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Kid's Good News |
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Contents: Ducky
duck was very naughty. Whether
he would be in home or in school, within a few moments he would make that
place as hell. He was totally
uncontrollable and mischievous. Not
only his parents were troubled because of his naughtiness but also the
whole community. He used to
go to nearby lake and swim there for hours together with his friends.
His scores were poor and his progress reports had bad remarks all
the time. It
was a Saturday afternoon; aunt Joan just finished her household work and
was waiting for her kids to return from school.
That was a very sunny day so she spread some soaked rice to get
dry. Suddenly she heard a
sound like zzzzzzzz......zzzzzz, she thought for a moment, what's going
on. She came running to her
patio and saw Ducky duck was running so fast that he was slipped and
dashed against the wall. Dragging
and sweeping all rice with him. Oh,
my rice... oh.. Aunt Joan cried. Ducky
duck stood up, stumbled then walked away.
Aunt Joan murmured, "This boy is a nuisance for every
person.." Next
day was Sunday, Ducky duck and his friends made plan to swim in the river. They all went and started swimming. Soon they went far away from their home.
Ducky duck was the leader of that group, but he did not notice that
his friends had already returned home.
Ducky duck went along the coast, swam few more times and he
realized that his friends were not with him.
Sun has set and it became dark.
He thought to go back home and he started going backwards.
Mean while he forgot from where he came.
He lost the way and it was dark... oh, what I will do now, he
thought in his heart. Mom and
Dad will cry like anything, oh.. He was trembling and his head was
spinning. He came out of the
river and sat at the bank of the river. He was weeping bitterly, "Why
I came this far?" He cursed himself.
He tried to sleep in the wilderness but could not as he was
trembling hearing the voices of animals. At
home Ducky duck's parents were very much worried about him.
Why he did not return home till this time... he should have come by
this time.. Mom said while sobbing. I
don't know what happened to him.. Oh, he is very naughty.. he does not
listen to anybody. Mom and
Dad went to their relative's and friend's homes and searched for him, but
of no avail. They returned
home after midnight and found Ducky is still missing.
They came out of their home and started searching in streets and
riverbanks. Finally,
Ducky cried out to God, "God please help me, please help me to be
reunited with my parents..." Every
moment was passing like many years. As
the time passing by, he was feeling more discomfort and losing his hopes
of returning home. Slowly
darkness was vanishing and it was the dawn of new morning.
He heard some very familiar sounds nearby.
He got excited but a great fear came in his heart.
Who can be here, he thought. Du..ck..y
, Du....ck..y... Am I hearing correctly?
It was the voice of his father.
With trembling voice he shouted, yes, daddy, I am here.
He pulled his head and started looking toward the voice of his dad.
When they saw each other both ran towards each other.
Mom, Dad and Ducky all cried and thanked God for reuniting them
once again. Ducky was lost
but found again. Yes,
my dear little friends, we are lost in our sins and we took our own ways.
But Jesus came searching for us, with His arms stretched towards
us. Will you accept Him as
your Lord and Savior and surrender your life in the hands of Jesus.
If yes, please pray this prayer with me: Loving Jesus, I am lost in my sins. But you came searching for me. You did not care about my sins and my rebellions toward you but you gave your life for me. I thank you for your great sacrifice. Please forgive and forget all my sins. I accept you as my Lord and Savior today. Please wash me with your precious blood. Make me whole. I thank you for listening to my prayers. I pray in Jesus mighty name, Amen. O Jesus, Son of Maryam, heal me - 2 Gulshan,
her two maidservants and her father stayed in UK for few more days as her
father had to arrange air tickets to Pakistan via Jeddah.
Jeddah airport is used by pilgrimage to Mecca. During these days her father went to see his friends from
Pakistan community and women from their communities also visited her.
But it was a matter of great shame for her as she had withered
limbs with the skin turned black, wrinkled and turned loose.
She was in that age when girls dream of the day when they would
wear bright red dress with gold embroidery and to go to her husband's
house loaded with jewels. But
Gulshan had to face a lonely future behind the veil of shame as an invalid
person. Her world was crumbling down as the world's best hospitals and
doctors had no answer for her sickness.
But now only one hope left, to visit Mecca and ask Allah to heal
her. When
Pakistan airline's plane landed at airstrip she felt a sense of freedom of
leaving England. Sema and
Salima accompanied her in her journey.
Mecca is a place for about every Muslim dreams to be there at least
once in their lifetime. It is
obligated for every Muslim to go to Mecca as it is one of the five pillars
of Islam. She sat between her
two maids, Sema and Selima in first class compartment of plane.
