ArchiveHotWaterBottleandBabyDolls

BABY DOLLS & HOT WATER BOTTLES

    This inspiring story was passed on to me by my husband who found it when a woman in his post-polio support group sent it to him. I almost passed it over as a candidate for subject matter because, at the beginning of the story, was only a brief statement that it had been written by “a doctor who worked in South Africa”, so I was to unable verify its truthfulness.

   But this story would not leave me alone. When I saw that it simply had to be told, urban legend though it might be, I decided to pass it on and give it even more exposure via the internet.

   I can tell you that reading it gave me motivation to be persistent in praying that God would enable us to keep the faith promise we made for missions this year.
(According to the General Council of the Assemblies of God Churches, A faith promise is a goal or pledge that a person sets between themselves and God; it is based on what God can do, not what the individual can do in their own ability.)

   3/17/07 As you can see, we were finally able to track down the author of this article. We continue to try to reach her. To find out more about Helen Roseveare click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Roseveare

   The version given here retains all the facts of the original, but has been edited for clarity. Certain portions of the story were eliminated, while others were rearranged and expanded. - by Sharon A. Singer

“Before they call, I will answer;” (Isaiah 65:24 -NIV)

by Helen Roseveare

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Roseveare

   One night I had worked hard to help a mother in labor, but - in spite of all - she died, leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a forlorn two-year-old, crying for her mother. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly. It would be difficult to keep this newborn alive, as we had no incubator, or special feeding equipment, primarily because there was no electricity.

   One student midwife went for the small box that we kept for such babies; another to stoke up the fire and get water to fill a hot water bottle to place in the box. She came back shortly to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst. “And it’s our last hot water bottle!” she lamented. (Unfortunately this kind of event was all too common here - rubber perishes easily in this tropical climate.)

   “All right,” I said, “your job is to keep the baby warm. Put him as close to the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep him free from drafts.”

   The following afternoon I went to have prayers with the orphanage children. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about, including the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the broken hot water bottle, and that the baby could easily die if it got a chill. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because she wanted her mother.

   During prayer time, Ruth, a ten-year-old girl, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of African children: “Please, God, send us a hot water bottle today. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead by then. So please send it this afternoon.” I gasped at the audacity of the prayer. Then she quickly added, “And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl, so she'll know You really love her?”

   I was put on the spot, as I often am with these children’s prayers. I wondered if I could I say “Amen” to this? Honestly, I just did not believe that God would do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do anything; the Bible says so. But it seemed to me that the only way God could possibly answer this prayer would be to have someone send me a parcel from the homeland, which was highly unlikely. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never yet received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did, who would think to put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!

   While I was teaching in the nurses’ training school later that afternoon a message arrived that there was a car at my front door. By the time I was able to get there the car had gone, but there on the verandah sat a large cardboard box -! I felt tears stinging my eyes.

   I simply could not bring myself to open the parcel alone, so I sent for the children to share this moment. When they all arrived there were thirty or forty pairs of eyes fixed on that box. The excitement mounted as we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot.

   I first lifted out some brightly colored jerseys which I immediately gave out to each of them, and then they turned back expectantly to the box. Then out came some knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children began to look a little bored. After that we pulled out a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - which they all agreed would make a nice batch of buns for the weekend. All eyes fixed on the box yet again.

   I put my hand into the box one more time and took hold of something that felt vaguely familiar. My heart began to pound as I felt the…could it really be? Yes - unbelievably it was a brand new hot water bottle!

   I couldn’t help myself; I began to cry. At the same time I felt shame wash over me because I had been afraid to ask this of God. Truthfully, I had not even believed that He would do such a thing.

   Ruth quickly rushed forward crying out, “If God has sent the water bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!” She rummaged down to the bottom of the box and triumphantly pulled out a small, beautifully-dressed doll. In her innocence she had never once doubted! With eyes shining she looked up at me and begged, “Please, can I go to give this dolly to that little girl? Now she’ll know that Jesus really does love her!”

   I agreed that she had earned this joyful errand, and quickly ushered her out the door. All the other girls followed after her.

   After everyone left I stood there, thinking about how long that parcel must have been on its way to us. The shipping label stated that the items had been sent by my former Sunday school class, whose new leader had heard God’s prompting. Further, they had perfectly obeyed, to the extent of sending a hot water bottle to the equator, which must have made no sense to them at all. Even more, someone had put in a hot water bottle for an unknown African child - one who was barely in the womb when that box had been placed in the mail. I marveled at the way God had responded to the believing prayer of an innocent child, to “bring it that very afternoon,” more than 5 months before it would be desperately needed. And amazingly, He even thought of the baby doll!


