The Russian Department of Education invited a number of Americans to teach morals and ethics based on biblical principles in various public institutions including orphanages. One of the Americans who volunteered for the project related the following story:
Holiday season 1994 was approaching and time for our orphans to hear, for the first time, the story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem and, finding no room in the inn, going to a stable where the Baby Jesus was born. The children and staff listened to the story in amazement.
Upon completing the story, we gave the children cardboard, cloth and paper to make mangers and babies. As they worked on their crafts, we walked among them to assist those who needed help.
When I looked at six-year-old Mischa's manger, I was startled to see that it contained not one, but two babies. I had the translator ask the lad why he had put two babies in it. Crossing his arms in front of him, he began to repeat the story of the nativity very seriously.
For such a young boy who had heard the Christmas story for the very first time, Mischa related the happenings quite accurately until he came to the part where Mary put Jesus in the manger. Then he added his own ending as follows:
"When Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told Him I have no Mama and I have no Papa so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with Him. But I told Him I couldn't because I didn't have a gift to give Him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept Him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus 'If I keep You warm, will that be a good enough gift?' And Jesus told me, 'If you keep Me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave Me.' So I got into the manger and then Jesus looked at me and He told me I could stay with Him for always."
As little Mischa finished his story, tears filled his eyes and ran down his little cheeks. Then he put his hand over his face, dropped his head to the table and sobbed and sobbed.
The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon nor abuse him. Someone who would stay with him -- for always! - Author Unknown
Holiday season 1994 was approaching and time for our orphans to hear, for the first time, the story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem and, finding no room in the inn, going to a stable where the Baby Jesus was born. The children and staff listened to the story in amazement.
Upon completing the story, we gave the children cardboard, cloth and paper to make mangers and babies. As they worked on their crafts, we walked among them to assist those who needed help.
When I looked at six-year-old Mischa's manger, I was startled to see that it contained not one, but two babies. I had the translator ask the lad why he had put two babies in it. Crossing his arms in front of him, he began to repeat the story of the nativity very seriously.
For such a young boy who had heard the Christmas story for the very first time, Mischa related the happenings quite accurately until he came to the part where Mary put Jesus in the manger. Then he added his own ending as follows:
"When Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told Him I have no Mama and I have no Papa so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with Him. But I told Him I couldn't because I didn't have a gift to give Him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept Him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus 'If I keep You warm, will that be a good enough gift?' And Jesus told me, 'If you keep Me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave Me.' So I got into the manger and then Jesus looked at me and He told me I could stay with Him for always."
As little Mischa finished his story, tears filled his eyes and ran down his little cheeks. Then he put his hand over his face, dropped his head to the table and sobbed and sobbed.
The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon nor abuse him. Someone who would stay with him -- for always! - Author Unknown
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