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A Piano In Answer to
the Children's Prayers
It is most natural for children reared in true Christian homes to
have faith in God, but for the dear little ones in the Children's
Homes in Havana it has not been so easy as most of these boys and
girls had never heard the name of Jesus except when used in
blasphemy, and they knew nothing about answered prayer. After being
in the Homes a few months and having attended the Church services
where they saw and heard for he first time in their little lives,
someone playing the piano, they had a great desire to have an
instrument in the Home. They had often talked about their desire and
when they understood enough about God, to know that He could and did
answer prayer, they began praying for a piano of their own. It
seemed they were never tired of reminding Him of this one thing they
desired. It was nearing their first Christmas in the Home and as I
saw them growing more earnest in their petitions, I asked the Lord
to some way take care of this thing in a way that would build up
their confidence in Him. Three days before Christmas a letter came
for us from a pastor of a congregation in the North and a check for
$70.00 was enclosed. The letter ran something like this "Dear Sister
Stewart, a few weeks ago, I announced in our Sunday School that on a
certain Sunday we were going to give a love offering to help make a
happy Christmas for the boys anal girls in the Children's Home in
Havana, and I asked that each eat bring a small offering. I thought
that in this way we would be able to send you a few dollars for
sweets for your large family. But imagine to my joy and surprise
when the offering was counted and we lacked only a few cents of
having $70. Someone at once put that in. So here is our gift and
remember this is definitely for Christmas for your children."
Many things were needed in the Home, but as I held that gift in my
hand, I lifted my heart to God for guidance and I knew that the Lord
was making possible the piano. I knelt down and earnestly talked
with the Lord about it. The following day, another letter came with
$35.00 and this also was a gift for our children's Christmas. This
second offering reached us about 9:30 a.m. on the 24th of December.
About 11 o'clock the same morning Brother Villafane, our pianist,
came hurrying in saying he could not stay long but that he had come
to speak with me about a piano. One of his music pupils, an American
lady about to return to the States, was selling out all her
belongings. He said she had a good piano, and he knowing that it was
worth much more than the $100.00 she was asking for it, felt he
could not hold back and see it go to someone else for he felt we
should have music in the Home for the children. I quickly asked how
much it would cost to move it out and was told it would cost $5.00.
God had sent the full amount, and not a penny more. That evening,
the piano was moved into the Home and the children were almost
overcome with joy when they really witnessed for the first time in
their lives a definite answer to their own prayers.
Praying For Cows
The boys and girls in the orphanage were not having the amount of
milk they really needed to build up their little bodies as it was
impossible to secure the amount needed out where we lived. Many of
them scarcely knew what milk was before coming to us and they could
not seem to get enough to satisfy them. We had been trying to get
them to the place where they would really listen attentively to the
reading of the Scriptures and try to understand what was being read.
One evening one of the older girls (in her early teens) was reading
the Scripture lesson in the worship period. She had chosen the
fiftieth Psalm and was reading the 10th verse when a boy of possibly
ten years of age, sprang from his seat and called out, "on how many
hills?" I at once caught the inspiration of the child and asked
Rafaela to slowly read the last verse over. She read again "for
every beast of the forest is mine, and tile cattle on a thousand
hills" (this is verse 10). As he caught the words, his eyes grew
wide with wonder and his innermost thoughts came out. "Oh, oh, and
can't He give us some?" Another caught the thought and turned to me
with a pointed question. 'Grandmother! (this is what the children in
the Home call me) if we are good children and we pray will God not
give us some of those cows?" (Oh, for the simple faith of a child.)
I could only answer, "I believe He will."
