195- A Sudden Meeting

While George and Mark were walking together, criticizing their friends, suddenly George interrupted the conversation, and said, "Mark, didn’t we agree that whenever one of us says a bad useless word or condemns others, the other would say, ‘I don’t want to listen'?"

“George, don’t be so strict.”

“No, We should be ready. What should we say if Jesus Christ would come now or if He would summon us to His paradise?”

Both of them remained silent for some time. Then, George interrupted this silence saying, "Whenever, I remember the visit of the U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969) to Paul Donald Haley, I feel guilty longing for the visit of the King of Kings according to God's promise."

Mark then asked, "What’s the story of this visit?"

George said, "When General Eisenhower became the U.S. president (1953-1961), he made a visit to Denver.

Paul Donald Haley, a six-year-old kid, learned of this visit. Paul had cancer and was seriously ill. He asked his father saying,

"I love the president so much and I am eager to see him. How could I see him even from a distance?"

Paul's father embraced his kid and kissed him with tears in his eyes, as he knew that his son was dying. Then he said to his son as a kind of a joke, "Write to the president that you’re looking forward to see him."

Paul wrote to the president explaining his illness and circumstances and that he was eager to see him. Eisenhower was greatly impressed by the letter and on Sunday morning, he asked for his limousine chauffeur to drive him to the child's home.

The president knocked at the door and Donald Haley was surprised to find the president in front of him asking to see his son who was following him.

Donald was confused as he did not expect to see the U.S. president in front of him but the president said to him with a sweet smile, "Sorry, I didn’t call to set an appointment for the visit. But I came to see Paul, your dear son."

The president welcomed the child saying, "I knew that you wanted to see me. I’m also eager to see you, that is why I came."

The president held the child's hand and accompanied him to his limousine to show it to him. Then the president returned the child home after he had a friendly conversation with him.

The child returned to find his father confused.

Paul asked his father, "Why are you disturbed Dad?"

His father said, "How could I receive the president with these clothes: jeans and sleeveless shirt? Is this the way to receive a president?"

With a big smile revealing the child's pride for the president's visit, he said, "He came for my sake and not for your sake Dad. He loves me and is eager to see me."

Donald said, "I’m happy that he’s your personal friend and that he took you to his car to showed it to you and that he spoke to you personally but I should not have received him with these clothes."

Paul said, "But you didn’t know that he was coming."

Donald answered, "As long as we sent him a letter, we should have expected his coming. I feel pain as I wasn’t ready for his coming."

George ended his story commenting,

Every day of my life, I say to my Lord, "Yes come my dear Lord."

How could I not stay awake waiting for His arrival?

I am His sick child who is anxious to see Him. Jesus Christ loved me and promised to come to hold my hand, to accompany me to His Father's bosom. Yet He does not have a temporary friendly conversation but I stay with Him and inherit His glories. He accompanies me to His heaven and reveals His eternity.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: لقاء مفاجئ.

I am yearning for You Jesus Christ.

No one can qualify me for Your coming except Your Holy Spirit.

Kindle my soul with Your love so I might be more eager to meet You in eternity.

Come to me or take me to You. I am eager to see You and to live with You forever.

Come my Lord. I will not stop to testify for Your coming.

I wish I could see all the people with me on the clouds.

I wish to rejoice and let all rejoice in You.

I wish to be crowned by Your glory and let the others do likewise.

I will not stop calling You. Jesus Christ is coming. Let us wait awake for Him with joy.

The Discarded Obelisk

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

Poor Horse