Sema acted as support for Gulshan's weak left side and Selima was
ready to carry her. There
were other pilgrims in that plane who wore white garment which is
necessary to be worn for those who go on Hajj.
She was exited and a bit afraid as she was thinking of what lay
ahead. Finally
plane touched down and her father's old friend came to receive them at
airport. The sheik had eight
wives and eighteen children who were living a big luxurious house.
He was a landlord, had his own oil well and many cattle, camels,
goat and sheep. He and his
family lived in luxury. They
enjoyed their hospitality. During
the stay, Sheik gave his car and driver and they could visit the beautiful
city of Jeddah before leaving to Mecca.
Sheik also insisted to take his car and driver to Mecca. They left very early in the morning, after prayers so that
they can also see the places on the way.
Many people were going on foot in scorching heat.
They did not do this because they were poor but to remember Abraham
who went to the same journey. Gulshan
did not say to anybody but she felt glad in her heart to be a cripple so
that she had not to walk in intense heat.
She knew that it was not the spirit of Hajj but Hajj requires total
submission to Allah. Fifteen
miles prior to Mecca signs warned them, "Restricted area Muslim only
permitted." At the entry
point some soldiers had guns and they were checking every person's pass.
If infidel or non-Muslims wanted to enter they were killed. The
progress was very slow as many people walking on foot and the narrow road
climbing to hills, that was cut into the rocks.
People were chanting the Quranic verses on the way to the
pilgrimage. "There
is no God but Allah. Mohammed is the Prophet of Allah..."
They went around the hill and city then driver stopped the car and
the words came out of their mouth, ""Labbayka Allahumma Labbayka!"
"Here I am, at Thy service. O Allah! Here I am at Thy service; Here I
am at Thy service; There is no partner unto Thee; Here I am at Thy
service; to Thee the glory, the riches and the sovereignty of the world.
There is no partner to Thee." Father
was explaining, "Think about that, it is Muhammed's city where
Muhammed preached in these streets.."
They headed toward Hajj camp where some rooms were arranged for
them. Father ordered two
lambs for each person including maids, total eight lambs for sacrifice. He did it so that their prayers have more effectiveness with
the blood of more lamb. They
had two rooms with simple cots, latticed string with hair mattress. It was hard for her to sleep on those cots; particularly
paralyzed left side had difficulty in turning.
She longed to have her cotton filled mattresses where she could lay
in comfort. But to complaint means losing the blessings so she kept
silent. Laying in her cot,
she could hear the sound of chanting from Quran, Allahu
Akbar—"God is Most Great."
She felt proud of being there so did her maids.
Maids told her, "How lucky we are to be your servants, and to
be on Hajj. It was really
fortunate for those village girls, as many could not afford the money or
time to come and visit these places.
If they visited all the places it could take one month.
All
the people wore white dress of pilgrimage called Ihram.
Father told her that, "a person who wears the Ihram, he/she
left their old life and they have new life.
If with this new life they die, they will go to heaven
directly." Next day they had to go to Ka'aba
so she stayed in her room, praying, reading the Quran and in other ways
preparing for next day. Muslim's
believe that Ka'aba was built by Abraham and the black stone in it was
delivered from heaven. As
she was sick and crippled, she was performing the rituals with the help of
her maids. She thought in her
heart, "it is true that 14 years of your life, you lived as a cripple
person but in this place where so much faith and so much prayers offered,
Allah will hear prayers of your family members and Mohammed will ask Allah
to heal you." Next
morning they all woke up early morning.
After prayers and early breakfast they were ready to go to Ka'aba -
the holiest place of Muslims. Father
arranged wheelchair for her so that she may be carried inside in a
wheelchair. Sema and Selima walked beside her as they went inside.
They entered in a big arena where great minarets and mosque were
there. In the midst of that there was a huge cubed like structure
built by black granite called Ka'aba - the house of Allah. Thousands of people were going around and kissing the black
stone of Ka'aba. In this
place she was transferred to a wooden chair which four people carry.
It was a bumpy ride and it was most discomforting for her.
They went three times around the cubed structure. Every
time when they reached the north west side of cubed structure they
shouted, "Allahu Akbar - God is great".
At the last round she found herself at the black stone.
Those who carried her told her that, she should kiss the black
stone they lowered her wooden chair and pushed her.
She leaned over and kissed the black stone, she closed her eyes and
felt as in touch with the prophet. She
prayed, "please heal me and heal these others."
But nothing happened. Salima
and Sema pulled her back and they went on their way.
Her heart was broken. She
kept her head down so that she may not see her father's troubled eyes.
Their next stop was the prayer place of Abraham where she offered
her dearest wish, "Please heal me".. but nothing happened... To be continued...
Seven priests, on the seventh day went around the city seven times
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