Andy's Friend "Chapter 1"

Andy’s Friend

Once there was a little boy called Andy. Andy lived in a small farming town in
the western plains. This had been a very bad year for everyone that lived
there. Some lost all they had, while the others just held on. Most of the kids
in that town had been forced out of school because they just had to help with
the farm work. Andy still went to school, but the days he spent there were
hungry ones. He never complained, just took out his biscuit at lunch with a cup
of water and had his meal.

He remembered what his mom had taught him. Bow your head and thank Jesus for
what you have and for loving you. Mom said do it in silence, if you want. Jesus
will hear you. Andy was a still just a little young to understand how Jesus
could be everywhere. Mom would say when you're older, you'll understand. Andy
was only in the fourth grade and if his mom said that, then it was true.

Andy and his mom went to church each Sunday while Dad stayed home. He used to
go but he said he had to stay home and work the fields since God didn’t
care anymore. Dad had grown very bitter. There was no money, no food and as
each day passed, it only looked worse.

Andy would ask his mom, “Is that why Dad hits me now?"

“I guess so, son, but he doesn’t mean it."

“I hear Dad cry at night after we go to bed," Andy said.

Mom held Andy. “I know, baby."

Andy told Mom, "Jesus loves us. I know because he’s my friend. I like to
stop at his house every day and talk to him. Now that I walk to school alone I
stay a little while."

Mom had tears in her eyes as she softly whispered, “I don’t like
you to go alone, but I have to go to the barn. I'm afraid Dad will make you
stay home from school if we both leave. Promise me you'll be careful crossing
the highway."

“Mom, I take a shortcut pass the church. I have to say hi to my friend."


She smiled. “You still have to cross the highway."

Excitedly Andy said, “Mom, I know a little of my song I'm learning. When
I know it all, I'll sing it to my friend."

She just smiled at this sweet little boy and asked, “Will you sing what
you know for me?"

Andy very proudly sang, “We have come into his house and gathered in his
name to worship him. Mom, that's all I know of it so far. That’s why I
like to stop there on my way to school and say hi. Jesus' birthday will be
soon, Mom, and I made him something."

“I'm sure he'll like it. Now you hurry off to school and be
careful crossing the highway."

Andy took off just as fast as he could. When he got to the church, he just
rushed on in. He shouted, “Hi Jesus, how’s my friend!"

Brother Reynolds heard Andy and smiled. Andy asked, “Could I say hi to my
friend before I go to school?"

Brother Reynolds said, “You take all the time you need for your friend."


Very curious, Brother Reynolds stepped out of sight of Andy. He thought,
“How could a little boy only in the fourth grade have so much to say to
Jesus each time he passed this church?" He listened to a prayer that would
bring tears to your eyes.

"Jesus," Andy prayed, "I know you have to be busy but I won’t take much
of your time. I know your birthday is soon, and I made you something. I know my
math test was bad but I didn’t cheat. The farm has done real badly this
year. I eat my bread and drink my water each day. Thank you for that. Dad got mad at me again and hit me. Please Jesus, don’t be mad at him. It was my fault. A
little lost kitty came to our house, and he was very hungry. Jesus, I know how
it hurts to be hungry, so I shared my bread with him. Dad caught me and he was
mad. I told Dad I wasn’t that hungry. Jesus, I wasn’t then. I was
before Mom gave it to me, but that little kitty was hungry. My back did bleed
just a little and it’s still bruised. I know you could heal it right
here, right now, but it’s ok. Mom said your back bled a lot one time. Oh,
look at my old dumb shoes. I shouldn’t walk so much because when these
are gone, I'll have to go barefoot."

Andy picked up his foot and showed Jesus the sole half gone. “Jesus, I'm
not complaining because at least I get to still go to school. Please help all
the boys and girls get back in school. Oh Jesus, I have a girlfriend. Her name
is Bethany. Do you think she will like me? I'm not much to look at and she's so
pretty. I know you like me because you’re my best friend. I can’t
wait until you see your present. I know you'll like it, it’s--Oops, I
almost told you. I have to go now. I love you."

