Mari's Charitable Christmas Spirit..

"He said that his wife was sick in the hospital & he had no one to cook Christmas dinner for them..Plus he'd spent all his money on her medicine & wouldn't be able to buy Christmas presents for his kids..now he was trying to get back to his hometown so he could see his wife in the hospital before Christmas & spend Christmas with his kids..
...he just walked up to us at the bus stop..I was a little leary at first, but there was something about him..you could see in his eyes that he was genuine...so we gave him a ride to his bus, plus we payed for his fare so he could go home to his family..but before that, we stopped at a Pick & Pay & bought some food for their Christmas dinner.."

This was the story told me by Mariangela last Christmas, when recalling her grand "operation angel", conducted by her & Seth the Christmas before that one..

As soon as I heard this story, I knew I just had to do the same for someone else..not cause I wanted to outdo Seth & Mari, but because I was so impressed with their Tiny Tim/Bob Cratchet Christmas spirits & I wanted to "save someone's Christmas" too..

At the mission base I stayed at/worked at for a year in South Africa, one of my main jobs was deliveries/driving duties...Picking up food for distribution, delivering food at our creche in a local slum, picking up donated goods for the mission center, picking up building supplies for renovations to the mission, trash runs, school runs, shopping trips, business trips, taking the kids to dance recital...I was behind the wheel most of the day..

During such driving expeditions I would often pass hitchhikers. Of course, Johannesburg's notoriety as THE crime capital of Africa did give me a sense of extreme caution when assessing who would benefit from my "driver's charity lift" that particular day..

Shortly after Mari told me her story (and shortly after Christmas had ended) I was back & forth from the mission base to the Home Affairs office downtown Pretoria where I was working on extending my visa to enable me to stay on in time to participate in the World Cup Outreach programs I knew we'd be putting on..

One particular morning, when going to an appointment with a senior officer at the immo office who'd promised to help speedily process my visa, I had a certain feeling (or maybe Someone was speaking to me) that I should take a side road to down-town Pretoria via the industrial area instead of taking the free-way like I was accustomed to doing..I would soon find out why...

I was flying along at a "slightly" high speed (well, only about 10 ks over the speed limit..ahem..)as I was late for my appointment, when on the side of the road I saw a small Afrikaans family of hitch-hikers, consisting of a young couple & their baby...I sighed inwardly as I drove past them, as I didn't want to stop & get them, but I knew good & well that I was going to nonetheless..

I pulled over to the side of the road & put on my emergency lights..As they rather quickly walked up behind me, pushing their baby in a buggy, I could see that they were poorly dressed, slightly shabby looking, with a sort of stressed air about them--the wife in particular--as if they hadn't had much sleep the night before. The man explained that they were trying to go to a national hospital several kilometers up the road, but they didn't have a car, or cab fare to get there..When he asked me to open up the trunk so they could put the buggy in the back, I obliged..after noticing them struggle for a minute or 2, I rolled my eyes & wondered just how much later they were gonna make me.. After helping the wife & baby get into the back, the man got into the front passenger seat & off we went.

All my annoyance was gone in an instant, when the man explained to me after thanking me again & again, how his wife had fallen sick several days before & was experiencing shortness of breath & having trouble sleeping...but the reason they were going to the hospital was for their 6 month old baby, who was also sick (I can't remember with what)..He explained how they'd taken several trips to a government hospital as they couldn't afford a private doctor..He had no idea how he was going to get treatment for his wife, as they barely had enough money to get medicine for their baby..

As I drove on, we made small talk & I told him why I was in South Africa & that I was a missionary..I talked about my time in Nigeria & that I'd plans to go back there (which I did at the time)..He asked if I would take him with me & employ him as a missionary as well..

After only about 10 minutes we arrived at the hospital. When I pulled up at the entrance the man asked if I had any money I could give them towards medicines..I thought of Mari & how heroic she'd been in accommodating all the needs of her "weary-traveler-in-need" that Christmas.. But I actually hadn't brought money with me that morning, as it was to be a single-faceted visit with the immigration officer & then I'd be coming straight back to the mission...

"I don't have any money on me, but I believe in the power of prayer & I'd like to pray for your wife & baby before you go.."

I laid hands on the baby & mother & prayed a simple prayer asking for Jesus' miracle working power to not only heal them from what they were sick with, but to also provide for them in the myriad of ways that they needed..

I left them with the few gifts that I did have to give them, including a loaf of bread & some fruit that were in my car from the last food distribution I'd done, as well as a copy of the inspirational magazine meant for the appointment I was now late for..They received these gifts thankfully & I promised them I'd continue to pray for them, which I did both throughout the day, as well as during the months that followed whenever I thought about them..

As I drove on to my appointment, I realized the the frustrations I faced with my visa not being processed as I'd wanted, were nothing compared to the frustration this simple couple faced as they watched their child struggle with something they had no power to fix..

Apart from the reality check as to how blessed I really was, I also drove on with the feeling of happiness & relief that God had me be at that exact spot that morning, where I could be of assistance to that family in need & pass on a little bit of Mari's charitable Christmas spirit..

