Voices of the Faithful

i've been reading "Voices of the Faithful", compiled by Kim P. Davis  ... inspiring stories of courage from Christians serving around the world ... and the story i'm about to share  has stayed with me through the past couple of days ... here it is:

One smart donkey


"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whtever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him."  1 John 5:14-15 (NASB)


It was harvest time when Mrs. Tendai's (ten-DIES) donkey went missing.  She searched everywhere and even reported the missing animal to the local police.  When it was evident that her donkey had simply disappeared, she began praying that it would return.


Due to lack of good seed, fertilizer and sufficient rain, Mrs. Tendai's harvest that year was small, and she had little money to buy food for her family.  Several months later, her prayers were more about God providing "daily bread" than finding the donkey.  The family's maize meal supply was depleted.  Would God answer her prayers for food?


The next morning, when Mrs. Tendai walked out of her hut, she was amazed to see her donkey standing there with a 100-pound bag of maize meal on its back!  She was happy to see the donkey but afraid to use the maize meal since it wasn't hers.


Eventually a story was pieced together that a man had stolen her donkey and used it to do his labor.  One night after grinding his corn, he went to the beer hall to drink, leaving the donkey burdened down with the maize meal outside.  The donkey realized that he was not far from home and decided to return to where he would be taken care of and fed.  The thief, wishing to remain anonymous, did not claim his maize meal, so Mrs. Tendai was able to use it to feed her family.  God had answered both of her prayers in a very unusual manner!  - Donna, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa


this story really hit home with me because God already knew that mrs. tendai would be praying for the family's daily sustenance in the very near future -  He had the answer to her prayers prepared ahead of time ... even though the story started out with a bad experience, the stolen donkey ...  ... it reminded me of our condo search ... i really did cry a river one night when the condo i thought was perfect for us, was taken off the market!  i thought "why, Lord??"  that was the one i wanted!! ... but we needed to journey along, pray earnestly and live in a rental- experience some things before God opened up the condo we are now in - which is quite perfect in all ways  ... thank you Lord!


patience,  prayer, perseverance ...