CHILDREN'S FAITH- ДЕЧЈА ВЕРА

A woman saw a poor girl standing at the door of the church in the early morning. She was no more than eight years old. In her hand she held a piece of paper. She skittishly looked around, seemingly uncertain. «What are you doing here, my child?» the woman asked. The girl just lowered her head and did not give her an answer. Her eyes filled with tears. The woman caressed her hair and said softly that she should not be afraid. This was the house of God and of all people. Through her tears, the girl answered that she had written a letter to God asking to give them something to eat, they were very hungry. Her mother always told her that God listens to children’s prayers, and she was in a very tough place. Mom had been sick for a long time already, and since Dad worked construction and caught a bad cold, and he was now lying ill and could not earn anything. She had four younger sisters, and they do not have even a crust of bread to eat. Thus, she decided to pray to God because she did not know who else to turn to. The woman took the letter and noticed that it began with the words, written with an unskilled child’s hand, To Gracious God. The girl told her that she had seen people praying, but she didn’t know how to pray, so she only asked God to give food to her sisters and sick parents. She wanted to put her prayer stealthily in a box near the church door, from where, as she said, «God surely would receive her letter.» The woman asked the girl where she lived, and she took the letter and said that she would deliver it where needed. The girl happily ran home with the strong faith that the Lord would send them something. She sat next to the window, and without telling anyone what she had done, she waited for the postman until evening. That night, like her sisters, she lied in bed hungry. She clasped her tiny hands and from the bottom of her heart prayed that God respond to her as soon as possible, sending them something to eat. In the morning she ran up to the window, convinced that there she would find an answer from heaven. There was nothing in front of the window, so she peeked through the open door. There were two full sacks in front of the door (in one was flour, and in the other sugar), and a large basket full of various foods, fruits and cakes. At the top of the basket, there was a letter in which it was written that God sent it all, that they may have a joyful Christmas. Before lunch, a doctor came in, who was sent by that good woman, examined the patients and brought them medicine. In the afternoon they were visited by the gracious giver. She brought them money collected from her friends, to whom she had read the letter-prayer. Now, with their children’s stomachs full and no longer worried sick about how they would feed them, with medicine and better food, the parents soon after recovered their health and were able to earn a living for their family.

God does not need letters to be sent, but whole-hearted prayers. This girl prayed to the Lord as best she knew and as best she was able. To the child’s prayer, lifted up with firm faith, the Lord answered and provided help, through good people.

Једна жена је, пред вратима цркве у рано јутро, видела сиромашну девојчицу. Није јој било више од осам година. У руци је држала папир. Бојажљиво се освртала, у недоумици. „Шта ту радиш, дете моје?“ питала је жена. Девојчица је само сагла главу и ништа није одговорила. Очи су јој се напуниле сузама. Жена је помиловала по коси и благо рекла да не треба да се боји. Ово је кућа Божија и народна. Девојчица јој је кроз сузе одговорила да је написала писмо Богу, да им да нешто за јело, много су гладни. Говорила јој је мајка да Бог слуша молитве деце, а њој је много тешко. Мама је одавно болесна, а тата је радио на грађевини, много се прехладио, и лежи болестан, па не може ништа да заради. Има још четири млађе сестрице, а немају ни корицу хлеба. Зато је решила да моли Бога, јер не зна коме да се обрати. Жена узе писмо и виде да на почетку листа, исписаног невештом дечјом руком, пише: ,,Милостивоме Богу“. Девојчица јој исприча да је видела како се људи моле, али она не зна како да се моли, па је само замолила да Бог да храну њеним сестрицама и болесним родитељима. Хтела је своју молитву кришом да убаци у кутију која је близу црквених врата, одакле ће, како она рече: „ Бог сигурно примити њено писмо.“ Жена упита девојчицу где станује, па узе писмо и рече да ће га она предати где треба. Девојчица сва срећна отрча кући, са тврдом вером да ће им Господ нешто послати. Седе поред прозора, и ником не казујући шта је урадила, до вечери очекиваше поштара. Увече је гладна, као њене сестре, легла у постељу. Склопила је ручице и из свег срца се молила да јој Бог што пре одговори на писмо, шаљући им шта за јело. Ујутро је притрчала прозору, уверена да ће тамо наћи одговор с неба. Испред прозора није било ничега, па је провирила кроз одшкринута врата. Пред вратима су била два џака ( у једном је било брашно, а у другом шећер), и велика корпа пуна разноврсне хране, воћа и колача. На врху корпе је било писмо у којем је писало да јој Бог све ово шаље, да лепо проведу Божић. Пред ручак је дошао лекар, којег је послала она добра жена, прегледао је болеснике и донео им лекове. После подне их је посетила и добротворка. Она је донела новац сакупљен међу пријатељима, којима је прочитала писмо- молитву. Сада, када су им деца била сита, па се више нису изједали од бриге како ће да их нахране, уз лекове и бољу храну, родитељи су се опоравили и убрзо оздравили, па су могли да зарађују за живот.

Богу не треба слати писма, него срдачне молитве. Ова девојчица се молила Господу онако како је знала и умела. На дечију молитву, узесену са чврстом вером, Господ је одговорио и пружио помоћ, преко добрих људи.

"Children's Faith" in Orthodox Educational Magazine, Journal for kids issued by the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America, Number 1, January 2018.

This story was translated by dn Jovan Anicic from original text written by D.D in Belgrade 1912. Book ‘’Bakine Bozicne Price’’, published by Svetosavsko Zvonce, Belgrade 2015.

Illustration by Sara Ilic. Copyright Ⓒ Department of Christian Education of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America.

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