They began praying with all the earnestness of their souls and they
did not grow weary at praying as older folks often do, but they kept
right at it. At last their childish faith conquered. A letter came
from a Christian brother in a far-off State, bringing a good
offering and saying that he was thinking about the children in the
Homes and wondered if we had our own cows. He continued saying that
if we did have, then we could use the offering for whatever else was
needed, but if we did not have, then we should buy two cows. We
called the children in and had a thanksgiving service, praising God
for answering the children's prayers again, and then sent two men
out into the country to buy the cows. Two good cows were bought, one
with a calf. These reached their new home one morning during school
hours, and were first brought through the front gate of the
institution. As the cows called out their first greeting to the
children. Every eye was turned in the direction from whence it came,
and as soon as the boys saw the lovely animals, they forgot all
about lessons and to the amazement of the teacher, they jumped over
desks and took a short cut out to where the cows were waiting.
School was dismissed for the day, as that was the greatest day the
children had ever known and we did not want to quench their happy
spirit. Later in the day, when the fever of their joy had worn off,
we called them all together and again read the precious Psalm (that
many of them call the "cow Psalm"). Then together we worshipped the
Lord and praised Him for answered prayer.
Praying for Meat... When God Speaks, the Answer Must Come.
During the First World War, I was engaged in missionary work in far
off dark India. Although I was active in general mission work my
principal responsibility was in connection with orphanage work. A
girls' home was first opened and some years later a similar home was
founded for boys. During my first years there, although I was then
connected with the Church of God missionary board whose headquarters
are in Anderson, Indiana; and although they did at times send a
little help for the work, yet during the first nine years of my
labours in that field, our work was carried on by faith as the board
assumed no responsibility in the financing of the work I was doing.
They only sent in a brotherly way, what they could from time to
time. Our experiences were so great and the many answers to prayer
so marvelous, that I could write volumes and not tell it all. During
those years we frequently had to say as did the Psalmist of old,
"The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof I am glad."
However, I am not going to use much time or space telling of what
great things He did for us twenty or thirty years ago but since He
is "just the same today," I shall confine the testimonies of this
book mainly to the manifestations of God's power in recent years. In
this chapter for children, I am going to use an incident that
happened in the work there, especially where His love and His care
for His "little lambs" was so clearly manifested.
At one time, during the war, it was very difficult to get meat, and
at one time the girls in the Home got very hungry for meat. Knowing
as they did that those years of war brought on us what we did not
have before, they said nothing to me or the other workers about
their great desire to have meat, but a group of the older ones (then
from 10 to 14 years of age) got together and went far out from the
house under the shade trees and there they had a good prayer
meeting, laying their desires right out before their heavenly Father
in full confidence that he would grant their petition. Later, in
telling me all about it, they said they at first had asked the Lord
to send either money or meat, but after considering it awhile, one
of them said to the other, "but girls if God sends money, Mama will
not know it is for meat when there are so many needs, and she will
surely buy something else with it." So they went in prayer again and
asked the Lord not to send money, but to please send meat. I knew
nothing about this simple, childish prayer, but I did know that for
two days the girls kept right up around the house. Many times during
these days I urged them to go out under the shade where it was
cooler, but to no avail. About noon of the second day (after they
had prayed) a man came to the home with a large basket of meat on
his head. A note was brought from the sender telling me that the
meat was for the children in the Home. The girls were even then on
the back verandah listening to what the man was saying and by the
time I got the meat back to them, they were simply overcome with the
great joy that filled their young hearts as they realized their
prayer was fully answered. I rejoiced with them, and we mingled our
tears of gratitude together and adored our Saviour and Friend, as
they related to me their experience of taking their desire before
the Lord and then waiting for the promised answer. The following
day, I called on Mrs. White, the lady who had been used of God to
help answer the children's prayer. As I related to her how earnestly
they had prayed, and how they had waited the two days in full
assurance of faith, she wept bitter tears and said, "Miss Stewart, I
am so ashamed of myself," and she continued saying that they (her
family) had two sheep, and cared much for them, and that just two
days before she had sent the meat, God had spoken clearly to her,
telling her to have a certain one of these sheep butchered and to
send the meat over to the Girls' Home. She told bow she had refused
to do so, and that on the following morning when she went out to
open the door of the little house where the sheep were kept, she
found the very one God had called for, dead on the floor. At once,
she was convinced that God had taken the animal because she had
withheld it, and refused to obey Him. So at once, she and her
husband called a butcher asking him to kill and dress the meat of
the other sheep so that it could be sent to the Children's Home.
