Mysterious Stranger
The Burke family lives in a very remote rural area of Southern Illinois, Jim, Mary and their three children, then ages 12, 11 and six. (Not their real names). They have always tried to live as simply as they can, which sometimes means the adults going without. That particular Christmas season was no exception. Although Jim and Mary had put some money aside, their savings were small and they were afraid there would be little to spend on gifts for their children. “Make out a wish list,” Mary told each one. “Just choose three items apiece.”
The children did, but even though their requests were modest, Mary and Jim looked at the lists with sinking hearts. It was going to be almost impossible to provide the kids with anything resembling their choices. During the following days, both watched for toy sales, but found nothing affordable.
There was an ice storm on the morning of Christmas Eve, and by the time Jim got home from work, snowdrifts were piling up on top of the ice. There were still no gifts purchased, and time was getting short. “I’m going to the discount store,” Jim told Mary. “I’ll just have to buy what I find.”
Doubtful, Mary looked out the window. “It’s awfully slippery out there,” she pointed out. Jim shrugged. Tomorrow the kids would be expecting something special under the tree. He would do what he could.
However, Mary had been right. Less than a half hour later, Jim was back. “The roads are closed,” he said. “It’s too dangerous to drive.” They looked at each other. They had health, food, and a warm and loving home…..God had blessed them greatly. Their children would understand.
About an hour later, however, there was a knock on the door. Mary was in another room, but Jim got up to answer the summons. Who would be out on a night like this?
“Hello!” It was a nondescript man, bundled up with a scarf around half of his face. He carried a green trash bag, which he handed to Jim. “Just was in the area and wanted to drop off these things for your kids,” he said, then turned and stamped his way down the unshoveled porch steps. Jim was astonished, but by the time he realized how odd the encounter was, snow was blowing into the house and he quickly closed the door. By now, Mary was in the room.
“Who was that?” she asked Jim. He explained, still mystified. Mary opened the bag and looked inside. Gifts, beautifully wrapped, three for each child! Who else but she and Jim knew of their situation, or how many presents each child had asked for? Could someone in the neighborhood…..?
Mary opened the front door again. Perhaps she could follow the visitor’s trail and discover where the gifts had come from. But as she gazed at the porch, she suddenly understood. Although the snow had stopped falling, there were no footprints on the porch, the steps or down their walk, no tire tracks in the driveway. Nothing at all but a smooth blanket of white.
Each of the toys turned out to be exactly what the children had requested, as if an angel had gone shopping just for them. But the true gift of that most wonderful Christmas was the faith rekindled in Jim and Mary’s hearts. Even at the most difficult times in life, they knew, God had not forgotten them. He had sent a little Child—and a mysterious stranger—to tell them so.
(C) 2004 Joan Wester Anderson www.joanwanderson.com
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Beautiful story