I began to write the names with my pen. A little girl came
over to where I was sitting. She began to read Psalms 45:1, "My
heart is inditing a good matter, I speak of the things which I have
made touching the King, my tongue is the pen of a ready writer."
As she finished reading the verse her eyes lifted from the
page and she said, "This is what you are doing for Christmas, the
pen of a ready writer." I asked her what she wanted for Christmas.
With a smile on her face she replied, "A 101 Dalmatian outfit."
She looked at me in confidence and put her arms around my neck. I
continued my task of listing names and Christmas requests. Two
sisters wanted white Bibles with their names on them. An elderly
woman wanted a small sweat shirt. And these names and request
went on the lists.
I saw a 12 year old boy sitting over by himself. He, like all
the others, had been here before. I asked him, "What do you want
for Christmas?" The boy who answered was not a little boy any
longer. These are the words he said to me, "Let one of the smaller
kids have my gift."
We try to teach these kids how to be like Jesus. I looked at
hime with pride. He was so willing to give up something for himself
so that someone else might have a Christmas gift. He gave with a
willing heart. This mature young boy will go a long way in this
life and in the life to come. I added his name to our list. As I
thought of Abel and how the Lord had respect for his gift, which
was given from a willing heart.
I took a keep breath and looked into the eyes of a 4 year old
girl. Her eyes were crossed, hair unevenly cut, and her shoes on
the wrong feet. Her front teeth were gone from lack of proper
diet. Her tongue was between her missing teeth trying to hide the
gap. I asked her what she wanted for Christmas. She told me in a
stuttering voice, "A Barbie doll" and I added the doll to the
Christmas list. I picked her up in my arms and she kissed me on
the cheek. A tear-drop slowly ran down my face. Where is it said
that men don't cry?
When you read this story it will be December 11. We at the
Upper Room Mission, along with all of the volunteers, are hard at
work trying to get things in order that we will have a good
Christmas party. At this point there are 10 days before December
21. We will need groups to help us with food for our Christmas
baskets.