By Terry L. Richardson
- Panama City, Florida
EDITOR’S NOTE: We thought this
piece of writing gave a great amount of Glory to God.
We warn the reader that this is not an actual story
but fiction. Many children in our country are trapped
in alcoholic and desperate situations and they pray
to God for the hope of a deliverer. We must remember
that revival will touch the children as well as the
grown people. We are all children, pray for the
deliverer to deliver the children from the Hell they
live in daily.
By Terry L. Richardson
Most children Gerald's age would kneel beside
their bed every night and begin their prayers with
"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my
soul to keep."Yes, most would start that way but
not Gerald. He is a desperate little boy that only
worries for his little brother Jimmy. Gerald, being
only nine years old, knows his brother Jimmy will not
reach his seventh birthday if something does not
happen soon. One day Gerald knows that his
stepfather, Doug, is going to go too far and really
hurt Jimmy or worse kill him. In the room down the
hall Gerald can still hear Jimmy crying or maybe it
is more like a whimper. Tonight Jimmy dropped his
glass at supper and it hit the floor and shattered,
splashing tea all over the rug and table legs. Doug
yelled across the hall from the living room cursing
Jimmy and grabbing him up by the arm like a rag doll.
First Doug hit Jimmy on his bottom but soon in a fit
of rage began to hit Jimmy wherever his hand and
sometimes fist made its mark. Gerald, sitting in the
chair across the table from Jimmy began to yell at
Doug to stop but Doug kept on hitting Jimmy. Blood
trickled down Jimmy's nose before Doug's fit of rage
subsided. Doug shouted for Jimmy to go to his room
and he complied, limping hurriedly down the hallway.
Gerald was in tears and could not understand why his
stepfather was so angry with Jimmy all the time.
Gerald continued his prayer "Dear God, you
have Angels, I hear. I have seen pictures of them at
Sunday school and they are big and beautiful. My
daddy used to tell me before he went to be with you
that your angels were here to protect us. Please dear
God, send your angels to my brother Jimmy and protect
him from my step daddy. He isn't going to make it
much longer I think." Gerald cried out with
tears flowing down his cheeks. His mother was not
much help anymore, she could not stop Doug when he
drank beer all night. She could not stop him when he
beat up Jimmy and shoved her in angry rage. Gerald
knew the only help he could count on would have to
come from God. Gerald soon fell off to sleep and
could again escape into his dreams from the reality
of his home life.
Sunday morning came with a whisper of hope for
Gerald and Jimmy. They could escape their life of
torment for a short time when the bright yellow bus
from the Community Praise and Worship Church came
roaring down the little blacktop road. Miss Thomas
always greeted the boys with the same sentence every
Sunday morning as they boarded. "Good morning
boys. You know Jesus loves you and I do too" she
said. This morning in Sunday school the teacher spoke
on just what Gerald was praying about. Mr. Goodson
said Isaiah 42:6 says "I am the LORD, I have
called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by
the hand and watch over you, And I will appoint you
as a covenant to the people, As a light to the
nations." Jimmy and Gerald really liked that
scripture. It made them warm inside to think that God
was watching over them.
Gerald whispered under his breath "God please
watch over me and my brother Jimmy so that Daddy Doug
does not hurt us". The boys were allowed to stay
with their friend, Joey's family until after Sunday
evening service. They returned on the church bus back
to their home slightly after sunset and ran swiftly
into the house.
Dinner was on the table as they entered the door.
Across the room in his recliner was Doug with a beer
in his hand watching a football game intently.
"Wash up boys, it's time to eat" spoke the
boy’s mother quietly. After washing the boys sat
down at the table and then came Doug staggering over
with ragged T-shirt shirt and obnoxious belches. The
stew had just began to be served when Jimmy dropped
his fork on the floor. Doug jumped up from his chair
kicking it back wards and leaned across the table to
Jimmy. "You clumsy little fool, come over here
where I can reach you" he shouted in anger.
Jimmy jumped up and ran out the door. Gerald was
right behind him yelling "run Jimmy run".
They ran as hard and fast as they could down the road
toward the alleyway not considering that the alley
was a dead end. Doug was staggering but soon gathered
his composure as he increased his pace. The boys
stopped at the end of the alley and embraced each
other in tears. "Oh God" whimpered Gerald,
"please help us." They stared at the other
end of the alley as a shadow entered the alley
cursing and raving. The shadow grew larger as the
boys knew the pain that was soon to come. Suddenly in
the stillness of the night the flash of lightning and
the roar of thunder broke the dread to come. A bright
light shined all around the boys as a loud deep voice
was heard. "Permit the children to come to Me;
do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to
such as these". The boys rose up to find in
front of them three great and mighty angels with
swords drawn. Again the voice rang out "Fear not
for I am with you, I will never leave nor forsake
you". Doug stopped dead in his tracks as an
angel approached him. "You will not harm these
children, my master will not permit it" the
massive being said. Behind the angels stood another
man. His hands each held the hand of Gerald and
Jimmy. His eyes were full of fire and compassion. His
voice was like the ocean waves. Stern and yet with
love. Doug fell to his knees and wept. "I am so
sorry God, I didn't mean to hurt them. I didn't mean
to hurt anyone. Please forgive me God".
Lord let go of Jimmy and Gerald's hand and
instructed them to go to Doug. As they came close
Doug reached up and hugged them both. "Please
forgive me boys, I am so sorry, I am going to get
help and I am going to church with you next Sunday. I
want to change and I will." Doug blubbered. The
boys embraced Doug and said "It's ok daddy Doug,
Jesus forgives you and we do too. All you have to do
is ask Jesus into your heart and He will come".
As the boys led Doug to the Lord, the angels sang
Glory to God in the highest and disappeared. The
prayers of two righteous young men were answered in
ways they could not have dreamed. There was a
Christian home now growing from the prayers of a
child.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Much of what is
written here is more than just fiction. Last month a
four year old girl was raped in Chickasaw, Alabama --
God put your hands on the innocent and protect them.
Gerald continued his
prayer "Dear God, you have Angels I hear. I have
seen pictures of them at Sunday school and they are
big and beautiful. My daddy used to tell me before he
went to be with you that your angels were here to
protect us. Please dear God, send your angels to my
brother Jimmy and protect him from my step daddy. He
isn't going to make it much longer I think." 