every child turned to stare.
Each of them was searching,
for a man who wasn't there.
"Where's her daddy at?"
she heard a boy call out.
"She probably doesn't have one,"
another student dared to shout.
And from somewhere near the back,
she heard a daddy say,
"Looks like another deadbeat dad,
too busy to waste his day."
The words did not offend her,
as she smiled up at her Mom.
And looked back at her teacher,
who told her to go on.
And with hands behind her back,
slowly she began to speak.
And out from the mouth of a child,
came words incredibly unique.
"My Daddy couldn't be here,
because he lives so far away.
But I know he wishes he could be,
since this is such a special day.
And though you cannot meet him,
I wanted you to know.
All about my daddy,
and how much he loves me so.
He loved to tell me stories
he taught me to ride my bike.
He surprised me with pink roses,
and taught me to fly a kite.
We used to share fudge sundaes,
and ice cream in a cone.
And though you cannot see him.
I'm not standing here alone.
"Cause my daddy's always with me,
even though we are apart
I know because he told me,
he'll forever be in my heart".
With that, her little hand reached up,
and lay across her chest.
Feeling her own heartbeat,
beneath her favorite dress.
And from somewhere here in the crowd of dads,
her mother stood in tears.
Proudly watching her daughter,
who was wise beyond her years.
For she stood up for the love
of a man not in her life.
Doing what was best for her,
doing what was right.
And when she dropped her hand back down,
staring straight into the crowd.
She finished with a voice so soft,
but its message clear and loud.
"I love my daddy very much,
he's my shining star.
And if he could, he'd be here,
but heaven's just too far.
You see he was a policeman
and died just this past year
When airplanes hit the towers
and taught Americans to fear.
But sometimes when I close my eyes,
it's like he never went away."
And then she closed her eyes,
and saw him there that day.
And to her mothers amazement,
she witnessed with surprise.
A room full of daddies and children,
all starting to close their eyes.
Who knows what they saw before them,
who knows what they felt inside.
Perhaps for merely a second,
they saw him at her side.
"I know you're with me Daddy,"
to the silence she called out.
And what happened next made believers,
of those once filled with doubt.
Not one in that room could explain it,
for each of their eyes had been closed.
But there on the desk beside her,
was a fragrant long-stemmed pink rose.
And a child was blessed, if only for a moment,
by the love of her shining star.
And given the gift of believing,
that heaven is never too far.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
25 beautiful short phrases...
1. Give God what's right.....
not what's left.
2. Man's way leads to hopeless end ......
God's way leads to an endless hope .
3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.
5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma, but never let him be the period.
6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.
7. Are you wrinkled with burden?
Come to the church for a face-lift.
8. When praying, don't give God instructions. ..... just report for duty.
9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.
10. We don't change God's message..... .
His message changes us.
11. The church is prayer-conditioned.
12 When God ordains, He sustains.
13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.
14. Plan ahead......It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.
16. Suffering from truth decay?
Brush up on your Bible.
17. Exercise daily ...... walk with the Lord.
18. Never give the devil a ride......
he will always want to drive.
19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
21. He who angers you controls you.
22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.
23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.
24. Be ye fishers of men.....
You catch them & He'll clean them.
25. God doesn't call the qualified,
He qualifies the called.
Now take 60 seconds and give this a shot! Let's just see if Satan
stops this one. All you do is:
1. Simply say a small prayer for the p erson who sent you this, e.g.
LORD, God, bless this person in whatever it is that You know he or she may be needing this day....
2. Then forward to relatives/friends.
Within hours people would have prayed for you, and you would have caused a multitude of people to pray to God for other people.
Then sit back and watch the power of God work in your life for doing the
thing that you know He loves.
What we do in life echoes in eternity....
not what's left.
2. Man's way leads to hopeless end ......
God's way leads to an endless hope .
3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.
5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma, but never let him be the period.
6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.
7. Are you wrinkled with burden?
Come to the church for a face-lift.
8. When praying, don't give God instructions. ..... just report for duty.
9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.
