In
1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of
Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in the
public schools. They were invited to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and
police departments and a large orphanage. About 100 boys and girls who had been
abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government-run program were in the
orphanage. They relate the following story in their own words:
It
was nearing the holiday season, 1994, time for our orphans to hear, for the
first time, the traditional story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and
Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a
stable, where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger.
Throughout
the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened.
Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. Completing
the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude
manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had
brought with me. No colored paper was available in the city.
Following
instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the
manger for straw. Small squares of flannel, cut from a worn-out nightgown an
American lady was throwing away as she left Russia, were used for the baby's
blanket. A doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought from the United
States.
The
orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they
needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat.
He looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project. As I looked at
the little boy's manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the
manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two
babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this
completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously.
For
such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the
happenings accurately--until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus
in the manger. Then Misha started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the
story as he said, "And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked
at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no mamma and I
have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay
with him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give him
like everybody else did.
But
I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I
could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good
gift. So I asked Jesus, "If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough
gift?" And Jesus told me, "If you keep me warm, that will be the best
gift anybody ever gave me." "So I got into the manger, and then Jesus
looked at me and he told me I could stay with him---for always." As little
Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his
little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and
his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found someone
who would never abandon nor abuse him, someone who would stay with him-FOR
ALWAYS.
I've
learned that it's not what you have in your life, but WHO you have in your life
that counts.
"Be
joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is
God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (I Thessalonians 5:16-18).