Thus God again proved His faithfulness in answering payer, although
it had only been children who had their desires before the Lord. Has
He not promised, "the desire of the righteous shall be granted?"
Yes, thank God, and even children can love and serve the Lord and
can get their prayers through and have them answered. And if prayer
is sometimes delayed in its answer, never cast away your confidence,
for "though it tarry, wait for it, for it shall surely come,"
Habakkuk 2:3.
God Answers Prayer--And Stays the Rain
It was a Saturday morning, and everything in the Children's Home in
India was in commotion. It had been definitely planned to take lunch
and go to the riverside that afternoon, letting the children have a
good time out in the open air. They were so happy about it all. But
it was understood the work must all be done up nicely before
going--so they were doing their very best. Everyone who was large
enough was putting their strength right into the work, and planning
on a wonderful time that afternoon.
No sooner was dinner over, than the clouds began to gather and the
sky darkened. Then the rain began to fall. What a disappointment it
was to all. But these dear children had before this learned that God
was their Father, and also that He definitely answers prayer--for
those who trust in Him. It was not many moments until the children
themselves had a conference, and then away they went, some to one
bedroom and some to another. They began praying, but every few
moments some child would slip out on the verandah to look up at the
sky to see if it was clearing. And sure enough, the rain suddenly
stopped, and then although the sky was still dark, the faith of
these children could not be daunted. God, their Father, had answered
their prayers and stopped the rain, and could they not trust Him to
finish what He had begun? They insisted that it would not rain and
began getting ready. So we honored their faith, and started.
However, at that time we had a sister missionary from another part
of India visiting in the Home, and she took her umbrella with her.
The children remonstrated, but her faith was not equal to the test.
The children, knowing they had asked "in faith" for God to clear the
day so they could go, and He had stopped the rain, they were certain
He would not then disappoint them. Why should anyone take with them
something to protect them against the rain--just as if they did not
expect a full answer. (This is the way the most of God's grown up
children do.)
The riverside was soon reached and oh, what a joyful time they all
had! They played and sang had their lunch and near night they all
returned to the Home. Not a drop of rain had fallen during all that
time, giving them a happy afternoon in answer to prayer. But just as
they entered the Home the rain began pouring down and it rained all
that night. This was even more convincing to the children that God
had in His plan an afternoon of rain, but He held it back in answer
to their childish prayer of faith.
What a lesson to these dear little ones. They could never forget it,
and it was deeply engraved on the tables of their hearts that God
loves to answer prayer. This should be a lesson to the Lord's BIG
children also, and we should all take Him at His Word, rest on His
promises, and honor Him by asking largely that our joy may be full,
and also that His dear name may be lifted up among the people.
God Can Answer Prayer or He Can Withhold
During my years in Mission Work in India we had some marvelous
experiences in God's dealings with us in the children's work, and I
am writing his experience for the benefit of little children
everywhere. God is not only the God of the older folks, but He is
just as truly FATHER GOD to all the little children who love Him and
trust Him. But it is absolutely necessary for children (as well as
older ones) to keep their little hearts and lives clean if they want
God to answer their prayers.
What I am going to write about now contains TWO precious lessons for
all the dear boys and girls who shall read this chapter. My prayer
for you is that God will bless and help each one to understand both
these lessons, and your lives will be richer and fuller if you do.
In the Girls' Home in India the children soon learned that God was
their Father, and that He loves them and would answer their prayers.
They usually loved to pray and ask Him for the things they
needled--and they just expected to get them in answer to their
prayers, for He had answered them so many times.
