I have sent this to you before...
But there's no harm in reading it again.
It reminds us for the need to pray with faith...
Here I'm only reproducing a beautiful story written by a doctor who was working in South Africa.
"One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all my efforts, she died leaving us
"Before they call, I will answer" (Isaiah 65:24).
Here I'm only reproducing a beautiful story written by a doctor who was working in South Africa.
"One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all my efforts, she died leaving us
a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We had 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 a box and cotton wool that the baby could 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 explodes easily in tropical climate). And it was our last hot water bottle! As in the West, it is no good crying over spilt 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.
"Alright," I said, "put the baby as near to 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 on most days, I went to pray with the orphanage-children who chose to gather with me...I gave the youngsters various suggestions 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 probability of the baby dying if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister,crying because her mother had died.
During prayer time, a 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
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 a box and cotton wool that the baby could 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 explodes easily in tropical climate). And it was our last hot water bottle! As in the West, it is no good crying over spilt 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.
"Alright," I said, "put the baby as near to 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 on most days, I went to pray with the orphanage-children who chose to gather with me...I gave the youngsters various suggestions 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 probability of the baby dying if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister,crying because her mother had died.
During prayer time, a 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 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 puzzled. Could I honestly say, "Amen"? I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh! yes, I know that He can do everything, so the Holy Bible say... But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer to this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years but had never received a parcel from home.
However, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put a hot water bottle therein? I lived on the equator!
While I gasped 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 puzzled. Could I honestly say, "Amen"? I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh! yes, I know that He can do everything, so the Holy Bible say... But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer to this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years but had never received a parcel from home.
However, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put a hot water bottle therein? 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. 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 and pulled it out - yes, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle.
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. 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 and pulled it out - yes, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle.
I burst into tears... I had not asked anybody to send it.
That was Ruth who asked God for it and she 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, not even for a sec!
Looking up at me, she asked,
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, not even for a sec!
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 in transit for five whole months. Packed up by my former Sunday School Students, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle upto 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'."
That parcel had been in transit for five whole months. Packed up by my former Sunday School Students, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle upto 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'."
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"Before they call, I will answer" (Isaiah 65:24).
The above awesome prayer takes less than a minute.
Do it.
No strings attached.
No strings attached.
Just send it on to whomsoever you want.
Prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of reward.
Let's continue praying for one another, with unparalleled faith in bringing blessings upon each other.
Prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of reward.
Let's continue praying for one another, with unparalleled faith in bringing blessings upon each other.
Thank you and enjoy the rest of your week-end,
Love,
Prof. Dr. Alex Abraham Odikandathil
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