10. We don't change God's message..... .
His message changes us.
11. The church is prayer-conditioned.
12 When God ordains, He sustains.
13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.
14. Plan ahead......It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.
16. Suffering from truth decay?
Brush up on your Bible.
17. Exercise daily ...... walk with the Lord.
18. Never give the devil a ride......
he will always want to drive.
19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
21. He who angers you controls you.
22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.
23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.
24. Be ye fishers of men.....
You catch them & He'll clean them.
25. God doesn't call the qualified,
He qualifies the called.
Now take 60 seconds and give this a shot! Let's just see if Satan
stops this one. All you do is:
1. Simply say a small prayer for the p erson who sent you this, e.g.
LORD, God, bless this person in whatever it is that You know he or she may be needing this day....
2. Then forward to relatives/friends.
Within hours people would have prayed for you, and you would have caused a multitude of people to pray to God for other people.
Then sit back and watch the power of God work in your life for doing the
thing that you know He loves.
What we do in life echoes in eternity....
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE 1950's, 60's, 70's and 80's !!
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE 1950's, 60's, 70's and 80's !!
First, some of us survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us. ( sioktong ang inumin)
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, fish from a can (brand : ligo ) , and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints, pati na yung laruang kabayu-kabayuhan.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, no kneepads , sometimes wala ngang preno yung bisikleta.
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags – hanggang ngayon naman, di ba ? ( jeep )
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat. ( maykaya kayo mare ! )
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle (minsan straight from the faucet)
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. Or contacted hepatitis.
We ate rice with tinunaw na purico (dahil ubos na ang star margarine), nutribuns na galing kay macoy and drank sopdrinks with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight kasi nga......
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. Sarap mag patintero, tumbang preso, habulan, taguan….
No one was able to reach us all day (di uso ang celfon , walang beepers). And we were OK.
We would spend hours building our trolleys or slides out of scraps and then ride down the street, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms....... ...WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no
lawsuits from these accidents.
The only rubbing we get is from our friends with the words…..masakit ba ? pero pag galit yung kalaro mo.... ang sasabihin sa iyo….... beh buti nga !
We play in the dirt... wash our hands a little and ate with our barehands. we were not afraid of getting worms in our stomachs.
We have to live with homemade guns – (gawa sa kahoy, tinali ng rubberband , sumpit , tirador at kung ano ano pa na puedeng makasakit…) ..pero walang nagrereklamo.
made up games with sticks (syato) and cans (tumbang preso) and although we were told it would happen, wala naman tayong binulag o napatay…... paminsan-minsan, may nabubukulan.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them!
Mini basketball teams had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Walang sumasama ang loob.
Ang magulang ay nandoon lang para tingnan kung ayos lang ang bata.... hindi para makialam.
This generation of ours has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and managers ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned
HOW TO
DEAL WITH IT ALL!
And YOU are one of them!
CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the government regulated our lives for our own good. And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.
Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!
First, some of us survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us. ( sioktong ang inumin)
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, fish from a can (brand : ligo ) , and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints, pati na yung laruang kabayu-kabayuhan.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, no kneepads , sometimes wala ngang preno yung bisikleta.
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags – hanggang ngayon naman, di ba ? ( jeep )
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat. ( maykaya kayo mare ! )
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle (minsan straight from the faucet)
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. Or contacted hepatitis.
We ate rice with tinunaw na purico (dahil ubos na ang star margarine), nutribuns na galing kay macoy and drank sopdrinks with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight kasi nga......
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. Sarap mag patintero, tumbang preso, habulan, taguan….
No one was able to reach us all day (di uso ang celfon , walang beepers). And we were OK.
We would spend hours building our trolleys or slides out of scraps and then ride down the street, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms....... ...WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no
lawsuits from these accidents.
The only rubbing we get is from our friends with the words…..masakit ba ? pero pag galit yung kalaro mo.... ang sasabihin sa iyo….... beh buti nga !
We play in the dirt... wash our hands a little and ate with our barehands. we were not afraid of getting worms in our stomachs.
