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A Friend sent me this and thought you all might enjoy reading it. >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. > > >