Isaiah 65:24 'Before they call, I will answer.'
@sanjana_aslam (4187)
Malaysia
September 11, 2009 11:07pm CST
Firstly i would like to apologies to anyone if the message or translation is wrong, as I am not a Christian, but this i got to share will all my friends especially as i believe in GOD ..
A simple reminder of the awesome presence of God in ALL our prayers - received it in my mail today !!
This beautiful story was written by a doctor who worked in Central Africa .
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 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 hot water bottle today. 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 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 porch was a large 22-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 amounting. 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?'
'Of course,' I replied!
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'.
is it not beautiful guys ??
cheers
5 responses
@GADHISUNU (2162)
• India
15 Sep 09
Thank you Sanjana, for this beautiful story that illustrates the benevolence and what could better be called as the Infinite Kindness of God. Alfred Lord Tennyson's line "More things are wroght by prayer, Than this world dreams of!" is beautifully exemplified by this example. Even an audacious prayer from an uncorrupt mind of a child is a sufficiently strong mantra.It has worked!
Seeing your interest in truly delving into the meaning of our relationship with God I would suggest you a book for reading. See if you can get a copy of it for reading. It is called Mister God This Anna by Fynn. This is published by Fount Books. The little girl's[in the book] relationship with God is so great that I almost want to translate her saying with some story line into Sanskrit and call it Annopanishad.
@Sweetchariot (1718)
• United States
19 Sep 09
Gadhisnu...Yes that is a great book...I have read "Mister God, this is Anna". Jesus did say, "come to me like little children", and as this story is told, how true that is. If we could all have the simplistic and innocent faith of a Child, and stop fighting between religions, the world would be a happier place.
@GADHISUNU (2162)
• India
21 Sep 09
In fact when I was speaking aloud on my love for this book and its presentation of the relationship with God and how I wanted to summarise the same into an Upanishad one of my colleagues asked me why did I want to do it in Sanskrit, instead of doing it in popular Hindi, so that it could benefit a larger population. Then I told him, the story part could go for a Hindi rendering, but the words of wisdom, deserve to be chiselled in the more honorific Sanskrit. What do you say, now that you say you have read this book? In fact if someone asks me what is the book that is most favorite I would say this. In fact in all my profiles on various networking sites I have named this book as my all time favorite!
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
14 Oct 09
Hello my dear friend sanjana_aslam Ji,
It is really a heart touching for me. many times such occasions come to teach everyone about existance of God. A think wich is never possible is made possible makes presence of Almighty. A little Ruth had lot of confidence than others including you, who when prayed, got the results. It is a inner belief only. It is an eye opening to many who do not believe and un-necessary get into conflicting discussions. Tell me afterwards. How that baby is now. May God bless You and have great time.
@StarBright (2798)
• United States
12 Sep 09
That is a beautiful story. Thank you so much for sharing it here on MyLot. The work you are doing must be very rewarding for you. God bless.
@EliteUser (3964)
• Australia
19 Sep 09
Hey,
Whoa!! Yes that is very beautiful. It is absolutely amazing what the bible contains, not many people actually read the bible and see how many cool things it actually contains. We should all try and read the bible more often. Make sure you have a good day, Happy Lotting!!
@Sweetchariot (1718)
• United States
19 Sep 09
Sanjana...WOW! Beautiful story...definitely a miracle sent by God. I wish I knew more about where this African Doctor is...I would love our church to help them. Thank you so very much in sharing this...you have made my day!