We have to live with homemade guns – (gawa sa kahoy, tinali ng rubberband , sumpit , tirador at kung ano ano pa na puedeng makasakit…) ..pero walang nagrereklamo.
made up games with sticks (syato) and cans (tumbang preso) and although we were told it would happen, wala naman tayong binulag o napatay…... paminsan-minsan, may nabubukulan.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them!
Mini basketball teams had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Walang sumasama ang loob.
Ang magulang ay nandoon lang para tingnan kung ayos lang ang bata.... hindi para makialam.
This generation of ours has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and managers ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned
HOW TO
DEAL WITH IT ALL!
And YOU are one of them!
CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the government regulated our lives for our own good. And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.
Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!
You may not realize it, but it's 100% true
1. Every night, someone thinks about you before they go to sleep.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be
just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't
like you.
5. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
10. When you think the world has turned it's back on you, take a look
again.
11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude
remarks.
So...If you are a loving friend, send this to everyone, including the
one that sent it to you. If you get it back, then they really do love you
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be
just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't
like you.
5. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
10. When you think the world has turned it's back on you, take a look
again.
11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude
remarks.
So...If you are a loving friend, send this to everyone, including the
one that sent it to you. If you get it back, then they really do love you
Friday, August 24, 2007
NASA Proves the Bible is true
For all you scientists out there and for all the students who have a hard time convincing these people regarding the truth of the Bible,here's something that shows God's awesome creation and shows that He's still in control.
Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called "myth" in the Bible is true? Mr. Harold Hill. President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore Maryland and a consultant in the space program relates the following development: I think one of the most amazing things that God has for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland They were checking the position of the sun, moon, and planets out in space where they would be 100 years and 1000 years from now. We have to know this so we won't end a satellite up, and have it bump into something later on its orbits. We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite, and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog down.
They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal, which meant that there was something wrong either with the information fed into it or with the results as compared to the standards.
They called in the service department to check it out and they said. What's wrong?" Well, they found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time.
They scratched their heads and tore their hair. There was no answer.
Finally a Christian man on the team said. "You know, one time I was in Sunday School and they talked about the sun standing still". While they didn't believe him they didn't have an answer either. So they said, "Show us". He got a Bible and went back to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with "Common sense". There they found the Lord saying to Joshua, "Fear them not. I have delivered them into thy hand: there shall not a man of them stand before thee". Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy if darkness fell they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still!
That's right - "The sun stood still and the moon stayed---and hasted not to go down about a whole day!" The astronauts and scientists said."There is the missing day!" They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes - not a whole day. They read the Bible and there it was "about (approximately) a day" These little words in the Bible are important.
But they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes you'll still be in trouble 1000 years from now. Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits.
As the Christian employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible where it said the sun went BACKWARDS. The scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Book and read these words in 2 Kings.
Hezekiah, on his deathbed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said "Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?" Hezekiah said it is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the Shadow return backward 10 degrees." Isaiah spoke to the Lord and the Lord brought the shadow 10 degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes! Twenty three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe!
Isn't it amazing? Our God is rubbing their noses in His Truth!
Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called "myth" in the Bible is true? Mr. Harold Hill. President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore Maryland and a consultant in the space program relates the following development: I think one of the most amazing things that God has for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland They were checking the position of the sun, moon, and planets out in space where they would be 100 years and 1000 years from now. We have to know this so we won't end a satellite up, and have it bump into something later on its orbits. We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite, and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog down.
They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal, which meant that there was something wrong either with the information fed into it or with the results as compared to the standards.
They called in the service department to check it out and they said. What's wrong?" Well, they found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time.
They scratched their heads and tore their hair. There was no answer.
Finally a Christian man on the team said. "You know, one time I was in Sunday School and they talked about the sun standing still". While they didn't believe him they didn't have an answer either. So they said, "Show us". He got a Bible and went back to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with "Common sense". There they found the Lord saying to Joshua, "Fear them not. I have delivered them into thy hand: there shall not a man of them stand before thee". Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy if darkness fell they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still!
