Children’s Story August 21, 1982

This is a story that just happened! It is a story about Jesus and how He loves
children. It is also a story about Maricita, a little girl who is a friend of mine.
Maricita lives in Glenale, not very far from here. She has dark curly hair and
dark eyes and when she smiles, which she does a lot, she has two teeth
missing in the front.

When I first met Maricita she was sitting in her living room on the couch with
pillows around her. Maricita can sit, but she can’t stand and she can’t walk.
You see, when Maricita was born she had a problem called spina bifida. That
means that her back and her legs are not straight and strong like yours. Many,
many times in her short life Maricita has been in the hospital. Twenty-two
times now she has had surgery.

When I talked to Maricita I knew that she was going to the hospital again.
She talked and talked. (There is nothing wrong with Maricita’s talking!).
“I’m worried”, she told me. “Are you worried about going to the hospital,
I asked. “No,” she said, “I’m worried about school.” Maricita doesn’t
like to miss school.

Maricita had her surgery and after a few days I went to see her in the
big hospital downtown. I took my friend Chad, who is four years old
and his Mommy. Maricita was so glad to see us. She loves to have
visitors. (In fact, some of you boys and girls might like to visit her
sometime. Her Mommy told me she would like that, because since Maricita
can’t go outside to play, she gets very tired of being alone, and she likes
to have children visit her. If you want to know where she lives you can see
me after church at that door and I’ll tell you.)

That day when Chad and I visited Maricita, Chad took along his favorite
stuffed animal, Benji. Maricita loved Benji. She hugged him and talked
to him. She played with Chad. She talked and talked. In fact, she
directed everything that was happening in the room like a little princess
on her throne.

When it was time to go Maricita hung onto our hands very tight. She
didn’t want us to leave. She hung on to Benji longest of all.

When we went down on the elevator to our car, I thought, “When Maricita
has her big surgery in October I wish she had her own Benji to take to the
hospital. Then she wouldn’t be so lonely.” But I never guessed what would
happen the very next day.

The next day when I walked into the Pre-school I saw a big box sitting in
the corner. It was full of lovely things that someone had brought for the
Parking Lot Sale. There were puzzles and games, and right near the top,
what do you think? There was a brand new beautiful Benji! I picked the
stuffed animal up and hugged him. And suddenly there were tears in my
eyes. (Grown-ups are funny like that—sometimes when they are very
happy they get tears in their eyes). “Oh Jesus”, I said right out loud, “You
do care so much”. I knew that toy wasn’t for the Parking Lot Sale at all.
That Benji was for Maricita.

As soon as I could I took Benji to Maricita’s home. I wish you could have
all been there to see her smile as I told her about Benji being in the box
and how Jesus had sent him to her. Two ladies were visiting that day, and
they and Maricita’s Mommy and I all had tears in our eyes together. But
Maricita just hugged Benji and talked to him and smiled.
When I left she said, “Thank you for Benji”. “Jesus gave him to you,” I
said. “I only brought him.” And that’s the way it was!