One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labour 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. 

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.  "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 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 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, 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."

"Before they call, I will answer."  (Isaiah 65:24)

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.

Last week, we went for a cultural program.  Both my daughters were participating in that program.  Before the program started, our kids wanted to do the rehearsal.  We have taken our laptop with us along with the VCD.  Both the kids practiced their respective dances.  Then we had kept the laptop inside.

After that, the program started.  We were eagerly waiting for our kids program.  That time, one of our friend’s daughter, who is elder to our kids, asked our laptop for practicing her dance.  We hesitated because she said that she will be taking the laptop to a nearby place and not in the place where we were sitting and watching the program.  But still we gave her our laptop.

She practiced her dance and kept the laptop on a table along with her dress.  One by one, all the kids dances were over and the program came to an end.  Since she did not give us back our laptop, I went and asked her about it.  Just then she remembered that she had kept it on the table.  She ran to take the laptop and for a surprise it was not there.  Her dress and other items, which she had kept, along with that were lying on the table except the laptop.  She was in tears and when I went there, I was shocked to see and hear that our laptop is missing.

Everyone started commenting us that we should not have given the laptop to her.  Some were saying that previously they had lost their mobile phones at that place.  Some were scolding us that whether we can give such a valuable article to a kid.  But we were in a great shock, having lost the laptop.   The cost of laptop is around 75,000/- and not only that some software is being loaded into that.  We searched everywhere but we could not find it. We enquired the peon over there and also the watchman and other people, who were in-charge of that place.  Nobody knew about that. 

We all prayed to God that we should get our laptop back.  We were praying that the person who took it should keep it in the same place and go.  After that, we all started searching in each and every nook and corner.  Then we found the laptop lying there in one of the corner where we had previously checked and that time it was not there.

We thanked God for this miracle.  God had talked to that person to keep it back.  Otherwise, we would not get back our laptop.  Everyone who was there in that place that day felt that “Nothing is impossible when we put our trust in God”.  Praise be to God!

A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they had no other option but to pray to God. However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island. The first thing the first man prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren.   After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing.
 
Soon the first man prayed for a bungalow, clothes and delicious food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing. Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that his wife and he could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from Heaven booming, “Why are you leaving your companion on the island?” "My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them.  His prayers were all unanswered, and so he does not deserve anything." the first man answered. "You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."  "Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?" "He prayed that all your prayers be answered."

Our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but include those of others who are praying for us.  The others may be our parents, children, friends, relatives or our well-wishers.  We should also pray for others.

In the Holy Bible, under Psalms Chapter 91:7 says, “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee”.

I would like to quote my experience for this Verse.  All of you are aware of the bomb blast in Mumbai, which had happened in the last year on 11^th July 2006. 

For the past 5 years, I was working nearby to my residence and I didn’t feel the hectic train journey in Mumbai.  This year I was promoted and posted at Churchgate in Mumbai, which is far away from my residence.  To travel in a train in Mumbai, one should have experience and rather skill.  The trains will stop for seconds only and during this short interval, people should come out of the train as well as people should enter into the train.  Normally a new person will be missing 3 to 4 trains and then only he or she can get into a train during the peak hours.  So seeing all these, my husband purchased me first class ticket so that atleast I can go little bit comfortably.  However, there is not much difference between the first and second class compartments.  During peak hours, the crowd is more in all the compartments.

On the day of bomb blast, we had to go to RTO Office for obtaining a driving license.  Therefore, my husband and I took leave and went there.  Our work was over by afternoon itself and my husband was saying that we could save half-a-day leave.  I somehow felt tired and told him that we could go home.  We went home and took rest and when we switched on TV in the evening, we found that God had saved us from the bomb blast.  The bomb blast happened in the trains, which I usually take, and the targets were first class compartments.  God had saved us from all the troubles and sufferings.  We remembered the above Verse and we thanked God for the same. 

In the Holy Bible,  under Malachi Chapter 3:3 says "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of  silver".

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.   That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She did not mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.  The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says, “He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."  

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. 

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."

If we are feeling the heat of the fire today, we should remember that God is removing our impurities and has his eye on us and keeps watching us until He sees His image in us.

