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Stories: Herminio’s little surprise
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| By Mel Jay Borup
Herminio had a green thumb. He built a small mud and straw hut inside a small walled compound where he raised his family. His garden was seldom enough to feed his family, so, as a young man; whenever he could, he took odd jobs in the campo (countryside) to support his family. Now he was approaching his twilight years and alone most of the time. He was already in his eighties. He lived in small town with his son who owned a successful record and music store. He missed his hut and his garden, so every morning his son would pack him a lunch and dropped him off at the gate. He would spend his whole day irrigating and tending his garden and if a neighbor came to visit, he was most generous with his vegetables and fruit. In the late evening his son came by and picked him up and so his days went. But Herminio, like many of his generation, was looking to reconnect with his Father in Heaven. He had always had a great faith and often talked to God in his garden as if he were standing by his side. One day my companion and I were tracting and walked up to his gate and clapped our hands (Something they do in Argentina instead of knocking on the door). We were well received and he invited us in. Over the next few months he accepted the gospel and was baptized. It was a beautiful sight seeing him all dressed in white and ready to accept the gospel. It was moving and you could feel the spirit of the Lord present and how pleased he must have been to have his valiant son Herminio accept his sacrifice and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Herminio expressed that he had waited, prayed and searched most of his life for the Lord’s servants to find him, but never really felt so strongly about any previous religion or experience. His time was right. But the thing that has remained with me after all these years is the day he introduced us to his best friend. He invited us into his kitchen and tapped his finger on the table. Soon a tiny little mouse magically appeared and climbed up his knee. He cocked his little furry head and attentively listened to whatever Herminio had to say. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he fed the little mouse part of his lunch! Coming from an agricultural background I never much liked mice, but between the baptism and the mouse, Herminio left a lasting impression on me I will never forget. What more could you ask for than to have the gospel, to be able to converse with your Father in Heaven through prayer, and to have such an attentive little friend that actually listens when you speak!
Word count 492
Copyright Mel Borup 2010, Use granted with permission. Bs.As. Argentina South Mission 1977-79 |
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"You are a great army of returned missionaries. Go forward with new zeal and determination, and through your example shine the light of the gospel in this troubled world. This is the Lord's work in which we are engaged. God lives. Jesus is the Christ. We belong to His Church. This is my witness to you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
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