LENDINGAHELPINGHAND

FamilyNightActivities June15,2012Calendar:

GODKNOWSEVERYTHING!

Tonightsactivityisalittledifferent.Itsreallymoreofabrainstormingeventthana doingevent.Thedoingwillcomeoutofthebrainstorming.Belowisastoryforyouto readanddiscuss.Outofthediscussionwillcomeabrainstormingsessioninwhichyouwill throwoutideasforhowyourfamilycanreachouttothoseinneed.Asyouwillseebythe story,prayingthroughyourideasandaskingforGodsguidanceisahugepartof experiencingHisallknowingwisdomandhelp.

Preparation:
1. PrayforGodsguidanceasyoubrainstorm.Bepreparedwithideasforhowyour familycanmeettheneedsofsomeonearoundyou. 2. Abigpadofpaperandmarkers. 3. Prepareasnack. 4. Printoffthestory.

GettingStarted:
Settledownwithsomesnacksandbeginbyreadingthisincredibletruestoryaboutalittle girlinAfricaandherprayertoherAllKnowingGod.

THEHOTWATERBOTTLE
ATrueStorybyHelenRoseveare,MissionarytoAfrica OnadarknightinCentralAfrica,notsoverylongago,Dr.HelenRoseveare workedhardtohelpamothergivebirthtoherprematurebaby.Thebabywas finallyborn,butsadly,itsmotherdidntsurvivethenight.Sheleftbehindher weakandtinybabyaswellasaninconsolable2yearolddaughter. Dr.Helenknewthatthechancesofsurvivalforthelittlebabyweresmall.They hadnoelectricity,noincubator,andnospecialfeedingfacilities.Althoughthe equatorisknownforitswarmtemperatures,manyaresurprisedtolearnthat thenightscanbechillyandthedraftscanbedeadlyforprematurebabies. Thenewlittleorphanwasplacedinaspecialboxandwrappedintheirwarmest cottonwool.Thefirewasstokedtowarmtheroomaswellassomewaterfor thehotwaterbottle.Carefullythestudentmidwifepouredthewarmwater intothebottle.Buttheequatorisaharshenvironmentforrubberandalltoo 1

quicklyitfallsapartintheelements.Themidwifecriedoutinfrustrationasthe lastofthehotwaterbottleburstinherhands. Dr.HelensaysthatasintheWest,itisnogoodcryingoverspilledmilk;so,in CentralAfricaitmightbeconsiderednogoodcryingoverburstwaterbottles. Theydonotgrowontrees,andtherearenodrugstoresdownforestpathways. Shetoldherinternstoputthebabyasclosetothefireaspossibleandtosleep betweenthedoorandthebabyinordertoblockthecolddrafts. Thenextmorningthebabywasstillalive,butnotoutofdanger.They desperatelyneededahotwaterbottle. Dr.Helenwouldoftenpraywithsomeofthechildrenwholivedatthe orphanage.Thisdaywasnoexception.Atnoonshegatheredthechildrenand sharedsomeoftheprayerneeds.TenyearoldRuthlistenedintentlyasDr. Helentoldthemabouttheprematurebabyandthebattletokeepitaliveand warmwithoutahotwaterbottle.Ruthshearthurtforthetwoyearoldsister whohadbeencryingsincehermommydied.Whentheybowedtheirheadsto pray,Ruthknewjustwhattoaskfor. Dr.HelensaidthatRuthsprayerwasintheusualbluntconsciousnessofthe Africanchildrenanditcaughthertotallyoffguard.Please,God,sheprayed, sendusawaterbottle.Itlldonogoodtomorrow,God,thebabyllbedead;so, pleasesenditthisafternoon.WhileDr.Helenwasstillrecoveringfromthe audacityofRuthsprayer,theyounggirladded,AndwhileYouareaboutit, wouldYoupleasesendadollyforthelittlegirlsoshellknowYoureallylove her? WhatwasDr.Helentodo?Ifshesaid,Amenwouldshebeahypocrite?She trulydidnotbelievetheGodcouldanswerRuthsprayer.Shesaysthat, althoughsheknewthatGodcoulddoanything(theBibletoldherso)sheadmits thatwhentherubbermeetstheroad(nopunintended!)therewere limitswerentthere? InordertoanswerRuthsprayer,Godwouldhavehadtohavesomeonesenda packagefromthehomelandtoAfrica.DuringthefouryearsDr.Helenhadbeen inAfrica,shedneverreceivedonepackagefromhomenotone.And,ifby somemiraclesomeonedidsendapackage,whowouldthinktoputahotwater bottleinit?Noonewoulddreamofsendingahotwaterbottletotheequator! Haveyouguessedwhathappened?IfyoubelieveinanAllPowerfulandAll KnowingGodwhoanswersprayers,youhave!InthemiddleoftheafternoonDr. Helenreceivedamessagethatapackagehadarrivedatherhome.Gathering thechildrenshewenttofindalarge,22poundboxonherveranda! ItwaslikeChristmasmorningasthirtytofortypairsofeyeswatchedheropen thelidandliftoutthecontents.Brightlycolored,knittedjerseyswerehanded outtotheirdelight.Knittedbandagesforleprosypatientsandaboxofraisins andsultanascamenext.Dr.Helenreachedintheboxagain.Shefeltitbefore 2

shesawit.Herhandswrappedaroundtheunmistakabletextureofrubber! Whenshepulleditfromtheboxshecried,Abrandnewrubber,hotwater bottle! Dr.Helenmaynothaveprayedforit,orbelievedthatGodwouldsendit,but Ruthdid!Sherantothepackageandcriedout,IfGodhassentthebottle,He musthavesentthedolly,too!Sureenough,atthebottomoftheboxRuth foundasmall,beautifullydresseddolly.Herdarkeyessparkledwithexcitement. CanIgooverwithyou,Mummy,sheaskedDr.Helen,andgivethisdollyto thatlittlegirl,soshellknowthatJesusreallylovesher?Howcouldshesayno? FivemonthsbeforeRuthprayedforahotwaterbottleandadolly,Dr.Helens formerSundaySchoolleaderwaspromptedbyGodtohavetheclasssendhera package.ThechildrenintheclassrespondedtoGodspromptingandthe SundaySchoolleaderobeyedHisleadingandincludedahotwaterbottleanda beautifuldolly.AsDr.Helensays,fivemonthsearlierinanswertothebelieving prayerofatenyearoldtobringitthatafternoon! Isaiah65:24says: Anditshallcometopass,thatbeforetheycall,Iwillanswer;andwhiletheyare yetspeaking,Iwillhear.

TalkAboutit:
Whatdidyouthinkaboutthestory? Whatdoyouthinkismostamazing? WhatpartdidtheSundayschoolleaderandclassplayinmeetingtheneedsoftheAfrican children?(TheylistenedtoGodsleading) Godknowstheneedsofeveryonearoundtheworld.Heoftengivesusthejoyofhelpingto meettheneeds. Howcanwemeetneedsofthosearoundus?(Usingthesheetofpaperandmarkers, brainstormideasyoucandoindividuallyandasafamily.) Letsplanondoingsomethinginthenext2weekstohelpsomeoneinneed.

Bringingittoaclose:
Praytogether.AskGodtoshowyouwhatHewantsyoutodotohelpmeettheneedsof someonearoundyou(oreveninanotherpartoftheworld!).ThankHimforknowingyour needsandprovidingforthem.