Paula and the Angel
Paula was crying. It seemed to her she was always crying now. Nothing ever seemed to go her way. She didn’t know what she was going to do next, but she knew something was going to have to change. She was unhappy at home. Her parents were fighting all the time. She was miserable at school; the other kids picked on her. Boys didn’t like her because she wasn’t pretty or popular and girls made fun of her because she was smart. She just wanted to be left alone.
Paula cried out to God to help her find a way to handle all the things that were making her so upset. She wanted out. She knew that there were only so many options that she had, and she knew that running away from her problems wouldn’t solve anything, it would only make things worse. A girl at her school had run away from home the year before and Paula had heard that she became addicted to drugs and was living in a horrible area with a bunch of other runaways. No, running away would not solve her problems.
So, Paula knelt down next to her bed and put her head in her hands. She prayed that somehow the Lord would help her through this time in her life and help her to get through it. Send me someone, Lord, to help me deal with all of these things. She continued to pray until she fell asleep. Paula awoke with a start. The lamp next to her bed had been the only light on in the room, but somehow, the room was brilliantly lit. As though a bright candle, brighter than any she had ever seen, was somehow lighting up the room. She looked around her and saw a figure, about eight feet tall, with golden hair flowing in loose waves down her back, standing in the middle of the room. Paula sucked in her breath, not wanting to make a noise. But, somehow, she was not afraid. “Could this be my Guardian Angel?” she thought. “I am,” the figure said. “I was sent to you to help and protect you. You are in need of help and I have come to show you the way.” Paula realized the angel had understood her thoughts before she spoke. “Cool,” she thought, “I don’t even have to speak and you can hear me!”
She spoke with the angel, in hushed tones, so as not to wake anyone else in the family. She couldn’t believe she was having a conversation with an angel. The angel introduced herself as Clarice, and explained that she was sent to help Paula, however, that this help was going to be in the way of helping others. Clarice was to take Paula to other places to help those in need. Paula would then realize that in helping others with problems greater than her own, her problems would seem less significant and she would be able to handle them.
Clarice explained that they were going to travel together to a place called Dodoma in Tanzania to help deliver rice and beans to the people there who were starving because of a famine there. “Are you ready?” Clarice asked her. “Yes, I think so.” Paula answered.
The next thing Paula knew, she was in the back of an old truck, lumbering along a dirt road, with Clarice by her side. But not as she had seen her before. The angel was sitting down next to Paula, but Paula could tell she was not as tall as she had been before. Her face still shone brightly, but only in a way of one who has a great secret, a warm wonderful something that they want to share with everyone else, but can’t. Clarice was wearing a soft cotton plaid shirt and blue jeans, neat and tidy, but not extravagant. She had on plain white cotton tennis shoes and her golden locks were pulled back in a pony tail, away from her face. There were other people in the back of the truck, also. An older man, probably a priest, dressed in a black shirt and black pants, with a large cross around his neck. An older woman, dressed in a light cotton dress, buttoned up to her neck, except for the top button. She was smiling and trying to hold her hair back, but the wind was blowing it all over and she was losing the fight. Still, she seemed at peace and happy to be there. Paula then realized that they were sitting between huge white bags. There must have been about 10 or 12 of them and they probably weighed 50-60 pounds each. She realized that they must be filled with food. It didn’t take long to realize, too, that the sun was beating down on them and it was very hot. She went to take off her jacket, then realized she didn’t have one on. The heat was so intense and dry that she yearned for a glass of ice water, however, she realized that would be impossible here. She was already beginning to see that her problems didn’t amount to much. Paula glanced over at Clarice and Clarice nodded, because she knew that Paula was seeing a picture bigger than her own. She understood that Paula was miserable here and felt sorry for the people here. She knew, too, that Paula needed to be here, to see this and to understand what others were suffering.
The truck continued on down the road, seemingly hitting every pothole along the way. Dirt and dust were being kicked up by the tires and it was miserable for all those in the back. But they were on a mission. To bring these desperately needed food supplies to the people here who were starving.
They reached their destination and a man came around to the back of the truck to open it. Paula had not seen this man before. He was very thin, wore a loose fitting linen-type shirt, a medium gray color that almost matched the color of his hair. He was stooped over, seemingly from years of heavy work and yet, he was joyful. Not just content. Not at peace. He was happy. He had a look on his face of one who was truly in love with Christ. Paula realized that when she was a child and had accepted Christ, that her face had shown like that, but that in the last year or two, her smile had faded and she seemed to be trudging along, trying to get by, not thanking God for His blessing and redemption. She found herself staring at this man and he glanced up at her and gave her a big, cheerful smile and she felt even more remorseful than she already did. How could she have forgotten to say thank you to her dear Lord?
They all piled out of the truck and Paula took a look at the people around her. She realized that although she had never been overweight, she felt self-conscious of her weight among these people. Everyone was so thin. The children’s clothes hung on them as though they were on a hanger. Loose fitting dresses on the girls and baggy shorts on the boys. She realized that this food that they were bringing was necessary for their survival.
Clarice grabbed a bag once she got off the back of the truck and dragged it over to where they were all piled up. Paula did the same, though she was rescued by one of the other men, for she could not lift the heavy bag.
People were beginning to gather all around them. They formed a line and were waiting patiently, more patiently, Paula realized, than what she would have been, given the circumstances. The man who had been driving the truck spoke to the people and they brought their bowls over to him and he scooped out rice and beans as the people lined up for it. They all seemed to be saying thank you over and over, grateful for this meager ration that had been brought to them.
“Have I forgotten how fortunate I am? Have I neglected my Lord because of all the other things that have crowded my mind?” Clarice looked over at her. “Yes, you have. But you may make things right with Him now.” Paula bowed her head, ready to pray and thank the Lord for all His blessings, for His compassion and for giving her the opportunity to see that her problems were not insurmountable with His help. As she lifted her head, she realized she was back in her room, with her head on her bed, kneeling on the rug. “Thank you, God, for sending my angel to me and for showing me the things I need to change in my life. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to see all that You are doing and for showing me that You can take care of people in depressed nations and You can take care of me!”
Then she got up, still feeling tired and hot and went downstairs to get herself a tall glass of ice water. As she drank it, she said another prayer. This one for the people in other parts of the world who didn’t have the luxuries she was used to. And she thanked God for all He provides. And she slept better that night than she had ever slept before.
