IT WAS A hot day in India. Day after day the sun had burned down unmercifully. The wheat was parched, not a drop of rain came nor was there any cool breeze to bring relief.
It was early morning and Juanita was holding her infant baby girl in her arms. Wearily she stroked its tiny face, while her other little girl lay on a rude cot too weak to cry. Her big dark eyes looked pleadingly up to her mother for help.
In depair poor Junita got up and facing the east she prayed: "0 Krishna, hear my cry. Send something for my babies and me to eat; please, Krishna, send us water to drink before we die in this heat." But no answer came, and in despair the poor little mother's arms dropped to her side. Then she went about trying to make her babies as comfortable as she could.
Suddenly she remembered what the American missionary had taught her, of the one true God, and His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, and promised rest for the weary. Jesus had said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28). In her despair Juanita cried out again, "O God of the missionary, if it is true that Thou art alive and care, please help me and send us something to eat."
At the same time, at the mission station not far away, Miss White, the missionary, was just sitting down to her simple breakfast. Her Indian servant and friend had just baked her a large pancake in the outdoor open kitchen.
"It will be very hot again today, Naidi," said Miss White, and how my heart goes out to the poor people who are suffering so from this drought."
Now there are lots of big black crows in India and when they are hungry they often fly around the homes and villages looking for something to eat. Just at this moment one big crow suddenly swooped down and seized the pancake meant for Miss White. Before any one could stop him he flapped his big wings and flew away.
Moments later Juanita, who had just prayed to God for the first time, saw a big crow flying toward her shack with something in his beak. He dropped whatever it was he had and then perching on the fence he cawed loudly, just as crows do. What do you suppose he had dropped? Yes, it was a pancake! The living God had heard Juanita's cry.
Several days later Miss White saw a small thin figure coming towards the mission station. She had a baby in her arms and held another little girl by the hand. It was Juanita. Arriving at the gate she would have fallen had not Miss White and her servant helped her. They took her to the mission Home where she and her little ones were fed and tenderly cared for.
Gradually the little mother was able to tell her story — how God had heard her prayer and sent the crow with the pancake. Miss White's face fairly beamed and she praised and thanked the Lord that the breakfast the old crow had stolen had helped save three lives and shown poor Juanita that our God lives and answers prayer.
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." Isa. 55:11Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1).
Memory Verse
Messages of the Love of God 5/18/1975