By David Schamel age 15
Chapter one
Brian, Charity and baby Naomi gave their Dad one last hug, right before he climbed into the car to head to the airport to board a plane headed for China to be a missionary.
“Dad why do you have to go?” asked 10 year old Charity. “Well Charity, I feel the Lord has called me to go and minister to the believers there, and I don’t want to be responsible for someone not receiving the Lord because I would not listen.”
Brian watched his Dad as he climbed into the car and left, but he never expected that it would be the last time he would see his father.
Several years later, Brian was praying quietly out underneath a big pine tree. “What do you have for my life, Lord? I know you have something in store for my life,” whispered Brain in a quiet prayer. Then he heard a rustle in the tree, so he looked up and there was a white dove. He watched the bird for a moment, then it flew off and something that looked like a feather floated down to the ground “that isn’t a feather” Brian said talking to himself with a puzzled tune in his voice. He picked it up. “This looks like a note.” He said as he started to unravel the piece of paper. The paper read “Go to China I have a work for you to do there” Brian was startled “How can this be? I can’t go to china. I don’t have enough money and how I can help anyone, I am not qualified, and there are many people better than me.”
Brian sat and thought for a while then got up and slowly walked back home and went to his room. “I miss you, Dad. I wish you were here, I don’t know what to do,” he said as he looked at a picture of his Dad. “What should I do? I don’t have enough money and I am not near as able as many Christians. Is this message from God? And if it is, how could I help anyone, I am not a preacher?” He lay on his bed and looked at the note again.
The next day at breakfast Brian told his mom what happened and asked her what she thought about it.
“I think it would be a good idea to go talk to the pastor. He is wise and he and your dad were good friends. He should help you decide what you should do,” answered his mother.
“That is a good idea. I will head over later this afternoon,” Brian said accepting his mother’s advice.
Later that afternoon, he went to visit his pastor. His pastor invited him in and began to talk with him. “So, why have you come to see me today?”
“I was praying and asking God what he wanted me to do and while I was praying, I heard something in the tree and when I looked up, there was a white dove, then it took off and a piece of paper fell and said to go to China,” Brian said, explaining what happened to the pastor.
“It is very dangerous there if they find out you are a Christian. Somebody might kill you. But if you know you have been called I would listen to the message,” the pastor said warning him.
“I was praying about it because I was afraid and then I started reading the Bible and in Second Samuel 22:3 it says ‘The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior; thou save me from violence.’ I feel like God was trying to tell me not to be afraid because he will take care of everything.”
“Then I will be praying for you,” guaranteed the pastor.
“Thank you, I really appreciate it. I will see you later,” Brian said gratefully as he stood up to leave.
“I’ll see you later,” replied the pastor.
After leaving the pastor’s house, Brian went back home to talk with his mom about what he had decided to do and get ready to go. He was still a little scared and didn’t know where he was going to get the money, but he knew if the Lord had called him there he would take care of his every need.
Brian spent the next two weeks praying and fasting about it, and still felt led to go.
Fifteen days after Brian got the note, was Brian’s birthday. He was going to be twenty-one. That morning he got up early in the morning and went out to pray again. On his way back he stopped and picked up their mail. There was a letter to him from his lawyer. “I hope I don’t have to go to jury duty,” he said as he started to open the letter. “Praise the Lord!” he said with a lot of excitement. “The Lord provided, through insurance money. I had $5,000 saved till I was 21, thank you Lord!”