	A 'Small Things' guest Editorial April !5, 2007 BABY DOLLS & HOT WATER BOTTLES This inspiring story was passed on to me by my husband who found it when a woman in his post-polio support group sent it to him. I almost passed it over as a candidate for subject matter because, at the beginning of the story, was only a brief statement that it had been written by “a doctor who worked in South Africa”, so I was to unable verify its truthfulness. But this story would not leave me alone. When I saw that it simply had to be told, urban legend though it might be, I decided to pass it on and give it even more exposure via the internet. I can tell you that reading it gave me motivation to be persistent in praying that God would enable us to keep the faith promise we made for missions this year. (According to the General Council of the Assemblies of God Churches, A faith promise is a goal or pledge that a person sets between themselves and God; it is based on what God can do, not what the individual can do in their own ability.) 3/17/07 As you can see, we were finally able to track down the author of this article. We continue to try to reach her. To find out more about Helen Roseveare click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Roseveare The version given here retains all the facts of the original, but has been edited for clarity. Certain portions of the story were eliminated, while others were rearranged and expanded. - by Sharon A. Singer “Before they call, I will answer;” (Isaiah 65:24 -NIV) by Helen Roseveare http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Roseveare One night I had worked hard to help a mother in labor, but - in spite of all - she died, leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a forlorn two-year-old, crying for her mother. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly. It would be difficult to keep this newborn alive, as we had no incubator, or special feeding equipment, primarily because there was no electricity. One student midwife went for the small box that we kept for such babies; another to stoke up the fire and get water to fill a hot water bottle to place in the box. She came back shortly to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst. “And it’s our last hot water bottle!” she lamented. (Unfortunately this kind of event was all too common here - rubber perishes easily in this tropical climate.) “All right,” I said, “your job is to keep the baby warm. Put him as close to the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep him free from drafts.” The following afternoon I went to have prayers with the orphanage children. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about, including the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the broken hot water bottle, and that the baby could easily die if it got a chill. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because she wanted her mother. During prayer time, Ruth, a ten-year-old girl, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of African children: “Please, God, send us a hot water bottle today. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead by then. So please send it this afternoon.” I gasped at the audacity of the prayer. Then she quickly added, “And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl, so she'll know You really love her?” I was put on the spot, as I often am with these children’s prayers. I wondered if I could I say “Amen” to this? Honestly, I just did not believe that God would do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do anything; the Bible says so. But it seemed to me that the only way God could possibly answer this prayer would be to have someone send me a parcel from the homeland, which was highly unlikely. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never yet received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did, who would think to put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator! While I was teaching in the nurses’ training school later that afternoon a message arrived that there was a car at my front door. By the time I was able to get there the car had gone, but there on the verandah sat a large cardboard box -! I felt tears stinging my eyes. I simply could not bring myself to open the parcel alone, so I sent for the children to share this moment. When they all arrived there were thirty or forty pairs of eyes fixed on that box. The excitement mounted as we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. I first lifted out some brightly colored jerseys which I immediately gave out to each of them, and then they turned back expectantly to the box. Then out came some knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children began to look a little bored. After that we pulled out a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - which they all agreed would make a nice batch of buns for the weekend. All eyes fixed on the box yet again. I put my hand into the box one more time and took hold of something that felt vaguely familiar. My heart began to pound as I felt the…could it really be? Yes - unbelievably it was a brand new hot water bottle! I couldn’t help myself; I began to cry. At the same time I felt shame wash over me because I had been afraid to ask this of God. Truthfully, I had not even believed that He would do such a thing. Ruth quickly rushed forward crying out, “If God has sent the water bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!” She rummaged down to the bottom of the box and triumphantly pulled out a small, beautifully-dressed doll. In her innocence she had never once doubted! With eyes shining she looked up at me and begged, “Please, can I go to give this dolly to that little girl? Now she’ll know that Jesus really does love her!” I agreed that she had earned this joyful errand, and quickly ushered her out the door. All the other girls followed after her. After everyone left I stood there, thinking about how long that parcel must have been on its way to us. The shipping label stated that the items had been sent by my former Sunday school class, whose new leader had heard God’s prompting. Further, they had perfectly obeyed, to the extent of sending a hot water bottle to the equator, which must have made no sense to them at all. Even more, someone had put in a hot water bottle for an unknown African child - one who was barely in the womb when that box had been placed in the mail. I marveled at the way God had responded to the believing prayer of an innocent child, to “bring it that very afternoon,” more than 5 months before it would be desperately needed. And amazingly, He even thought of the baby doll! The Truth: http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/h/hotwaterbottle.htm This story originates from Helen Roseveare, a missionary from Northern Ireland. TruthOrFiction.com tracked her down and she told us this story is true and that she included it in her book "Living Faith." She has written about the revival that took place in the 1950's in what was then the Belgian Congo. She has been associated with WEC (World Evangelization for Christ).
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