A Christmas Story
by Deborah Austin
In December 1994, two American missionaries visited
an orphanage in Russia where they recounted the story of Mary and Joseph and the
baby Jesus. It was the first time the children had heard the story of Christmas.
They
sat in rapt attention, on the edge of their stools, concentrating on every word.
The children were then given pieces of cardboard and felt to construct a manger.
As the young artists worked, the missionaries and teacher walked around the room
to observe their handiwork.
They could not help but notice that one little boy named
Misha had cut out two babies for his manger. When asked why, he crossed his arms
and began to tell the story in great detail.
By the time he got to the birth of the
baby Jesus, he had begun to interject himself into the story. “And when Mary laid
Jesus in the manger,” Misha said, “Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place
to stay. I told him that 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. I told him that I couldn’t because
I did not have a gift to give him like the shepherds and the Wise Men. I wanted so
much to stay with Jesus. Then, I thought, maybe if I keep him warm that will be a
good gift, so I asked Jesus, ‘If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift
for you?’ And Jesus told me, ‘That will be the best gift of all.’ So, I got into
the manger. Jesus then looked at me, and he said I could stay with him always.”
Misha’s
eyes filled with tears, and putting his hands over his face, he sat down at the table
and cried. He had found someone who would never abandon him or abuse him, someone
who would stay with him, for always.
Deborah Austin is senior pastor of a United Methodist Church in Richmond, Virginia.