From: by a doctor who worked in South
Date: 12 Mar 2005
Time: 00:15:41 -0500
Remote Name: 24.110.117.162
>This beautiful story was written by a doctor who worked in South >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 >verandah, 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?" >Of course, He 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." > >"Before they call, I will answer" (Isaiah 65:24) > >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. > >This awesome prayer takes less than a minute. > >Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless my friends reading this. I ask You >to minister to their spirit. Where there is pain, give them Your peace >and mercy. Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence >to work through them. Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I ask >You to give them understanding, guidance, and strength as they learn >submission to Your leading. 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. Where there is a sin blocking them, >reveal it and break its hold over my friend's life. 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. Amen > >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!
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