Children -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Children's stories; Christian life -- Juvenile fiction; Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction
In loving submission she asked now, "What wilt Thou have me to do?"
And for answer came the thought of her country in bonds of Romanism
and idol worship. Her heart yearned over its darkness and misery, but
what could she do for it now, far away in a strange land, with very
little money left? Soon, however, the divine plan began to unfold
itself! As she walked the city street one day and passed a church, the
door stood invitingly open, and the sound of singing reached her ear.
Juana was always attracted by music. As other ladies were passing in
she followed and took a seat among them. It proved to be a woman's
missionary meeting. After the hymn came reports and papers on different
subjects. Some of these were very long and dull, and read in such low
tones that she understood scarcely nothing of what was said; but then,
the faces of those good women rested her, and she was sure it was a
good place to be. Besides, they sang often, and that was sweet, and
then, they prayed. Ah! Now she felt at home, she could understand that.
After prayer, a lady spoke in clear, distinct tones a few words about
Mexico. She did not read, she talked. Her sentences were not long and
fine, her words were short and simple, and Juana comprehended them.
She listened as if spell-bound, and then forgetting all else but her
commission and her country, stood up and with downcast eyes and timid
tones, said, "Ladies, Mexico is my dear country. Let me say one little
word for her?" It was only a few sentences, in broken words, but never
was appeal more effective as she pleaded with them to "send help now,
for they are dying every day, and they know not Christ Jesus at all."
Then, half-frightened at what she had done, she sank into her seat.
But the ladies begged her to go on, to talk as long as she would,
persuading her to come up to the front. At first the consciousness of
so many eyes fastened upon her was confusion, but presently, forgetting
everything else, she told them the simple story of her conversion.
The eloquent face and vivid words, with pretty foreign accent, as she
described her despair and her joy, stirred the hearts of those women
to their depths. What a fair field for work was Mexico if gems such as
this young stranger were hidden away there.
The fire thus kindled rapidly spread. Juana went from church to church,
and the tide of enthusiasm rose high, gifts flowed in, and many hearts
turned warmly to the "land of the sun," as this young wife, a miracle
of God's grace, told the tale of his redeeming love, and in broken,
eager words, pleaded with tears for "my dear Mexico."
Gladly would these Christians have sent her through the land that by
this means the hearts of many of her Christian sisters might be reached
and moved to lay upon the altar themselves or their treasures.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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