> > A Thanksgiving Story > By Andrea Nannette Mejia > > It was the day before Thanksgiving - the first one my > three children and I would be spending without their > father, who had left several months before. Now the two > older children were very sick with the flu, and the eldest > had just been prescribed bed rest for a week. > It was a cool, gray day outside, and a light rain was > falling. I grew wearier as I scurried around, trying to > care for each child: thermometers, juice, diapers. And I > was fast running out of liquids for the children. But when > I checked my purse, all I found was about $2.50 - and this > was supposed to last me until the end of the month. That's > when I heard the phone ring. > It was the secretary from our former church, and she > told me that they had been thinking about us and had > something to give us from the congregation. I told her > that I was going out to pick up some more juice and soup > for the children, and I would drop by the church on my way > to the market. > I arrived at the church just before lunch. The church > secretary met me at the door and handed me a special gift > envelope. "We think of you and the kids often," she said, > "and you are in our hearts and prayers. We love you." > When I opened the envelope, I found two grocery > certificates inside. Each was worth $20. I was so touched > and moved, I broke down and cried. > "Thank you very much," I said, as we hugged each > other. "Please give our love and thanks to the church." > Then I drove to a store near our home and purchased some > much-needed items for the children. > At the check-out counter I had a little over $14.00 > worth of groceries, and I handed the cashier one of the > gift certificates. She took it, then turned her back for > what seemed like a very long time. I thought something > might be wrong. Finally I said, "This gift certificate is > a real blessing. Our former church gave it to our family, > knowing I'm a single patent trying to make ends meet." > The cashier then turned around, with tears in her > loving eyes, and replied, "Honey, that's wonderful! Do you > have a turkey?" > "No. It's okay because my children are sick anyway." > She then asked, "Do you have anything else for > Thanksgiving dinner?" > Again I replied, "No." > After handing me the change from the certificate, she > looked at my face and said, "Honey, I can't tell you > exactly why right now, but I want you to go back into the > store and buy a turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie or > anything else you need for a Thanksgiving dinner." > I was shocked, and humbled to tears. "Are you sure?" > I asked. > "Yes! Get whatever you want. And get some Gatorade > for the kids." > I felt awkward as I went back to do more shopping, but > I selected a fresh turkey, a few yams and potatoes, and > some juices for the children. Then I wheeled the shopping > cart up to the same cashier as before. As I placed my > groceries on the counter, she looked at me once more with > giant tears in her kind eyes and began to speak. > "Now I can tell you. This morning I prayed that I > could help someone today, and you walked through my line." > She reached under the counter for her purse and took out a > $20 bill. She paid for my groceries and then handed me the > change. Once more I was moved to tears. > The sweet cashier then said, "I am a Christian. Here > is my phone number if you ever need anything." She then > took my head in her hands, kissed my cheek and said, "God > bless you, honey." > As I walked to my car, I was overwhelmed by this > stranger's love and by the realization that God loves my > family too, and shows us his love through this stranger's > and my church's kind deeds. > The children were supposed to have spent Thanksgiving > with their father that year, but because of the flu they > were home with me, for a very special Thanksgiving Day. > They were feeling better, and we all ate the goodness of > the Lord's bounty - and our community's love. Our hearts > were truly filled with thanks. > O * O *O * O O * * O <º)(((((~((((((>>>< * <º)((((~((((>< missi