Wise Eyes

A Surprise Birthday

Wednesday, March 6, 1962, two weeks after we moved to Baja California, Mexico

“Mommy,” said Bobby, as he was dressing for bed. “I’ll be six years old tomorrow. Are things ready for my party?”

All through the day I had been wondering how I would explain to Bobby that there was absolutely no money for a cake or present for his birthday.  “Honey, I am very sorry but we have not been able to get you a present---

“What? Don’t stores in Mexico have toys and things?”

“Oh, Yes. Of course there are plenty of things to buy but- but – we have no money right now.” He looked so sad. I clenched my jaws to keep from crying.

“Is my birthday going to be worst than this last Christmas? Why can’t things be like they used to be when we had fun birthdays, picnics at Stony Creek Park and Christmas with everybody? I don’t like moving, away from everyone, Rada, Cecil, Rudy, and---.” He began sobbing.

I sat down on the bunk bed beside him. I put my arms around him, and he laid his head on my lap. I also remembered those good times in Orland, California.  Because we did not live near either mine or James parents, we had for the past five years celebrated Thanksgiving with three childless couples and (sometimes their lonely friends) from the church we attended. Two couples, Bro and Sis. Rudd, also Rada and Cecil counted themselves as grandparents to our children. Rudy was the brother of Mary Ellen, who had lived with us since Tim’s birth. Rudy stay at our house a lot to play with Bobby.

Whenever possible we spent Christmas with either my parents or James’s dad. Sometimes we enjoyed both at the same time. This last Christmas we were all alone in a small cabin on the church campground in Pacoima, CA. There were a few small presents but not the usual kind, nor the royal family feasting, playing games and so forth.

Finally, Bobby stopped sobbing and looked up. “You will make me a cake won’t you? And I can invite Lallo and Juan to eat with me?”

I prayed to myself- Oh, Lord, how can I tell him, that I have no sugar, eggs or butter to make a cake? We all slept in the same room because it was warmer. I got up and finished making our bed, which was a mattress on the floor between the two bunk beds that were pushed tightly against opposite walls. Tricia and Rosi were asleep in one and Tim lay asleep at the other end of the one on which Bobby sat.  God I know all things are possible. You supplied for Tim to have a beautiful birthday just three weeks ago and you can do the same for Bob.

“Why don’t you answer me?” Bob questioned. He dangled his feet picking up one side of the cover on our pallet. “You are going to make me a cake, aren’t you?”

I hurled our pillows to the other end of the pallet, and sat down beside Bobby.  “I’m sorry Bob, but I have no sugar, butter nor eggs with which to make a cake. Lay down and I will tell you a story.”

“I don’t want to hear a story.” He pushed me away.

I slipped out into the kitchen and put on my pajamas, then sat down cross-legged on my mattress. I couldn’t talk for crying, so we sat in silence. The rain was falling in torrents outside. Cold wind blew into the little room through cracks around the door and windows. The fire in the round heating stove in the corner of the room had die down in order to save the scant wood supply. “Come on, get under the cover,” I pleaded.

He did, then looked up at me and asked. “Are you sure God sent us here?” 

“I think He did. Your dad fasted and prayed three days before he decided this was the place God wanted us. Things can’t always be as we would like. We have food to eat and this place out of the cold rain. God will supply for us. Remember God sent a raven each day with food for Elijah. But Elijah had to suffer, too. The King’s men were hunting Elijah to kill him, that’s why he was hiding in the mountains. Elijah too, may have wished for different food than what the raven brought. We too may not always like what God does but remember He will take care of us.”

Bobby wiped his eyes and said softly, “Okay.” Bobby wanted to please Jesus and said often that he wanted to be a worker like Timothy in the Bible. In fact, he had asked that his little brother be called Timothy after the Bible character.

“Try to go to sleep now,” I whispered and kissed him. “I hear the car so Daddy is here.”

“Sorry I am so late but it took a long time to get the neighbor’s car out of the ditch. This clay ground is like slime and yet it sticks like glue. It’s like the soil in Southern MO.” He slipped off his muddy shoes and clothes near the back door. Got into his pajamas and came into the room. “What? Isn’t Bobby asleep? Looks like he’s been crying?”

“Well, we are feeling pretty sad because there is not money for his birthday.”

“Why, when is his birthday?”

“It’s tomorrow.”

“Oh, yes, I know. Well, things could be worse. I was just visiting with Tomas’ sister, Marie. Her baby was crying because she was hungry and she had no milk.”

“You didn’t give her the cans of milk in the car?”

“I gave her one can.”

“Rosi drinks one can every day. What will she do after tomorrow?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know that was all we had. I couldn’t carry away milk and leave a baby crying of hunger.”

