Christmas Bag Story
A few weeks before Christmas, I was at the nursing home translating for someone, when one of the younger residents stopped me to talk.
Lili is 30-something and is heavily medicated for emotional problems. She also has problems with her weight. She is the largest person in the nursing home. She started telling me how God takes care of her, how she doesn’t need to worry about food or clothing because there’s Someone watching over her. I affirmed what she said, then went on my way. When the holiday season rolled around, we were back at the nursing home handing out Christmas packages with some of our Romanian friends. Lili couldn’t stand still in her anticipation of receiving a gift bag. She followed us around as we went from person to person. She continued to get in the way and interrupted, so I finally turned to her and asked her to go sit on her bed, wait her turn, and we would come to her. On her way out, she told me to be sure to bring her a packet with a sweat suit in it. (I did not know she had been asking Dad for a sweat suit the last few weeks and he had been saying, “Lili, if you want one you are going to have to pray for it.”) I told her none of the packages had clothes in them, but I didn’t really expect her to hear me. I just didn’t want her to be disappointed.
One of the Romanian helpers said, “I’ll give her the gift package now, be it her turn, be it not.” Our friend went and found the biggest packet she could find and took it to Lili. At that point Lili began bouncing up and down on the bed. I was sitting with another woman in the same room watching her.
Lili’s first question was, ”Does it have a sweat suit in it?” The lady who brought her the packet told her, “I don’t know. I didn’t look. Let’s see what’s in it now.”
The first thing pulled out was a sweatshirt—the XXL size. The Romanian and I just stared at one another and Lili took off dancing around the room. The next thing to come out was a pair of matching sweat pants, XXL size. That was more than Lili could take. She came right over and began telling me all over again how Someone was watching over her.
I think I was more amazed than she was. I had to back up and tell the helper the conversation of a few weeks before and when she had heard it, she took the opportunity to drive the point home telling Lili that God does care and He listens when we pray.
During the holiday season, we gave out over 500 packages, but that was the only one with clothing in it. For Lili it was the fulfillment of her desire. For us, it went to prove how much He does care about these forgotten people. Our God still does miracles.
Heidi