The widow, the son and the angel

The widow, the son and the angel

A poor widow living with her only son in a shanty at the edge of Gong forest did not have enough money for her 11 years old son’s bus fare, and so he used to walk through the forest to and from school every day all on his own. In order to reassure him she would often remind him:

“Don’t be afraid of the forest dear Richard. Pray for God’s protection and trust that he will hear you and keep you safe.” So the boy trusted in faith and in fact, each day God would send and angel to accompany him on his way.

One day Richard asked his mother whether she could spare some shillings for him to buy a present for his class teacher as the class would celebrate her birthday and each pupil was to bring a gift for her.

“I’m sorry but I do not have any money except what I earn each day selling a few mangoes or avocadoes on the side of the street. It never is enough even to buy you shoes or clothes. Only enough for our daily food. Ask the angel that God sends you each day to guard you through the forest to help you get a gift.”

So Richard asked the angel the next morning along the path to help him find a gift for his teacher. The next moment along the path there appeared a jug full of fresh milk which the angel said would be a suitable gift to bring to his teacher.  So, Richard was relieved when he arrived in his class and was able to offer the jug of milk to his teacher. However, the teacher hardly noticed his present and just told the class assistant to take the jug to the kitchen, while she expressed her appreciation for all the other gifts that had been brought to her. The assistant did as he was told, but when he emptied the milk into a spare container at the kitchen so as to bring the jug back to class, the jug immediately filled up again with more fresh milk. He tried it again and again, and each time the jug was filled up afresh.

So he took it back to class and showed it to the teacher, who immediately asked Richard in amazement where he had obtained that jug, and how come it kept filling up anew. “My guardian angel of the forest provided it for me since I did not have any money to buy you a present” said Richard.

The teacher and the whole class burst out laughing. “Nonsense. That’s pure superstition. There’s no such thing as guardian angels” she exclaimed. But Richard insisted that he was speaking the truth.    “Ok” said the teacher, “let’s go and see for ourselves if such a being exists” she said, and announced to the school principal that her class would go for a walk in Gong Forest in honour of her birthday.

When they reached the forest, Richard expected his angel-friend to appear as usual, but it did not. After some further steps he began calling – “My dear angel, where are you, please come show yourself. My teacher and classmates wish to see you”. But no angel appeared, and the rest of the group mocked him again. So, he pleaded again: “Please my angel, prove to them you exist!” But then the angel replied: “How can they possibly want to see me, when they don’t even believe that I exist!”

Yes, first believe and then you will see!