THE ORPHANAGE CHRISTMAS STORY                 
Thursday, December 18, 2003

In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at prisons, businesses, and the fire
and police departments and a large orphanage. About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government-run program were in the orphanage. Here is their story:

It was nearing the holiday season in 1994 and time for our orphans to hear for the first time the traditional story of Christmas. We told them of Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in he inn, the couple went to a stable where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger. Throughout the story the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools trying to grasp every word.

Completing the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins; the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manger for straw. A doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought from the United States.

The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat – he looked to be about 6-years-old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy’s manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger. I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger. The child began to repeat the story. For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus in the manger.

Then Misha started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said, “And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no mama and I have no papa, so I don’t have a place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn’t, because I didn’t have a gift to give him like everyone else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus, “If I keep you warm, that will be a good enough gift.” And Jesus told me, “If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me.” “So I got into the manger, then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him – for always.” Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed.

There are many children who need your help, your love, and your prayers this Christmas. Help them learn of Jesus, who will stay with them for always too.