Friday, May 10, 2013

Along Came an Angel

“Did Burger King marry Dairy Queen?” asked a five year old girl.
“Yes, they did,” the father answered with sincere smile. 
He was not teaching her, but learning from her.

Most kids still believe Santa Clause, miracles and angels.
I envy them.

Then I met a few pastors who are still believers of miracles and angels. 

This is a story about their experience of meeting the answers of the prayers and an angel.

In August 8, 2009 a powerful typhoon hit Taiwan and caused the now infamous “88 Flood” (88水災.)  A few local pastors near Chia-yi County by the Ali Mountain worked with the locals and the aboriginals to save lives and provided food and shelters during that critical time.  At that time the daily afternoon summer thunder storms became a real threat to their effort of securing the paths along the hills.  These Presbyterian pastors decided to get together and asked God to stop the northwestern thunder storms (西北雨) from certain periods of time for certain villages, between 2 PM and 4 PM, and they got their prayers answered.  They secretly told me afterward, that it was hard to believe…

Jesus said, Let the little ones come to me, and do not keep them away: for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt 19:14)

Then they have new challenges.  One church has provided a semi-furnished building as settlement for aboriginals (原住民安置所) who lost their shelters during the flood.  Another church out-reach institution also provided the mustard seeds for them to grow and make some profits.  But where is the needed fund?  Not enough.  Again, they turned to God.

***

All fish were born swimming. 
All angels were created flying. 
But Mr. C that I have known for more than forty years is a new kind of angel.  He walks down to the earth like most of us.  He worked his way up.  Fortunately for many, when he retired, he becomes a head of a foundation which provides charity funds to many non-for-profit organizations all over Taiwan and beyond.

Then on one occasion, Mr. C met these pastors unexpectedly.  They ate simple meals and talked, and he listened with great interest.  And Mr. C was touched with their efforts to give helping hands to the less fortunate.   They stated the situations, and he answered with promises.
 
As all angels, Mr. C kept his promises.

Mr. C once asked me how to pray.  “Use your heart, not your words. God would understand you completely,” I said.  

He did.  And God seemed to understand him too.

Along came an angel, or angels, flying or walking, unexpected, but not surprised. 

God bless them all.