On the fifth day of
Christmas, our orphans need from you:
FIVE MEASLY DOLLARS!
Have
you heard this Christmas story before?
In
the very early 1800's, a young boy about 14 years old named John lived in an
orphanage in England along with several other children. Orphanages were
dreaded. Orphan meant unwanted and unloved. The orphanage was administered by a
master and his wife who were results of meager backgrounds themselves and were
short on love but high on discipline. No childlike play, no expression of compassion,
no understanding.
Every
day of the year was spent working. They worked in gardens, cleaned, sewed, and
cooked, sometimes for wealthy children. They were up at dawn and worked until
dark and usually received only one meal a day. However, they were very grateful
because they were taught to be hard workers. John had absolutely nothing to
call his own. None of the children did.
Christmas
was the one day of the year when the children did not work and received a gift.
A gift for each child — something to call their own.
This
special gift was an orange. John had been in the orphanage long enough to look
forward with delight and anticipation of this special day of Christmas and to
the orange he would receive. In Old England, and to John and his orphan
companions, an orange was a rare and special gift. It had an unusual aroma of
something they smelled only at Christmas. The children prized it so much that
they kept it for several days, weeks, and even months — protecting it, smelling
it, touching it and loving it. Usually they tried to savor and preserve it for
so long that it often rotted before they ever peeled it to enjoy the sweet
juice.
Many
thoughts were expressed this year as Christmas time approached. The children
would say, "I will keep mine the longest." They always talked about
how big their last orange was and how long they had kept it.
John
usually slept with his next to his pillow. He would put it right by his nose
and smell of its goodness, holding it tenderly and carefully as not to bruise
it. He would dream of children all over the world smelling the sweet aroma of
oranges. It gave him security and a sense of well being, hope and dreams of a
future filled with good food and a life different from this meager existence.
This
year John was overjoyed by the Christmas season. He was becoming a man. He knew
he was becoming stronger and soon he would be old enough to leave. He was
excited by this anticipation and excited about Christmas. He would save his
orange until his birthday in July. If he preserved it very carefully, kept it
cool and did not drop it, he might be able to eat it on his birthday.
Christmas
day finally came. The children were so excited as they entered the big dining
hall. John could smell the unusual aroma of meat. In his excitement and because
of his oversized feet, he tripped, causing a disturbance. Immediately the
master roared, "John, leave the hall and there will be no orange for you
this year." John's heart broke violently wide open. He began to cry. He
turned and went swiftly back to the cold room and his corner so the small
children would not see his anguish.
Then
he heard the door open and each of the children entered. Little Elizabeth with
her hair falling over her shoulders, a smile on her face, and tears in her eyes
held out a piece of rag to John. "Here John," she said, "this is
for you." Her youth and innocence touched John as he reached for the bulge
in her hand.
As
he lifted back the edges of the rag he saw a big juicy orange all peeled and
wedged. . . and then he realized what they had done. Each had sacrificed their
own orange by sharing a wedge and had created a big, beautiful orange for John.
John never forgot the sharing, love and personal sacrifice his friends had
shown him that Christmas day.
And
so today, on December 4, 2012 we are asking for you to share a wedge with
Albina, Alina and Maks. We hope
that you can embrace the true meaning of Christmas and find a way to share a
small portion of your abundance to bless their lives and help them have a
chance at a future full of “security
and a sense of well being, hope and dreams of a future filled with good food
and a life different from (their) meager existence.” If everyone gives just one small
“wedge”, together we can present Albina, Alina and Maks with an entire “orange”.
Please help them.
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