JOSHUA TIME 482

Isaiah 65:24This 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 atiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. Wewould have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had noincubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator).We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived onthe equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts.One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies andthe 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 fillingthe bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropicalclimates). "And it is our last hot water bottle!" sheexclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilledmilk so in Central Africa it might be considered no good cryingover burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and thereare no drugstores down forest pathways."All right," I said, "put the baby as near the fire as yousafely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep itfree from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm."The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayerswith any of the orphanage children who chose to gather withme... I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things topray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained ourproblem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hotwater bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it gotchills. I also told them of the two-year-oldsister, crying because her mother had died.During prayer time, one ten-year old girl, Ruth, prayed withthe usual blunt conciseness of our African children. "Please,God" she prayed, "send us a water bottle. It'll be no goodtomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it thisafternoon."While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, sheadded, "And while You are about it, would You please send adolly 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 Ihonestly say, "Amen". I just did not believe that God could dothis. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything, the Bible saysso. But there are limits, aren't there? nb sp; The only way Godcould answer thisparticular prayer would be by sending me a parcel fromhomeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at thattime, and I had never, ever received a parcel from home.Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hotwater bottle? I lived on the equator! Halfway through theafternoon, 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 theveranda, was a large twenty-two pound parcel. I felt tearspricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sentfor 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 largecardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored,knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then therewere the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and thechildren looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixedraisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for theweekend. Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the ... couldit really be? grasped it and pulled it out - yes, a brand-new,rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to sendit; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in thefront row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, "IfGod has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly too!"Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out thesmall, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had neverdoubted!Looking up at me, she asked: "Can I go over with you and givethis dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesusreally loves her?"That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packedup by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard andobeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to theequator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an Africanchild - five months before, in answer to the believing prayerof a ten-year-old to bring it "that afternoon.""Before they call, I will answer" (Isaiah 65:24). This awesomeprayer takes less than a minute. When you receive this, say theprayer, that's all you have to do. No strings attached. Justsend it on to whomever you want - but do send it on. Prayer isone of the best free gifts wereceive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards.Let's continue praying for one another: Father, I ask you tobless my friends reading this right now. I am asking You tominister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there ispain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is selfdoubting, release a renewed confidence to work through them.Where there is tiredness or exhaustion, I ask You to give themunderstanding, guidance, and strength as they learn submissionto Your leading. Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask Youto renew them by revealing Your nearness, and by drawing theminto greaterintimacy with You. Where there is fear, reveal Your love, andrelease to them Your courage. Where there is a sin blockingthem, reveal it, and break its hold over my friend's life..Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise upleaders and friends to support and encourage them. Give each ofthem discernment to recognize the evil forces around them, andreveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it. I askyou to do these things in Jesus' name.P.S. Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will blessyou both. Passing this on to one not considered a friend issomething Christ would do."Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you're notwilling to move your feet."