POTATOES FOR GOD.

    Every one talked about the neighbouring village, for, like a miracle,  Chief  Benito changed his mind and asked that someone come to teach his people about the true God.

    Previously no strangers dared enter Benito’s village.  Should they accidentally cross the village border the chief ordered their stoning-mules attacked, or even food poisoned.

    However, it happened that the chief’s cousin, Soreto, lived in a village further down the trail.  Now, with Soreto ill with fever , shivers and coughing, his family and friends feared for his life.  Despite their care for Soreto with thin corn mush, and herb drinks, he grew thinner as his body rejected the food.

    One day it seemed certain that Soreto would not recover.  Yet, as his relatives gathered around his bed, surprisingly, they heard jingling bells on a small mule-cart.  Out jumped a christian nurse carrying a small case to offer help to the sick man.

    With her bag of medicines she hurried inside where Soreto’s wife pleaded for help. When nurse Amina gently examined Soreto and diagnosed his sickness, she brought out the medication and gave him an injection.  Then before farewells Amina left tablets with Soreto’s wife, Belina.   

    ‘Please give him one tablet before the sun rises, and another when the sun sets.’  Belina nodded gratefully and repeated Nurse Amina’s instructions.  And next time Nurse Amina arrived, who should greet her at the cabin door but Soreto?  ‘I thank God that I am well,’ he said with a smile, and you told me Jesus loved me.’  She smiled, because Soreto not only listened as she talked of Jesus Christ, but he now believed in Him as his Saviour and Lord. 

    Eventually Soreto recovered sufficiently to visit his uncle, Chief Benito.  ‘You are different,’ said his uncle on the day Soreto walked the steep path to visit him. 

    ‘Yes, my sickness has gone, and so has the wickedness of my heart, Uncle.  Nurse Amina told me about Jesus Christ, and how He carried the punishment of my sins when He died on the cross.’ For a moment, the chief became angry, and shouted,

    ‘What foolish stories have you heard, Soreto?’ Yet he noted that Soreto was kinder, more thoughtful, and helpful to the poor people. 

    Surprisingly, one day the chief actually asked Soreto to find a christian pastor to live in his village, much to the people’s surprise.  But they danced with delight when the teacher arrived with the good news of the gospel, as Soreto promised.  Chief Benito became a willing listener as he spoke of God’s love.

    However , Soreto knew that the Pastor, his wife and children needed money to buy clothing and food.

    Next morning Soreto hurried to his garden and bent over to dig his potato field.  Carefully he pulled out the weeds while the hot sun streamed on his back.  While there he prayed. ‘Please God show me how to help the pastor and his family.’ Almost immediately he stood up, and smiled as an idea clicked in his mind.

    ‘That’s it,’ he said, ‘Thank you, God, for this plan.’

    Despite the hot sun Soreto walked briskly to his little home.  He lifted some baskets and hurried to the field.  He placed one cane basket at the end of the first row.  He walked on and counted to the next tenth row, where he dropped another basket. At every tenth row he placed a basket, and continued to the end of the field.

    At that moment Soreto’s friend, Denia, shuffled along.  Surprised to see him dropping containers Denia questioned, ‘What are you doing, Soreto?’

    ‘Come and see,’ invited Soreto as he shovelled the first row of potatoes which he dropped into the first basket.  Despite the small field it yielded a good crop.  Denia walked past nine rows, where his friend stopped to dig more potatoes which he carried back to the basket. Then Denia began to help his friend, although it seemed a crazy idea.

    ‘Please explain what you are doing?’ said Denia, with a wrinkled frown.  ‘Are there bad potatoes in the other rows?’

    ‘Every tenth row is for the Lord,’ said Soreto, puffing a little as the sun rose higher in the sky, and he pulled a clean rag from his pocket to wipe the perspiration from his hot face.

    Nurse Amina taught me the privilege of giving a gift to God.  Because I have no money I will give every tenth row of potatoes to the Lord.’

    Denia quickly replied, ’But does God eat potatoes?’

    ‘You are right, but His helpers need food.’  Denia shrugged his shoulders.  But next morning Nurse Amina came by with a little cart pulled by her mule.  She beckoned Soreto and Denia to load God’s potatoes into the cart to supply the pastor and his family.  Some were exchanged for warm clothes needed at the trail summit, as well as sharing a basket with a poor family in that mountain village.  And Nurse Amina clapped her hands with delight at the basket of fresh potatoes she received from Soreto.

    It was not long before Chief Benito carefully thought about the gospel, so that one day he announced to his people that he believed that the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, had died on the cross to pay for his sins.  And he clapped his hands as he told how Jesus came alive.  As well, the chief felt so humble when he heard how his cousin Soreto gave his potatoes to help the pastor bring the gospel to his village.     

    Soreto continued growing potatoes, with enough money now to sell them, which enabled him to buy gospel books and Bibles to enable people read about God and His love for all the people of the world. 

    And the Pastor taught the christians how a wise man, Malachi, wrote that when we bring a tenth of what we own to God, He will bless us, like opening windows in heaven and generously pouring down His love, blessings, and help on us.  

    While Soreto still gave his tenth portion of potatoes for God, he now decided to add extra offerings of all that he grew, because of God’s kindness to him and his family, and especially bringing salvation to Chief Benito, his uncle.

A verse to memorise:  Malachi 3 : 10