Last month we went to a Beach at Alibagh in Mumbai.  The speciality of this beach is, a fort is built in the middle of the beach.  At 10 a.m., we reached the beach and our kids started playing in the sea water.  The sea is not too deep and the waves are not rough.  We can even go to the middle of the beach and play in the water.  Suddenly, we could realise that the water is going off.  At around 12.00 p.m., we found that the beach water had gone and a dry land was there.  We took a cart driven by horses and went through the dry land to reach the fort.  The fort, of course, is a ruined one but the view from the fort was very good.  After visiting the fort, we came out around 1.30 p.m. and found that only dry land was available and the beach was very much far away.

We came back from the fort and went to the resort.  In the evening, again the water came back and around 6 p.m. when we went to the beach, the beach was full of water and our kids starting playing in the water again.

We were so surprised to see that and wondered God's creation.  How beautiful God has created the world for us to enjoy!

I have experienced so many times in my life that Prayer along with fasting is powerful.  In 1987, my mother was bedridden and Doctor told to inform our relatives that she will not survive. Whosoever wants to see her, can see her before she passes away.  I had just joined duty after my college studies and my brother was studying in School.  My sister got married 4 months back that time.  We are the three children for our parents.  We cried a lot and all three of us decided that we will fast on a particular day every week and pray.  We started it immediately and all three kneeled down behind her cot in the hospital and prayed God for her survival.  My father was very nervous though he did not show it to us.  Whenever we pray, sincerely, God will surely hear our Prayer.  Likewise as a miracle, she recovered in a day and started talking.  Then after a week, she was discharged.  She survived for 20 years and died on 13th of November 2006.  We really miss her a lot, but then we thank God that He gave her to us for another 20 years to be with us.  She was really a guide, a friend and loving and caring mother.  She always helped others, prayed for others and guided us. 

Once there was a kite that loved to fly high. Nothing made it happier than to be caught in a stiff breeze that would send it soaring upward, far above the grassy meadows  below. It loved the feel of the wind and the far away view.

But gradually the kite became dissatisfied. Wouldn't it be  wonderful if it could fly even higher than its string  allowed? It could think only of sailing so high that the houses became dots far below, and it brushed against the clouds. So it tugged and tugged on the string, hoping to break free. Then one day the string snapped! For a moment the kite was ecstatic as it leaped skyward. But then it began to tumble and spin out of control, and soon it crashed to the ground below.

Unfortunately, we are sometimes like that kite. We wish to be free to do anything we like. But like that kite, we would crash.  Our string should always be in the safe hands of God.

The cheerful little girl with bouncy black curls was almost seven. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them, a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. "Oh mummy please, Mummy. Can I have them? Please, Mummy, please?" Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading eyes of her little daughter's upturned face.

"One hundred and ninety-five. That's almost two hundred rupees. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another lump amount from Grandma."

As soon as Sweety got home, she emptied her safe and counted and found Rs. 85/-. After dinner, she helped her mother in her housework and got ten rupees. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another Rs.100/- and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.
 
Sweety loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere, Sunday school, School, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went for a  bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.
 
Sweety had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night as he finished the story, he asked Sweety, "Do you love me?" "Oh yes, daddy. You know that I love you." "Then give me your pearls." "Oh, daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my Barbie doll, the white car from my collection, the horse with the beautiful tail. Remember, daddy, it is the one you gave me. These are my favourite." "That's okay, Sweety, daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Sweety's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?" "Daddy, you know I love you." "Then give me your pearls." "Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my teddy bear. The brand new one I got for my birthday. He is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches his sleeper." "That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Sweety was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. "What is it, Sweety? What's the matter?" Sweety didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, daddy; this is for you." With tears gathering in his own eyes, Sweety's daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Sweety. He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure.

So it is, with our Heavenly Father also. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that He can give us beautiful treasures. Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do believe this one thing. God will never take away something without giving us something better in its place.

One of my friend's daughter was taken to an eye hospital.  There was actually no complaint from the child.  But only thing was that the child was looking at the TV very closeby.  Even if the child is put back, after sometime the child goes very near to the TV and watches it.  The Doctor has told my friend that the child is suffering from cylindrical power.

This seems to be a new eye problem.  Most common eye problems are short sight and long sight.  Can anyone throw some light on this eye problem, like how to rectify it and why it has occured etc.,?