Other Arrangements

   My mother once held my brothers and I spellbound as she told us the story of our very first meal together in our own home. An agency worker had asked her what she found the most difficult thing to do in bringing up three small children on her own following the recent, tragic death of her husband. I will let my mother’s words take up the story.

   “Mending the childrens’ socks at 3 o’ clock in the morning, knowing I have to be up again at 6.”

   As the agency worker looked around the sparsely furnished, one room apartment in the poor neighborhood in which we lived, I could see she felt the children were greatly deprived. The fact that the place was spotlessly clean, that the children were well behaved and happy, and that we had even managed to stay together at all, did not seem to register with her.

   I had told her of the wonderful neighbors who gladly took it in turns to care for the children while I was at work, but this only appeared to heighten her anxiety. She talked ominously about being forced to make ‘other arrangements’ if the agency thought for a moment there was even the possibility of the children being left alone at any time.

   As she prepared to let herself out, she turned around before opening the front door to say that, if ‘other arrangements’ did prove to be necessary, she would do what she could to try and keep the children together. The agency had great resources whereas it was obvious I did not.

   Stung by this remark, I replied quietly that I felt us to be truly blessed simply by being able to be together.

   “Since when has being blessed put food on the table?” was the swift response.

   “Since the time Jesus fed the five thousand after blessing five barley loaves and two small fish”, I replied.

   For once the agency worker seemed to be at a loss for words; again that hard, condescending look and she was gone.

   I turned to watch the children playing quietly but happily together, a legacy from their adoring father that enabled me to get on with being the wife and mother he knew I loved to be.

   The children would soon be hungry, so I went over to the little alcove that served as our kitchen and began to look through the small supply of tins that would comprise our dinner. There did not seem to be quite enough, allowing for breakfast and the children’s lunches as well.

   It was then I remembered Jesus saying some things can only be accomplished by fasting and prayer. That was what I would do.

   Knowing nothing is impossible with God, even if the situation looked hopeless to me, I went before Him in prayer as usual, asking that He would direct my path out of the extreme poverty into which, through no fault of my own, I had fallen.

   The Bible tells us God gives His beloved sleep; how precious, I thought after another night of short but undisturbed rest, to be beloved of God who supplies all our needs from His glorious riches through Christ Jesus.

   Thus refreshed, the next morning I resolved to put my situation to the recently appointed general manager of the factory where I worked. It impressed me that, each morning, he would enter the premises, not by the imposing front door to the office building, but by the unobtrusive door that led to the rear of the warehouse and thence to the production floor where I worked.

   He knew every one of us by name, would stop to say “Good morning” to each of us, inquire how we were with genuine sincerity, and tell us always to take good care of ourselves. He would then wish us and our families good health, say “God bless you in the name of Christ”, thank us for everything, and end with the words, “God be with you always”. He seemed to be an altogether godly and caring man.

   I decided to take the risk of asking him directly for an appointment to see him when he greeted me later that morning at work. The agency worker had told me she would be gone for three weeks and I felt I had to do everything possible to make a dramatic change in my circumstances before she returned. If I followed the usual chain of command it might take me three weeks just to get to see the general manager.

   As I saw him following his customary route up and down the production lines, I couldn’t help an occasional fearing of the worst. This I saw as losing my job, but that was to be preferred to losing my children and they perhaps being separated from each other.

   In response to the general manager’s closing words, I looked at him directly and thanked him for all that he did for us. I then boldly asked if I might make an appointment to see him on an urgent, private matter as soon as he could spare me the half-hour I was allowed for lunch. He gave me his usual warm smile, took out his pocket diary, thought for a moment and then said he would make himself available that very day.

   Once inside his office, I told him as briefly as I could about my very straightened circumstances, the veiled threats of the agency worker, and my avowed intent to do all I could to keep our little family together.

   He was thoughtful for a while and then said that, after all I had been through, I would know all about crisis management, juggling priorities, making decisions, interacting with many different people, and generally being a solid, all round performer.

   “Faith”, he said kindly, “you remind me of the difficulty women have in re-entering the workforce after they’ve been ‘stay-at-home mums.’ That always seemed unfair to me because of all they have to offer.”

   Again, that thoughtful pause before he continued, looking directly at me. “How would you feel about moving?” he asked.

   “The agency told me I couldn’t even leave my apartment without their permission.”

   “I anticipated that; no, I meant moving overseas and starting a whole new life for yourself and your children.”

   Seeing my look of bewildered amusement, he went on quickly, “We recently made our first overseas investment. There we could really do with a first-rate supervisor, someone with the very qualities you possess in abundance. You may recall we asked for volunteers but to date no one has come forward.

   “As an expatriate from the home office you would have everything provided " furnished accommodation, major contributions to the cost of utilities, school fees and so on " in short, we could not have you in want for anything. Furthermore, career prospects for you would be excellent because the present production manager has already told us he wants to retire in three year’s time. We would take care of everything for you, including the agency worker. Now, there’s your bell for the end of lunch break, so let’s meet again tomorrow and you can tell me what you think.”

   I walked home quickly as usual later that afternoon, eager to see the children, the pangs of hunger continuing to gnaw at me. However, the thought of none of us ever being separated or in want again drove me forward.

   As I offered my prayer of heartfelt thanksgiving to an ever loving Father that evening, I knew He had made my decision for me. In just three short weeks He would show me the truth of the words in the Bible that eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has any mind imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.

   After announcing my decision at lunch time the following day, I was immediately promoted to supervisor so that I could undergo basic training in my new role before I left. The generous settling-in allowance I was given for use before and after our departure ensured we had everything we needed for the new life we were to lead.

   On the day of our departure, the general manager came to see us off. He bought with him four small gifts, “something to read on the plane” was the way he put it, adding he’d like me to open mine while he was there. It was a beautifully illustrated, special edition of the book of Esther from the Bible.

   “I know you’ll be familiar with the story, Faith, but I wanted you to know I was as well. You too took a risk in coming to see me after fasting beforehand. You too have been willing to make a big sacrifice in seeking a better life for you and your loved ones. But above all you too have an unshakeable faith in God that has resulted in the triumph of good over evil. You are richly blessed, Faith, and most deservedly so. May God continue to bless you abundantly as only He can in the name of Christ.”

   A month’s stay in a hotel was arranged for us overseas while we looked for a place of our own; this we found very quickly.

   At the end of our very first day in our new home, I looked around our well-appointed house, the children playing quietly but happily together, and felt I could not be more blessed. But I was wrong.

   As I headed towards the spacious kitchen to make dinner for us all, I thought I would first lay the table in the dining-room as beautifully as I knew how in celebration of our first meal together in our very own home. I was putting the finishing touches to my handiwork when there was a knock at the door. Our very first visitor, I thought, as the children gathered around me. It was a special delivery from an obviously fine restaurant. The accompanying, ‘Welcome to your new home’ card had been signed by the general manager and every member of the production department where I had worked back home. Enclosed was a short newspaper article advising readers that a certain agency worker had been dismissed for what the tribunal stated was ‘her hardness of heart’. Across the bottom of the article the general manager had written, ‘Shades of Esther again here, Faith’.

   I laid the ornate dishes on the dining table and lifted the lid of each one, beginning with the smallest. I paused for a moment before opening the largest, wondering what it would contain. I shouldn’t have wondered. There, before the children and I, beautifully presented, were five barley loaves and two small fish.

For further reading: John 6:1-14; Matthew 17:14-21; Luke 1:26-37; Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 127:2; Philippians 4:19; 1 Corinthians 2:9-10; Esther 4:11; 4:16; 5:1-2