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..