The village had been hit by a severe drought. No rain for the last three years, left no crops, parched tracts of land and drooping trees. A bed of dry clay was all that was left of the stream that ran around the edge of the village. The birds had left and now only the vultures remained – circling around as the carcasses of the dead animals.
The people were starved, depending on the measly rations that came their way via international charities.
At the village meeting, it was decided that there was no way out except to beseech God. The village population comprised of people of various faiths. After much arguing about the venue for the prayer, the villagers decided to meet in an open field that night to pray.
As they gathered together, a little girl pushed forward into the crowd, holding an open umbrella above her head. She got curious looks from the villagers. Then curiousity turned to anger when she inadvertantly poked them with the spokes of the umbrella.
Finally a cranky old woman spoke out to the child: “What are you doing? Can’t you see we’ve gathered here under the stars to pray for rain? How silly of you to keep your umbrella open!”
The child responded sweetly: “I know that, Aunty. I believe that God answers all our prayers. Since we’re all praying for rain, I brought my umbrella and left it open!”
Story adapted from The Child who Brought an Open Umbrella for Prayer Professor Nazeer Ahmed
We often make fear-driven choices about our education, our careers, our relationships. This story was for me a reminder that we must live in hope. Dream big and hope much today.
May your choices reflect your hopes. Not your fears – Nelson Mandela
Join Janine Ripper and Mackenzie Glanville and some other cool bloggers (me included!) for the #FridayReflections every week. Today’s prompts are:
• Write about your first job.
• Are you a winter, summer, autumn (fall) or spring person?
• Reflect on why it’s important to express gratitude and/or the difference it has made in your life.
• Reflect on the following quote: May your choices reflect your hopes. Not your fears – Nelson Mandela
Also joining the #MidlifeLuv Linkup hosted by Elena of Living With Batman.
Day 4 – September Blogging Challenge #septemberchallenge
I hope you are enjoying the challenge so far. ‘Challengers’ please add you link to the linky on my post for the day. Do comment on my post and 2 other posts linked before yours. If you are the first person to link, then visit the previous day’s post and comment on the last 2 blogs linked there.
Don’t forget to share the posts you’ve visited on social media using the hashtag #septemberchallenge. Reach out to me if you need any assistance.
You might like to use our badge too, which you will find on the sidebar.
If you run out of ideas, you can find plenty here Blog Hops and Writings prompts.
Enjoy writing, connecting and sharing!
Love the story and the Mandela quote. Good reminder! Let your faith be bigger than your fears.
Glad you liked it, Patricia!
That story is a guiding force in my life, Corinne! I’ve lost count of the different versions my Mom has cooked up to instill the message in me. I like to think I try my best to live it. Thank you for sharing it today.
That is exactly the story I needed to read right now, Corinne!
Glad I shared it then, LuAnn.
Again, it takes a child to truly understand faith. She’s the only one who truly had faith that it would rain – the others were too fearful. But then again, they also feared for the survival of their young ones in that terrible drought. For me, my hope is to prevent future falls for me and the ones I love.
You know, looking back on my life, I’ve always been that little girl.. No matter what life brought I was bringing the umbrella because somewhere forever in my soul I knew that God raining down blessings. Great piece. Thanks for sharing this Corinne. – Hey look, day 4 and I’m still in the game! Woo hoo! 😀
it is so true that we often pray but don’t really believe in miracles – that’s what having “the faith of a little child” is all about! ~ Leanne
I had never heard this story, it is really, really beautiful, reminds us to believe in prayer and our dreams, thank you for sharing it with us at #Fridayreflections
Most of the staunchest believers I know would fall in this category – people who pray out of fear rather than hope. That has always bugged me… I am okay with traditions if people follow it for the right reason or because they believe in it. But when they say “the Goddess will harm your father if you don’t do this puja during this month in this temple”… well, you lose me.
P.S. These are well educated doctors saying this :/
After reading this I know that most of my decisions are based on fears and I generally play it safe. I am not a risk taker. I have pushed myself out of the lovely comfort zone that I have created and decided to write all month, so maybe that is a start.
It’s such a beautiful story Corinne and love how the innocent child told an important lesson about risk and hope in life.
Love it:)
Thanks for sharing a beautiful story full of hope and positivism. All you need is to conquer the fears and let go of things you cant change. I believe life is nothing without hope and faith! 🙂
That’s one story I keep narrating every time. It sends such a strong message of hope. Lovely post Corinne.
It’s so easy to give up hope, isn’t it? This story reminds how childhood and innocence is still untouched by skepticism and perhaps that helps children to have hope…I only wish we would remind ourselves of that and move ahead with the same hope in our choices…
OH wow, this quot eis amazign and your spin on it is great too!
So often people are more like the Aunt and not the little girl when it comes to prayer, hope and faith! We pray but we really don’t believe we’ll be getting an answer! Loved this post – so uplifting!!
Such a great quote. It made me reflect back at the choices I’ve made and I will admit there are several that were out of fear…
nice story Corinne about faith. Heard it somewhere. It’s worth sharing to all. Children are so pure and it sticks to their mind whatever we say.
Yes, children are so innocent. That’s the kind of faith we all need!
Wonderful story, Corinne. Children always see straight to the point, in such a simple, pure minded way. Her choice of an umbrella was a perfect example of the Mandela quote! I loved this story. We should never give up hope.
How beautiful. No one else thought of that! I like the POV of the little girl. Very hopeful and a wonderful choice too. Thank you for sharing that vignette, Corry. 🙂
That’s the beauty of having child-like faith! Thanks, Vinay!
Ooooo hadn’t read that before and I like it!
Glad you did, Janine! Thanks.