That's right - "The sun stood still and the moon stayed---and hasted not to go down about a whole day!" The astronauts and scientists said."There is the missing day!" They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes - not a whole day. They read the Bible and there it was "about (approximately) a day" These little words in the Bible are important.
But they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes you'll still be in trouble 1000 years from now. Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits.
As the Christian employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible where it said the sun went BACKWARDS. The scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Book and read these words in 2 Kings.
Hezekiah, on his deathbed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said "Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?" Hezekiah said it is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the Shadow return backward 10 degrees." Isaiah spoke to the Lord and the Lord brought the shadow 10 degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes! Twenty three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe!
Isn't it amazing? Our God is rubbing their noses in His Truth!
References: Joshua 10:8 and 12.13; 2 Kings 20:9-11
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Good Thoughts
Three things in life that, once gone, never come back -
1. Time
2. Words
3. Opportunity
Three things in life that can destroy a person -
1. Anger
2. Pride
3. Unforgiveness
Three things in life that you should never lose-
1. Hope
2. Peace
3. Honesty
Three things in life that are most valuable -
1. Love
2. Family &Friends
3. Kindness
Three things in life that are never certain -
1. Fortune
2. Success
3. Dreams
Three things that make a person -
1. Commitment
2. Sincerity
3. Hard work
Three things that are truly constant -
Father - Son - Holy Spirit
I ask the Lord to bless you, as I pray for you today; to guide you
and protect you, as you go along your way. God's love is always with you,
God's promises are true. And when you give God all your cares, you know God will see you through.
1. Time
2. Words
3. Opportunity
Three things in life that can destroy a person -
1. Anger
2. Pride
3. Unforgiveness
Three things in life that you should never lose-
1. Hope
2. Peace
3. Honesty
Three things in life that are most valuable -
1. Love
2. Family &Friends
3. Kindness
Three things in life that are never certain -
1. Fortune
2. Success
3. Dreams
Three things that make a person -
1. Commitment
2. Sincerity
3. Hard work
Three things that are truly constant -
Father - Son - Holy Spirit
I ask the Lord to bless you, as I pray for you today; to guide you
and protect you, as you go along your way. God's love is always with you,
God's promises are true. And when you give God all your cares, you know God will see you through.
A Little Girl's Prayer
"One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do she died leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator. (We had no electricity to run an incubator.) We also had no special feeding facilities.
Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst. Rubber perishes easily in tropical climates. "And it is our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed.
As in the West it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways.
"All right," I said, "Put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. "Your job is to keep the baby warm."
The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle. The baby could so easily die if it got chills.
I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During the prayer time, one ten-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. "Please, God," she prayed, "send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon."
While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added by way of a corollary, "And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?"
As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say, "Amen?" I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything. The Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there?
The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!
Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there, on the verandah, was a large twenty-two pound parcel. l felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children.
Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot.
We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box.
From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas--that would make a nice batch of buns for the weekend.
Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out--yes, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle!
I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, "If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!"
Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted. Looking up at me, she asked: "Can I go over with you, Mummy, and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?"
That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child--five months before--in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it "that afternoon."
Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst. Rubber perishes easily in tropical climates. "And it is our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed.
As in the West it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways.
"All right," I said, "Put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. "Your job is to keep the baby warm."
The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle. The baby could so easily die if it got chills.
I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During the prayer time, one ten-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. "Please, God," she prayed, "send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon."
While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added by way of a corollary, "And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?"
As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say, "Amen?" I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything. The Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there?
The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!
Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there, on the verandah, was a large twenty-two pound parcel. l felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children.
Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot.
We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box.
From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas--that would make a nice batch of buns for the weekend.
Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out--yes, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle!
I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, "If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!"
Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted. Looking up at me, she asked: "Can I go over with you, Mummy, and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?"
That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child--five months before--in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it "that afternoon."
Helen Roseveare, a missionary doctor from England to Zaire Africa, told this as it happened to her in Africa
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