Poor James did all he could to comfort us but it all seen in vain. We had forgotten that Jesus said, “Take no thought for tomorrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.”

I covered my head so Bobby couldn’t see me crying. I could hear him sobbing until he went to sleep. James wrapped himself in a quilt and sat down on the pallet at my feet and began reading the Bible. I never moved but I could hear him reading. “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.” (Ps.41:1) “Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the norrow; for the norrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:34.

He prayed a while quietly them got under the covers. Soon he was snoring heavily.

I pretended to be asleep. Secretly I was wishing I could trust God like he did. I wondered if he thought cans of milk would come falling out of the sky like the manna in the wilderness? His growing up years living with a minister father who sometimes traveled as an evangelist had given him first hand experiences seeing God meet needs. I supposed it was like foundation stones in a building. He had told me about his sister, Esther fifth birthday.

She wanted a doll buggy. One of those strong iron ones like was made in the thirties. There was no money for such a luxury and their mother had explained this to Esther so she wouldn’t be too disappointed. On March 3, the day before her birthday their mother Ella Mae took Esther to visit Sis. McMain. Esther was playing with her doll while the women visited and prayed together. Before leaving, Sister McMain asked, “Do you have a buggy for your doll?”

“Yes,” Esther answered.

While going home on the city bus, Mother scolded Esther for telling a lie. “But I’ve been praying for one and Jesus is sending it,” Ester answered.

The following morning, when James and His brother David were returning from delivering the morning newspaper to their customers they saw a doll buggy in the alley behind their house. James hurried into the house wrapped Esther in a blanket and carried her to the alley. “There is my doll buggy,” she squealed.  Mother was sure some little girl had accidently left it there. She sent the boys over the neighborhood. They asked at every home about the doll buggy. No one claimed it. Truly, God had sent the buggy. Could it be possible that at this late hour God would arrange things so Bobby would have a happy birthday?

I had grown up on a farm in Oregon. Our presents were bought with hard earned money. In the summer and fall we stored away enough food to last until the coming harvest. I was very uncomfortable having only enough food for a few weeks, much less for only one day. I turned from side to side until I finally fell into a restless sleep.

Sometime later, we awoke to loud knocking on the front door. “Jaime! Jaime!” Someone was shouting.

“Quien es?” (Who is it?) James muttered half asleep.

“Yo soy Jose. (I am Jose) Aqui esta Smeet. Smeet.” The voice answered.

“It must be Bro. Smith,” I said.

“Ah, you’re dreaming,” James answered.

But he realized it was true when he heard the familiar voice of Harland Smith. He jumped up and jerked open the door and shouted, “Get in here out of that rain.”

 “It is pretty wet out here and the door doesn’t have a porch,” Bro Smith said as the two men stepped in. Then in his usual polite way he added. “I hated to come in on you so late, but I started as soon as I got off work. It rained so hard all the way so I couldn’t drive very fast. How is everyone?”

“We are alright. But how did you find us?”   

“I really didn’t know where to start, no address, no phone. When we came through last weekend, I asked but no one knew of a new American family in town. However, all day while at work I kept thinking I must come and find you. The longer I worked the more I was convinced that I must come tonight. I prayed all the way for God to help me. Back up the road a little ways, I saw a man bent over as if struggling to stay afoot in this awful storm. I stopped and offered him a ride. We talked just a little and then I realized he was the man you brought to Pomona to get your things. He lived next door. Of course he guided me right here.”

“Thanks Jose,” James said shaking his hand. Jose said good night and left.

“It was a real miracle that the timing was just right for you to meet Jose,” James said.

“Yes, God does all things right. We just have to listen and follow him.” He said, as he handed James some letters. “There are more boxes in the pick-up. I’ll get them out in the morning.”

The minute I heard Bro. Smith’s voice I knew God had not forsaken us. He had sent help. If there are living angels, Harland Smith was one. His face had a radiance, which gave the impression of being divine. In his presence, burdens vanished; fear and discouragement lost their control. There was an influence going out from him that penetrated into the hearts of others, giving them a new determination to go for God, no matter the cost. I had many times felt heavenly power when he prayed. “But why had I been so discouraged a few hours ago,” I thought. “Oh, God, please forgive me!”

Before the children awoke, the men had unloaded the boxes. There were two packages for Bobby, one from Rada, another from Mary Ellen. Another box was full of groceries. It contained cans of evaporated milk for Rosi, a box of cake mix, eggs, and confection sugar for frosting.

I lay the cheerfully wrapped presents on the bed beside Bobby. Then I bent over, kissed him and said. “Wake-up, Bobby. It’s your birthday! Go invite Lalo and Juan to share your cake.”