PRAYER FEEDS HUNGRY

PRAYER FEEDS HUNGRY

 

Baba said, "There will never be any dearth or scarcity, regarding food and clothes in my devotee's home" in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch.VI.

 

"If praying did not produce results," said Rufus Jones, the late Quaker philosopher, "it would soon be weeded out of human race. It would shrivel like the functionless organ."

 

Harry Eva ran his home for vagrant boys entirely on prayer. Wandering through the New York City streets, he would find boys curled up in doorways or huddled on the park benches. He gave them shelter until they could find work. His home was an ancient, two storey building in the Bronx, with beds for 50 boys and more than enough compassion for all.

 

Someone once asked Eva how he managed to maintain such large household without any financial backing.

 

Eva replied, "I have the backing of the Lord, and the Lord nudges the people in beautiful ways."

 

One noon, after everyone was seated at the table. Eva asked one of the boys to give thanks.

 

"What for?" the boy said disgustedly. "All we got is cabbage and potatoes."

 

"Well" replied Eva gently, "we can be thankful for that."

 

His words were punctuated by the doorbell. It was a messenger delivering a smoked ham from Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt. Often she sent food and clothing, and often she seemed to be guided by an extra-ordinarily acute sense to Eva's immediate needs. Surely such things cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence.

 

 

 

 

(Written by E. F. Wells in Mira May-June 2004)