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.After Joe left it all made sense.It fit.Mr.Lewis had no love for the poor, no matter what he said.I knew that I had to remain at the mission, it was my calling in this confusing world.”“So how did Benny—Mr.Lewis—react?” Bill asked.Maria spoke up.“Well, it has been a struggle.But a lot of other people were so supportive that there was not a lot Mr.Lewis could do.He kept trying to find something on Sal, start rumors about Sal and me; you know the stuff the Devil does.That Mr.Lewis is evil, pure evil.”“I don’t know if I would use that term.” Bill said but before he could finish Sal interrupted.“Bill, I don’t use that term much.I tend to think, as you know, that every person has the light of God inside and all we have to do is nurture that light, encourage it.But, every once in a while the real thing comes along—evil I mean.I have watched Mr.Lewis operate, what he did to Reverend Reed, Reverend Elliott and you—it is evil!”Maria interrupted, “Mr.Lewis has never forgiven Sal for staying on.He knew that with Sal at the mission he couldn’t touch it.He has never given up his dream and has passed it on to his son.As we were getting older we talked often about what would happen to the mission if something happened to us or we just got too old to protect it any longer.”Maria reached over and patted Bill’s hand.“And then you came in that one evening and we knew there was someone who would protect these people when we were gone.”Bill looked at both of them.Sal and Maria had always had a spirit that just emanated from them to others.They had saved so many, including him.He remembered something a professor had said to him once before.Bill had been very frustrated with their calling at the nursing home for the poor when he was taking the course in seminary on poverty.“We just come down here for a few hours once a week.There is so much more that could be done,” Bill had said.The professor, whose name Bill had long forgotten, just looked at him and said, “But for that one hour you make a real difference.Just think what their days would be like if no one came to see them.That is the way it happens: one hour, one minute, and one person at a time.We do our best and trust that God will fill in the gaps.Those people probably wait all week for your visits.It is about all they have to look forward to.”Bill said his goodbyes and prepared to leave to return to Maysville.He now knew what he needed to do.He also had to thank Mary Pond once again.Three cans of soup given in love had touched so many lives, many more than Mary would ever realize.Each person he had helped or would help would demonstrate that sometimes a gift is more than we can ever imagine.Before he left, Bill turned to Sal and gave him another hug.As Maria walked him to the door Bill told her that if she ever needed anything she was to call him, right away.Then he headed back to Maysville.“Postlude”Christmas that year was beautiful.A light snow fell on Maysville.The mission looked more festive than ever.Robby and Lisa again joined Sharon and Bill at the mission.Robby even shared with his father how he had volunteered at a similar mission in St.Louis.Lisa was still at college.She told her parents about how she had organized students to volunteer at local nursing homes and at a local mission in Columbia.The Mission had changed.Robby and Lisa noted the physical changes, but they also noticed how their dad seemed to be at the center of things, shaking hands, giving hugs, serving up food, and seemed to know everyone by name.There were some very rough-looking people who seemed to soften when they talked to their father.“Are you related to Reverend Bill?” asked one older woman, missing teeth, but sporting some clean new-used clothing.“He is my Dad!” Robby said and noted the pride that he felt when he said those words.“Bless you and bless your dad, he is a saint,”Robby just smiled.Whereas in the past the volunteers waited until all were served to eat, Bill insisted that volunteers take turns and join the community for dinner.After dinner they all joined together in singing carols.Bill emerged from a side room dressed as Santa.Robby and Lisa smiled at each other, remembering that a little over a year ago their father would not have needed extra stuffing or a fake beard.Presents were handed out and then Bill went to the front and sat on a stool.“I want all you to know that on this Christmas you are all somebody.The world is cold outside but in here it is warm.I have a special gift for each of you.Many years ago, many, many years ago I received a special gift from a special lady.Her name was Mary Pond.She lived alone in an old, beat-up house.I remember she had pictures on her wall, cut out from magazines of places around the world, places she would never go.Well, I was a young preacher in my first church, going to school, and preaching on weekends.My dad was very sick and I was disappointed I could not afford to go back home to visit him for Christmas.I was feeling pretty sorry for myself.Well, Mary was a quiet person with a big heart.When her ex-husband who had left her for a younger woman, then got sick and was put in a nursing home, Mary took care of him until he died, even though he never recognized who she was.She helped people, took care of people when they got sick, and was always someone who would compliment a young preacher.Mary got by on her small Social Security check by doing something special.She told me about it one day.She took me to her cupboard and told me that she survived by eating a can of soup for lunch and another one for dinner.There in her cupboard she had the soup stacked two cans high, one for each day.Well, that Christmas the little church had a party for a very lonely preacher.They gave some nice gifts.The last gift I opened was this old paper bag, given by Mary Pond.When I opened it and looked inside I could not believe what I saw.There in the bag were three cans of soup: chicken with rice, chicken noodle, and vegetable beef.Mary had literally given me three meals.I knew that she would go hungry so the young preacher could have a Christmas present.That gift has inspired me through the years and ultimately is what brought me here.”Bill paused and pulled a framed picture out of an old sack.Within the frame, made by Larry, were the three faded labels from the soup.Handing the picture to Larry, Bill said, “We are going to hang this right over our door so that everyone who comes here will know that here there is gift, a gift of love, and that everyone is always welcome.Each of you is a gift and my prayer and Christmas wish is that you will see that truth.Merry Christmas!”The nails rang out as the framed picture of soup labels was placed over the entrance.At each pounding Bill knew that he was where he was to be.Sharon approached his side, as did Robby and Lisa.Larry finished by hanging the framed picture.“Mary,” Bill thought, “What a gift you did give!”-THE END- [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]