In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian
Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on Biblical
principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at
prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments, and a large
orphanage. About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and
left in the care of a government-run program were in the orphanage.
They relate the following story in their own words:
It was nearing the holiday season, 1994, time for our orphans to hear,
for the first time, the traditional story of Christmas. We told them
about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn,
the couple went to a stable, where the baby Jesus was born, and placed in a manger.
Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement
as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools trying to grasp
every word. Completing the story, we gave the children three small
pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small
paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me. No colored
paper was available in the city.
Following instructions, the children
tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manager for straw. Small
squares of flannel, cut. from a worn-out nightgown an American lady was
throwing away as she left Russia, were used for the baby’s blanket. A
doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought from the United
States.
The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among
them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one
table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about 6 years old and had
finished his project. As I looked at the little boy’s manger, I was
startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger.
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Manny, my blogger friend and creator of Kairos Now, posted this story on his site yesterday. What an excellent story for Christmastime! (Manny has a new blog now so the following link comes from a source that I found this year…2013)
Here’s how this true Christmas story ends:
Posted by Chris 
I HEARD THE BELLS
December 24, 2010When Brother Dick led the congregation in singing last week, he would never know how his selection of this song would bless me this year.
It is not one of the more popular Christmas Songs, but as I sang the song I did something I don’t always do I’m sorry to say.
I took note of the words.
This song, indeed, fits the times in which we live.
I looked at the bottom of the page and saw that the words had been written by the famous American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
I went home and did some research.
I discovered that hymn books remove two of the verses that were originally written by the famous poet.
The verses are removed because they have references to the American Civil War.
Mr. Longfellow wrote the poem on Christmas Day in 1864, when the war had affected nearly everyone in the country.
Unfortunately, the great poet was no exception.
Three months after the war had begun, in July of 1861, tragedy struck the Longfellow family.
On July 9, 1861, Fanny was attempting to preserve locks of her daughter’s hair in a packet using hot sealing wax near an open window.
Her lightweight dress suddenly caught fire and quickly engulfed her in flames.
Hearing her screams, Henry rushed in from the next room and tried desperately to smother the fire with his own body
Fanny suffered catastrophic burns and died the following day.
Henry was severely burned on his face, hands, and arms, leaving him with permanent scars that prevented him from shaving.
Deeply traumatized and grief-stricken, Henry poured his sorrow into his work years later.
Henry had experienced a great loss earlier in his life.
In October 1835, while traveling in Europe, his first wife, Mary Potter Longfellow, suffered a miscarriage at six months.
She never recovered from the ordeal and died in Amsterdam a few weeks later in November 1835 at just 22 years old.
Years later Henry experienced another tragic event.
Charles, Henry’s oldest son, a lieutenant in the Army of the Potomac, was severely wounded in the Battle of New Hope Church.
Charles is best known for running away to fight in the American Civil War and for his extensive travels in Asia.
This happened the month before Christmas in 1863.
It is no surprise there is no entry in Mr. Longfellow’s journal for the Christmas of 1863.
Still grieving over the events of the past few years, Henry put his famous pen to paper on Christmas Day in 1864.
This poem is the result.
Jean Baptiste Calkin added the music in 1872.
Mr. Longfellow heard his words in music for a decade, until his death in 1882.
The words have inspired many, as they have me in 2010.
May God give you a peace that passes all understanding this Christmas season, just like He did to Mr. Longfellow on that Christmas day long ago.
Chris Reimers
(Composed on Christmas Day, 1864)
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men.
I thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th’ unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men
And in despair I bowed my head: “ There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For Hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men
‘Til, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
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“I Heard the Bells” with commentary by Pastor Bill Mitchell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUdAo3N0iEA
“I Heard the Bells” by Rod Kim (Operation Christmas Child)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_IXSiHF4cU
The story behind “I Heard the Bells”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvJdmMG6VWk
Johnny Cash sings “I Heard the Bells”
This is Sarah McLachlan’s version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn_1-z0d7iQ
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