[Nfb-krafters-korner] feel good
Blindhands at aol.com
Blindhands at aol.com
Thu Jan 27 19:17:43 UTC 2011
I read this and just had to send it along.
Isaiah 65:24 "Before they call, I will answer"
This story was written by a doctor who worked in South Africa
One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labour 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 that 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, and that 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 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, "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 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 veranda,
was a large twenty-two pound parcel. I 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 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 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."
"Before they call, I will answer" (Isaiah 65:24) This awesome prayer takes
less than a minute. When you receive this, say the prayer, that's all you
have
to do. No strings attached. Just send it on to whomever you want - but do
send it on. Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. There is no
cost
but a lot of rewards.
Let's continue praying for one another. Father, I ask you to bless my
friends reading this right now. I am asking You to minister to their spirit at
this
very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where
there is self doubt, release a renewed confidence to work through them. Where
there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by revealing Your
nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with You. Where there is
fear,
reveal Your love, and release to them Your courage. Bless their finances,
give them greater vision, and raise up leaders and friends to support and
encourage
them. Give each of them discernment to recognize the evil forces around
them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it. I ask you
to
do these things in Jesus' name.
P.S. Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will bless you both.
Passing this on to one not considered a friend is something Christ would do.
"Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you're not willing to move
your feet.
Joyce Kane
_www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
Blindhands at AOL.com
More information about the NFB-Krafters-Korner
mailing list