The power of Prayer

This just in... literally. Just opened my email to find this from a friend abroad. Really needed it today.

Isaiah 65:24
This beautiful story was written by a doctor who worked inCentral Africa.
One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the laborward; but in spite of all we could do, she died, leaving us with atiny, premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would havedifficulty keeping the baby alive; as we had no incubator (we had noelectricity to run an incubator). We also had no special feedingfacilities.
Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chillywith treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we hadfor such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in.Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. Shecame back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle,it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates).
'And it is our last hot water bottle!' she exclaimed. As inthe West, it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africait might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. Theydo not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forestpathways.
'All right,' I said, 'put the baby as near the fire as yousafely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it freefrom drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm.'
The following noon, as I did most days, I went to haveprayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather withme. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray aboutand told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem aboutkeeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, andthat the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told themof the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died.
During prayer time, one ten-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed withthe usual blunt conciseness of our African children. 'Please, God' sheprayed, 'Send us a hot water bottle today . It'll be no good tomorrow,God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.'
While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, sheadded, 'And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly forthe little girl so she'll know You really love her?'
As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot.Could I honestly say 'Amen'? I just did not believe that God could dothis. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything; the Bible says so.But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer thisparticular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. Ihad been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I hadnever, ever, received a parcel from home.
Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in ahot water bottle? I lived on the equator!
Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in thenurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at myfront door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there onthe porch was a large 22-pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes.I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanagechildren. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing eachknot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly...Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes werefocused on the large cardboard box.
From the top, I lifted out brightly-colored, knitted jerseys.Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandagesfor the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Thencame a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch ofbuns for the weekend.
Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the..... could it really be?
I grasped it and pulled it out. Yes, a brand new, rubber hotwater bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not trulybelieved that He could.
Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushedforward, crying out, 'If God has sent the bottle, He must have sentthe dolly, too!
' Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out thesmall, beautifully-dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had neverdoubted! Looking up at me, she asked, 'Can I go over with you and givethis dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really lovesher?'
'Of course,' I replied!
That parcel had been on the way for five whole months, packedup by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyedGod's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. Andone of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five monthsbefore, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bringit 'that afternoon'.
'Before they call, I will answer.' (Isaiah 65:24)
When you receive this, say the prayer. That's all you have todo. No strings attached. Just send it on to whomever you want - but dosend it on.
Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. There is nocost, but a lot of rewards. Let's continue praying for one another.