Subject: The Faith Of A Child
From: Unicorn (unicorn@indenial.com)
Date: Mon Jul 01 2002 - 13:34:35 EDT
"The Faith Of A Child"
Tess was a precocious eight years old when she heard her Mom and Dad
talking about her little brother, Andrew. All she knew was that he was
very sick and they were completely out of money. They were moving to
an apartment complex next month because Daddy didn't have the money
for the doctor bills and their house. Only a very costly surgery could
save him now and it was looking like there was no one to loan them
the money. She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered
desperation, "Only a miracle can save him now."
Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding
place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and
counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly
perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins
back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back
door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the
big red Indian Chief sign above the door.
She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention
but he was too intently talking to another man to be bothered by
an eight year old at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a
scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting
sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from
her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!
"And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone
of voice. "I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't
seen in ages," he said without waiting for a reply to his question.
"Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered
back in the same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick ...
and I want to buy a miracle."
"I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist.
"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside
his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now.
So how much does a miracle cost?"
"We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help
you." the pharmacist said, softening a little.
"Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough,
I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs."
The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down
and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does you brother need?"
"I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up. "I just know
he's really sick and Mommy says he needs a operation. But my
Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money.
"How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago.
"One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audibly.
"And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to."
"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven
cents-the exact price of a miracle for little brothers."
He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped
her little hand and said "Take me to where you live. I want to see
your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of
miracle you need."
That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon,
specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without
charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.
Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had
led them to this place. "That surgery," her mom whispered. "was a real
miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?"
Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost... one dollar
and eleven cents.
...plus the faith of a little child.
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