One day a group of them came to me asking if I thought God would
send them a lot of candy if they were to ask Him--for they said they
really were hungry for some good candy. This was during the First
World War, and things were very hard with us, and naturally we could
not afford to buy this for so many children. They feared that since
it was something they did not really need, He might not answer their
prayers. God reminded me of the verse that says, "Delight thyself
also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart"
Psalm 37:4. 1 reminded them of the verse and had them memorize it,
for their own use. At last their faith was lifted up, and they went
in payer for the candy. They prayed earnestly and believed, and in a
few days they were not at all surprised when a big car drove in
front of the Home, and a gentleman came in saying that his young
daughters were just home from boarding school, and that they had
been making some good candies, and had brought them over for the
children. We did not know this family before but God did know them,
and had used them to answer the prayer of the children. And what a
large amount they had brought! Oh, what a happy time they did have
and how they did enjoy those sweets. First, naturally, because they
were so delicious. But that was not all. These children had learned
to love the Lord so much, and knowing He had heard their payers and
had sent them, made them so happy while they were eating them. They
really did thank the Lord for this lovely gift.
But after this entire beautiful lesson in faith was learned, they
had a very hard experience as the devil tried to spoil it all for
them. At the time the wonderful treat of sweets was brought to the
Home, two of the teachers were away and their sweets were put on a
plate, and placed on the table in the workers dining room. When the
teachers returned they were told about the visitors, and what they
had brought, and that their portion was kept in the dining room for
them, they were so thankful and hurriedly went to get the sweets.
But to our amazement, there wee NO sweets for them. The plate was
there--but it was empty. What a surprise! Knowing that no one else
had entered the home, we rang the bell and called the children all
together and tried to find out who was guilty of stealing someone
else's candy. No one confessed—all said they knew nothing about it.
A gloom and sadness settled down over the Home, for TRUTH had been
held at a high standard there. Days passed, and at last with the
heavy work that always belonged to the Institution, and other things
that naturally came with each passing day, many forgot this incident
of "the stolen sweets," but a few of us could not forget it and
prayed earnestly that a lifetime lesson would be brought to the
children in some way. Covered sin grieves God, and too, He has said
"to be sure your sin will find you out," and this is true. Sin just
cannot be long covered.
One day we found the food supplies were very short, and by the
evening meal there was only about half enough, and although we
prayed, God did not send any more. This condition continued for four
days, each day just enough food coming for the smallest children to
have their full supply, but for the others a very skimp supply,
until they were really hungry. This had never happened before in the
Home. We prayed, but we knew something was hindering.
The climax came on a Sunday afternoon. We knew the children were
hungry, and oh, how we suffered in realizing this, but our great
burden was for God to clear the spiritual sky in the Home as we knew
prayer had not gone through. That evening after the smaller ones
were tucked in bed, all the others gathered in the living room, and
as I sat there in a low chair, most of the girls were sitting on the
floor, Indian fashion. I talked heart to heart to them, and told
them we knew God was withholding and that there must be a real heart
searching to find out who was guilty. As I talked on, one dear girl
about 10 years old, broke up in the deep of her little heart, and
arose and said, "Oh, pray for me--I am the guilty one. I stole those
sweets long ago, and hid them and ate them. No one else had anything
to do with it. I have suffered so much seeing you all suffer, and
now I must confess my sin. Do forgive me, and pray for me."
What a breaking we did have, and how God did bless in that season of
prayer. As we finished, and this dear girl gave a clear testimony of
God's pardon we all went to bed, satisfied that God would now
answer. Early the next morning the postman brought the mail, and one
letter had a good supply of money. Oh, praise God, He does not fail!
But imagine our surprise when we saw by the postmarks, that the
letter had been in that Post Office just four days. God had kept it
hidden, or in some way kept it from coming through--until the sin
was out of the way. Then He quickly got it on its way, and supplied
all the needs.
My dear children who are reading this--remember always that God
cannot bless when you try to cover sin. Always be open hearted and
sincere, and then when you have a need you can, with pure hearts
call on God for help, and He will answer. From that day, we
frequently heard the children speak of this incident, and of how
necessary it was for them always to do the right if they wanted God
to help them in time of need. So God taught us two very precious
lessons through this experience.
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