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Atria’s Amazing Miracle
Atria’s Amazing Miracle
Athor unknown
Atira was watching the TV show 20/20 in her living room in Seattle. The show was about a Nun, in Egypt, that was dedicating her retirement years to the garbage-dump-city in CAIRO.
Atira has an Egyptian import business. When she saw the show of the Nun and her works for the poor and homeless at the garbage dump city, Atira knew she had to help. Atira ordered the transcript from the TV show and set out to see what she could do to help.
Atira asked everyone coming to a baby shower, at her home, to bring a wash cloth and soap. They thought she was nuts, until she told them why.
She called her Dentist and Doctor’s offices and asked what kind of medicines would be needed to help out in a poverty area.
She collected toothbrushes, bandages, etc….until she had suitcases full of things to take to Cairo with her. Her goal was to do her part to help.
Atira was going with a group on her next trip to Egypt so she asked some of the other members in the tour group to help by bringing used children’s clothing , pencils, and children’s books with them to be given to this caring Nun Sister E.
Eight other people were kind enough to collect and bring pens, coloring books, clothes, and various toys, to help.
On their arrival in Cairo, not knowing what to do with the mountain of supplies for the Nun. She asked the hotel manager if he could try and locate this healer of the poor, and within days, he had located the Nun. But the Nun was out of the country and would not be back until Atira had returned to Seattle.
The Hotel Manager said he would store the goods and present them to the Sister E for Atira.
But, that is not the miracle part. The miracle is how one person can effect the lives of others, how our intentions lead us to miracles.
The hotel manager shared the story of Atira’s kind gesture,with other members of the tour.
As it turned out there were two people, who worked with World Wide Health Care Project for the Poor. They had never heard of Sister E. and her plight to help the poor.
These men stayed in Cairo longer than Atira could, and were there when the goods from Atira were collected by Sister E.
These men ended up talking to Sister E. They were able to get her funding for a Health Care Clinic.
When the hotel manager saw Sister E he realized that she often had come into the hotel to use the phone, and he just did not know who she was.
And now, she has FREE phone privileges in his hotel.
Atira wanted to help in a small way….this story makes my heart smile and I hope it does yours too. Helping in whatever way you can help makes miracles unfold for others.
P.S. Atira still travels to Egypt regularity. She always tries to take something to help Sister E. It was three years before Atira was able to meet Sister E. In person. It was a wonderful meeting with heart felt thanks and a new found friendship. The last time she was there the 66 children needed only $75 extra for vaccinations, and Atira paid for these children. This is one of the finest woman I know. She did get to help in a greater way than she could have ever imagined.
Charity (Marvin J. Ashton)
Charity is perhaps, in many ways a misunderstood word. We often equate charity with visiting the sick, taking in casseroles to those in need, or sharing our excess with those who are less fortunate. But really, true charity is much, much more.
Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again. It makes the thought of being a basher repulsive.
Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefits of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is reusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other. None of us need one more person bashing or pointing out where we have failed or fallen short. Most of us are already well aware of the areas in which we are weak. “What each of us does need is family, friends, employers, and brothers and sisters who support us, who have the patience to teach us. who believe in us, and who believe we’re trying to do the best we can, in spite of our weaknesses. What ever happened to giving each other the benefit of the doubt? What ever happened to hoping that another person would succeed or achieve? What ever happened to rooting for each other (This could be placed at Moroni 7:45-48)
Marvin J. Ashton. Ensign, May, 1992 p.19
Story of a Generous Man, The
One day on the street I met a friend whom I had known since boyhood. I had not visited with him for some time, and I was interested in being brought up to date concerning his life, his problems, and his faith, therefore I invited him to go to a conference in Utah County with me. He drove his fine car (the make of car I was driving had not been received into society at that time). He took his wife, and I took mine.
At conference, I called on him to speak. I did not know what it might do to him, but I thought I would take a chance. He gave a fine talk. He told of his trips to the East, how he explained the gospel to the people he met, and how grateful he was for his heritage. He stated that his opportunities in the world had been magnified and multiplied because his father and mother had joined the Church in the Old World.
As we drove home, he turned to me and said: “My this has been a wonderful conference. I have enjoyed it.”
I thought to myself, he was like one of our sisters who came home from a fast meeting and said to her family, “That is the best meeting I ever attended.”
One of the daughters asked; “Well, Mother, who spoke?”
And then her mother replied, “I did. “
I thought he had enjoyed it because he himself had participated. I was glad he had. Then he said, “You know I have heard many things in this conference, but there is only one thing that I do not understand the way you do.”
I said, “What is it?”
“Well, “ he said, “It is about paying tithing.
He thought I would ask him how he paid his tithing, but I did not. I thought if he wanted to tell me, he would. He said, “Would you like me to tell you how I pay my tithing?
I said, “If you want to, you may.
“Well, “ he said, “if I make ten thousand dollars in a year, I put a thousand dollars in the bank for tithing. I know why it’s there. Then when the bishop comes and wants me to make a contribution for the chapel or give him a check for a missionary who is going away, if I think he needs the money, I give him a check. If a family in the ward is in distress and needs coal or food or clothing or anything else, I write out a check. If I find a boy or a girl who is having difficulty getting through school in the East, I send a check. Little by little I exhaust the thousand dollars, and every dollar of it has gone where I know it has done good. Now, what do you think of that?”
“Well, I said, “do you want me to tell you what I think of it?”
He said, “Yes.
I said, “I think you are a very generous man with someone else’s property.” And he nearly tipped the car over.
He said, “What do you mean?”
I said, “You have an idea that you have paid your tithing?”
“Yes, “ he said.
I said, “You have not paid any tithing. You have told me what you have done with the Lord’s money. Tithing should be paid to the Church and it’s use directed by the Lord. You haven’t done that; you have taken your best partner^’^s money, and given it away.”
Well, I will tell you there was quiet in the car for some time. We rode on to Salt Lake City and talked about other things.
About a month after that I met him on the street. He came up put his arms in mine, and said, “Brother Smith, I am paying my tithing the same way you do.” I was very happy to hear that.
Not long before he died, he came into my office to tell me what he was doing with his own money. —George Albert Smith