Dr. Fred Craddock tells a...
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Dr. Fred Craddock tells a story of an agricultural missionary to China who was caught in the Communist take over and placed under house arrest. After more than a year he was permitted to leave and made his way to India where he could book passage to the States. His missionary board sent him money for the ticket home, but it would be several days before a ship would be available to take him.
While he waited he heard that a boatload of Jewish immigrants had landed in the city. As you may remember in the early 1940s Jews did not have a country and sometimes they sailed from port to port looking for a place that would take them in. They had been allowed to dock and were living in the warehouses and barnlofts near the port. It was Christmas time and so the missionary went looking for them and found a large group of them in a rundown barnloft.
The missionary went in and said "Merry Christmas!" But they replied, "We're Jews." "I know," he said, "But it's Christmas. What would you like for Christmas?" Perhaps just to get rid of the fellow one of the Jews said, "I'd like some German pastries."
So the missionary scoured the city till he found German pastries and using his ticket money he bought them baskets of pastries. Later when he was back home telling this story a well meaning young woman said, "But why did you do that? They don't even believe in Christ."
The missionary replied, "I know, but I do."
- Piazza
While he waited he heard that a boatload of Jewish immigrants had landed in the city. As you may remember in the early 1940s Jews did not have a country and sometimes they sailed from port to port looking for a place that would take them in. They had been allowed to dock and were living in the warehouses and barnlofts near the port. It was Christmas time and so the missionary went looking for them and found a large group of them in a rundown barnloft.
The missionary went in and said "Merry Christmas!" But they replied, "We're Jews." "I know," he said, "But it's Christmas. What would you like for Christmas?" Perhaps just to get rid of the fellow one of the Jews said, "I'd like some German pastries."
So the missionary scoured the city till he found German pastries and using his ticket money he bought them baskets of pastries. Later when he was back home telling this story a well meaning young woman said, "But why did you do that? They don't even believe in Christ."
The missionary replied, "I know, but I do."
- Piazza
