THE ORPHAN.
This story happened overseas, not in the United States.
This story is about a child who was born an orphan, but when he grew up he was born again in Christ, so he became a Christian. This story happened overseas, not in the U.S.
Long ago, I used to volunteer giving charity for the homeless, humans and animals in need. We were a group of Christians gathering food, clothing and other items at a local hospital or church or humane society. In my childhood, my dear mother used to do the same kind of charity for the ones in need. She had a big heart for the needy ones.
Gazing upon a nostalgic horizon, I recall to have helped a small hungry man in his 40´s, who was skin and bones. I offered him meals at home and also clothing to keep him warm from the cold weather. He spent time with my family at table in many occasions. He was grateful to us, so he began to tell us that he was born an orphan and he grew up in an orphanage as a little child.
His mother had left him at a hospital when he was born. So, born with an abnormal palate and leporim lips, he was unable to swallow milk or other fluids normally, for they came out through his nostrils. He had hard times with breathing as well. He would tell me his old tales with his funny voice many years later. Just for the grace of God, this orphan baby had been saved thanks the kind hearted nurses at the orphanage and hospital. I think those nurses were instruments of God. God´s will was to save that baby orphan. I noticed that he would smile most of the time as a grown up and showed a positive attitude even in nasty living conditions. Perhaps, he may have smiled as a baby too, and might have won the people´s hearts with his lovely smile. I am just wondering...
His name is Horace. He lived with so many other orphan children like himself. At the age of 5, he was sent to another orphanage for adoption. This child would wait for a good caring and loving home. People do not even realize what it would be like living behind those walls, I guess. Telling the story in a nutshell, in brief, his life had always been at stake, in a verge of ending at the hands of careless evil doers. In other words, his life was not touched by many blessings, but much suffering to bear instead.
To his misfortune, he was adopted at the age of 7 by cruel farmers who made him work so hard out in the fields as a little slave. Other farmers had also done the same kind of cruel practices with other orphans and homeless children. They only adopted them from the orphanage to abuse them in slavery. Other corrupted and perverted folks even used them as beggars in the streets or used them for even worse indicent practices for their own profits. I know that these things might happen in other parts of the world. It really hurts to know that these things happen. How could humans be so cruel?? I wonder...
Going back to the story, those cruel people had not sent him to school, neither care for the boy´s well-being. So, he turned to be illiterate at that point in time. They often beated the poor child if he would not obey to work harder. The poor child ended up running away to a much bigger farm in another town, for he would have no other choice. He had left riding a horse out in the field. He would soon turn to become a real expert in horseback riding. He would become a jockey for a short while later on.
The people in the new farm were wealthy, kind and warm hearted. They helped him survive bad storms in his childhood and in his early teens. He would even be able to go to school for a while there in town, so that he would learn how to read and write a little bit. Years later, when the boy would be in his early 20´s, the wealthy lady would pay for his oral surgery and recovery in hospital. Soon after he got better, he would leave the farm lifestyle and go into a big city where he would remain for the rest of his life. This orphan child in this tale would become a grown up man for the grace of God. He indeed survived, although he would remain very thin, just skin and bones, throughout his entire life due to malnutrition during his early stages of his childhood.
One day, I met him over 20 years ago in a big city. I felt compassion in my heart for the way he looked like, so thin and starved looking man. He was working very hard in a small local supermarket doing the cleaning in the afternoon. The big city was overcrowded with all kind of things, but he would prefer the city life over the rural one.
I was back then, shopping and buying some groceries there, and coming back home from a multinational company which had hired English teachers overseas. Our job was providing training and teaching American English to executives (CEO). I met some wonderful American teachers overseas. I gently spoke to the man in this story, and he would listen to me. Since then on, we established a friendship bond. I began to talk to him about God, and God´s plan in his life.
I sent him food, clothing and other kind of help in any way I could. Poverty is very hard to endure in such heartless terms. He has remained skin and bones, but he is always grateful to the Lord, and often shows the best of his loving smiles in return of kindness. He told me that he was born again in Christ. He went to a Church to speak with the Priest because he wanted to be baptized. His life would change afterwards. Horace has become a Christian. Praise the Lord!!
He has grown older, but I am truly glad that I have met him. He has been an inspiration in my life. We praise the Lord in all circumstances. This is a true and touching story.
Let us pray...
We often patiently go about the daily routines of life. Perhaps, we are waiting for God to reveal a more exciting plan for our lives. Ask God to show you the potential for even this time of seeming insignificance to become meaningful and effective service for Him. God can make every passage of life worthwhile.
Dear Lord, please shape me, mold me, let me become the person you want it me to be, in order to serve You more deeply. Thank You for forgiving my sins, dear Lord!! I am waiting to hear Your voice in my heart. Please, show me the way, Lord. Thank You for listening to our prayers!! AMEN.
In God´s Garden,
Starry Dawn.
The Links for all My Blogs are:
http://www.thanksforthegiftoflife.blogspot.com/
http://www.findthewayinyourlife.blogspot.com/
http://www.larosaenelvientodeltiempo.blogspot.com/
http://www.sissyladoncelladelalba.blogspot.com/
