29- A Little Girl Saving her Parents

The little girl’s eyes became wet. Tears filled her eyes and fell down her cheeks. The little girl’s hoarse voice came louder when she spoke to her Sunday school teacher, “What do you mean? Will Mom and Dad go to Hell because they drink alcohol? Will I go to Hell with them too?”

The teacher felt cornered since he did not know how to answer her question then. He had told the children before that whoever drinks alcohol will end up in Hell.

The little girl’s tears drew the attention of other children in the class. Her teacher had to take her to the Communion Sanctuary next to the Altar where there was peace and quietness. He finally said in a reasoning voice, “Don’t worry dear, The Lord God can make Mom and Dad abstain from drinking.”

 “But how?” asked the little girl.

 “By praying for them.”

 “If we pray for them now, when do you think that God will make them stop drinking?”

 “In about a month.”

 “If we pray longer, will God make them quit drinking sooner, say in a week?”

 “God is able to realize everything passive.”

 “If the prayer is more heartily, can God make them quit tonight?”

Taken by the faith of the little girl, the teacher assured her that it is certainly possible.

He said to the little girl, “If you see Mom or Dad bringing alcohol at home, all you have to do is go to your bedroom, kneel before The Lord and ask Him to avert Mom and Dad from drinking.”

Full of faith and hope, the little girl returned home while thinking that God will make her parents stop drinking that very night.

When darkness fell, the little girl saw her Dad returning home and holding a bottle. She rushed to her room and knelt on her knees. She started crying and speaking with God, “O Jesus, please prevent Mom and Dad from drinking.”

The little girl’s mother has prepared the table for supper. When her Dad put down the bottle on the table it flipped-over and fell from the table. The glass shattered and the alcohol spilled all over the place. Mom started to clean the mess while Dad went to the store and bought another bottle. The same scene was repeated again and, when it happened for the third time, he pledged not to drink alcohol ever again.

When the father noticed that his little daughter was not present for supper, he went to her room to check on her. He found the little girl kneeling and weeping fervently. He tried to listen to her mumbling words and heard her saying, “Dear Jesus, my beloved Savior, please prevent Mom and Dad from drinking alcohol. I’m longing to see that they have a place with You in the glory of the eternal heaven.”

Dad embraced his little daughter and asked her about the reason behind her sadness. She told him what happened in the Sunday school that morning.

Dad and Mom cried bitterly for their sins. They took the little girl at that same night to visit the Bishop of Luxor in Upper Egypt. The parents made confession before the bishop for the first time and asked for forgiveness.

From that point on, their home became a little church for worship.

I heard about this true story that happened in Luxor when I was still a student. As we can see, although the teacher did not teach his lesson in a suitable manner, neither did the father practice his Christian life in an appropriate manner; the little girl overcame both shortcomings by her faith. Her faith has exceeded the faith of her hesitant teacher and enabled a significant change in the lives of her parents. Likewise, a little boy, a youngster or a chap can realize a lot of changes in the life of his family or his church through his faith.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: طفلة تنقذ والديها.

Teach Me Lord to be interested in the Life of my Parents.

While my parents are trying to meet all my needs

I, too, can offer them something valuable.

Grant me to be a living image of You before them,

To testify to Your love and my obedience to my Savior.

Teach me to pray, while I am so young,

For the sake of my family,

And for the sake of the whole human race.

Teach me to offer my kneeling to Your Glory for my family,

And for the sake of all my friends and all men.

Amen.

Be More Mature

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

Believe Me, I Love him