Andy jumped up and shouted, “I’m leaving now, Brother Reynolds!"

The pastor said, “Wait a minute, Andy. There’s something I need to
talk to you about. I don’t want you to cross the road anymore by
yourself. I'll walk you across and I'll watch for you in the evening when
school is out. I'll
walk over and return back with you."

“Thank you."

Soon Christmas Day came. Andy’s teacher was going to have a special party
that day for all the kids who needed to finish up their gifts. Andy put
Jesus’ gift in an old paper bag and off to school he rushed. He would
finish it at
school and on the way home, he'd give it to Jesus.

Andy got to the church and rushed in like always. He shouted, “Hi Jesus!
Happy birthday, my friend."

Then a younger man appeared and shouted, “Quiet, young man! I’m
trying to prepare a sermon for tonight. You need to leave now."

A very frightened Andy asked, “Where's Brother Reynolds? He helps me
cross the highway."

The man said, “Brother Reynolds had to be rushed to the hospital last
night."

“Is he ok?"

“Kidney stones or something... You need to leave so I can prepare my
sermon for tonight’s Christmas service. Reynolds asked me to cover for
him."

Andy asked him, “How do I get across the road?"

He answered back very rudely, “Most people walk."

Andy left the church. Very softly he whispered, “Bye, Jesus, and happy
birthday. I'll finish your present at school and drop it off on my way home."

Andy left and when he got to the road, he couldn’t believe how much
traffic there was. It was a cold, windy day and Andy was more concerned with
Jesus’ gift than the road. He looked both ways then checked to make sure
Jesus’ present was secure before he took off. He ran right into the path
of a car. Andy’s little crippled body lay on the hard, cold pavement.

There was an officer in the line of traffic. He stopped and checked Andy, then
turned and ran back to his cruiser. He looked in his cruiser for a blanket.
When he returned, there was a man dressed all in white. He knelt beside the
body and brushed the hair out of Andy’s eyes. Soon there were a lot of
people around. Andy still clutched that little brown bag. It was the only thing
about Andy that was not broken.

The officer radioed for help, but before he could do or say anything, the man
pulled off his snow-white shirt and covered Andy. He gently removed the bag
from Andy’s hands and clutched it to his heart.

He brushed away some dirt on Andy’s face and softly said,
“Let’s go home, Andy."

The officer realized the gentleman knew Andy. He said to him, “Sir, I'll
cover him with the blanket so you won’t ruin your shirt. It’s
blood-soaked already." He noticed the deep scars on this man’s back.
“I'm so sorry about your little friend. Will you go to the hospital with
him in the ambulance? We need to find out who he is."

The officer noticed the man had cut his hand on some glass that was stuck to
Andy. He took the man’s hand and asked, “Can we bandage it for you?
Your blood has spilled onto the little boy."

Next, the officer noticed the deep scars in this man’s hands. He watched
the man clutch the brown bag close to him as a tear ran down his cheek. He
picked up Andy and held him in his arms. The officer was teary-eyed himself and
said, “The ambulance is here. Why don’t you carry him over?"

The man said, “Thank you," and carried him to the ambulance.

The paramedic checked Andy and said, “He's gone now. Do you want to be
back here alone with your little friend?"

When they arrived, somehow Andy’s mom and dad were already at the
hospital, along with Brother Reynolds. They'd brought him down in a wheelchair.
When the ambulance backed in and opened the doors, a heartbroken family looked
on.

The man in white was gone, along with the little brown bag. The paramedics were
shocked. They told the family how he had covered Andy’s little body with
his white shirt. How he clutched him in his arms and called him 'my little
friend.'"

Andy’s dad couldn’t take it anymore. The paramedics got him seated
before he fell. He wiped away his tears and looked up at Brother Reynolds and
asked, “Who was this man?"

Brother Reynolds, with a quivering lip, said, “It was Jesus."

Continued Chapter 2 "Andy's Gift"

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