Let My Love Warm Your Christmas..

From Jesus, with Love..

No matter how down you may be--if you are out of work & have an empty wallet or bank account, if you're lonely or sick or have suffered personal loss, if war or hatred or injustice or others' indifference has chilled your heart--My love can change that. Let My birth & all that it heralded be remembered. Let My love fill you & give you purpose. Evils also plagued the world at the time of My birth & throughout My life on earth, but in the midst of such great darkness came the brightest light the world has ever known; amidst great suffering t...he greatest gift was given. My Father sent Me in the form of a weak & helpless baby to grow up & live as one of you & experience the same hurts you do, and to suffer at the hands of unjust men. I became one of you in order to save you.

Let the truth & love that I brought that first Christmas Day shine in your heart now. Let Me wipe away your fears & tears.

Let My love warm your Christmas.

Merry Christmas, everyone! ;)

Christmas kick-off..

So it's officially Christmas all over the world now, no doubt..

Here in the States, Christmas starts about a week before Thanksgiving..so we've already had @ 3 wks of Christmas decorations, carols, commercials (those r the most annoying)..

In any case, this beautiful story, signifies the Love & Spirit that embodies Christmas & for which Christmas was originally invented...Enjoy!

The SPARROW at STARBUCKS - The song that silenced the cappuccino machine.


It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the Starbucks shop on 51st Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times Square. Early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill of late December and January, but it's enough to send the masses crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth. For a musician, it's the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world, I'm told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your tunes right.

Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that night, because our basket was almost overflowing. It was a fun, low-pressure gig - I was playing keyboard and singing backup for my friend who also added rhythm with an arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop songs from the '40s to the '90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During our emotional rendition of the classic, "If You Don't Know Me by Now," I noticed a lady sitting in one of the lounge chairs across from me. She was swaying to the beat and singing along.

After the tune was over, she approached me. "I apologize for singing along on that song. Did it bother you?" she asked.


"No," I replied. "We love it when the audience joins in. Would you like to sing up front on the next selection?" To my delight, she accepted my invitation. "You choose," I said. "What are you in the mood to sing?"

"Well. ... do you know any hymns?" Hymns? This woman didn't know who she was dealing with. I cut my teeth on hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to church. I gave our guest singer a knowing look. "Name one."

"Oh, I don't know. There are so many good ones. You pick one."

"Okay," I replied. "How about 'His Eye is on the Sparrow'?"

My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. Then she fixed her eyes on mine again and said, "Yeah. Let's do that one." She slowly nodded her head, put down her purse, straightened her jacket and faced the center of the shop. With my two-bar setup, she began to sing, "Why should I be discouraged? Why should the shadows come?"

The audience of coffee drinkers was transfixed. Even the gurgling noises of the cappuccino machine ceased as the employees stopped what they were doing to listen. The song rose to its conclusion.

"I sing because I'm happy; I sing because I'm free. For His eye is on the sparrow And I know He watches me."

When the last note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening roar that would have rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed, the woman tried to shout over the din, "Oh, y'all go back to your coffee! I didn't come in here to do a concert! I just came in here to get somethin' to drink, just like you!"

But the ovation continued.. I embraced my new friend. "You, my dear, have made my whole year! That was beautiful!"

"Well, it's funny that you picked that particular hymn," she said.

"Why is that?"

"Well ." she hesitated again, "that was my daughter's favorite song."

"Really!" I exclaimed.

"Yes," she said, and then grabbed my hands. By this time, the applause had subsided and it was business as usual... "She was 16. She died of a brain tumor last week."

I said the first thing that found its way through my stunned silence. "Are you going to be okay?"
She smiled through tear-filled eyes and squeezed my hands. "I'm gonna be okay. I've just got to keep trusting the Lord and singing his songs, and everything's gonna be just fine."

She picked up her bag, gave me her card, and then she was gone.

Was it just a coincidence that we happened to be singing in that particular coffee shop on that particular November night? Coincidence that this wonderful lady just happened to walk into that particular shop? Coincidence that of all the hymns to choose from, I just happened to pick the very hymn that was the favorite of her daughter, who had died just the week before? I refuse to believe it.

God has been arranging encounters in human history since the beginning of time, and it's no stretch for me to imagine that he could reach into a coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an ordinary gig into a revival. It was a great reminder that if we keep trusting him and singing his songs, everything's gonna be okay.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use YOU, remember, Noah was a drunk, Abraham was too old, Isaac was a daydreamer, Jacob was a liar, Leah was ugly, Joseph was abused, Moses had a stuttering problem, Gideon was afraid, Samson had long hair and was a womanizer, Rahab was a prostitute, Jeremiah and Timothy were too young, David had an affair and was a murderer, Elijah was suicidal, Isaiah preached naked, Jonah ran from God, Peter denied Christ, The Disciples fell asleep while praying, And Lazarus was dead!

No more excuses now!! God can use you to your full potential. Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.