This 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 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 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.

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."--





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