Two Babes in a Manger
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, 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. They relate
the following story in their own words:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was nearing the holiday season, 1994, time for our orphans to hear,
for the first time, the traditional
story of Christmas. We told them
about Mary and Joseph arriving
in Bethlehem.

Finding no room in the 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
I had brought with me.
No colored paper was available
in the city.

Following instructions, the children
tore the paper and carefully
laid strips in the manger
for straw. Small squares of flannel,
cut from a worn-out nightgown
an American lady was throwing
away as she left Russia,
were used for the baby's
blanket. 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. Quickly,
I called for the translator
to ask the lad why
there were two babies
in the manger.

Crossing his arms in front of him
and looking at this completed
manger scene, the child began
to repeat the story very seriously.

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 mamma and I
have no papa, so I don't
have any 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
everybody 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, will that 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, and then Jesus looked
at me and he told me I could
stay with him ---for always."

As little Misha finished his story,
his eyes brimmed full of tears
that splashed down his
little cheeks. Putting his hand
 over his face, his head dropped
to the table and his shoulders
shook as he sobbed
and sobbed.

The little orphan had found
someone who would never
abandon nor abuse him,
someone who would stay
with him -FOR ALWAYS.

I've learned that it's not what
 you have in your life, but
who you have in your life
that counts.