[Nfb-krafters-korner] feel good

[Eleni Vamvakari]

Well, I'm a Hellenic Polytheist, following the religion of ancient
Greece.  But that story brought tears to my eyes.  I think that belief
and prayer are very strong things that bring us all closer to the
divine and to each other.  They're even more precious when said by
innocent children from the heart.  And though, for Hellenic
Polytheists, it's not necessary for The Gods to love us or to be
merciful, I think that They tend to listen when such heartfelt prayers
are sent Their way.  Thanks for the inspirational story.

Blessings,
Eleni

On 1/27/11, Blindhands at aol.com <Blindhands at aol.com> wrote:
> 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
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