It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were dying. The creeks and streams were long gone back into the earth. If we didn't see some rain soon, we would lose everything. It was on this day that I learned the true lesson of sharing and witnessed the only miracle I have seen with my own eyes.
I was in the kitchen making lunch when I saw my six-year old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again, toward the house.
I went back to making sandwiches, thinking that whatever task he had been doing was completed. Moments later, however, he was once again walking in that slow purposeful stride toward the woods. This activity went on for an hour: walk carefully to the woods, run back to the house.
Finally I couldn't take it any longer and I crept out of the house and followed him on his journey.
As I leaned in to spy on him, I saw the most amazing sight. Several large deer loomed in front of him. Billy walked right up to them. And I saw a tiny fawn lying on the ground, obviously suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion, lift its head with GREat effort to lap up the water cupped in my beautiful boy's hand.
When the water was gone, Billy jumped up to run back to the house. I followed him back to a spigot that we had shut off the water to. Billy opened it all the way up and a small trickle began to creep out. He knelt there, letting the drip, drip slowly fill up his makeshift "cup." When he stood up and began the trek back, I was there in front of him. His little eyes just filled with tears.
"I'm not wasting," was all he said.
As the tears that rolled down my face began to hit the ground, they were suddenly joined by other drops…… more drops…… and more.
All I can say is that the rain that came that day saved our farm…… just like the actions of one little boy saved another.
