Angel Scribe Good-News-Letter July 17, 2002
The top of Mary Ellen "Angel Scribe's" computer
There is a reason this special Egyptian Bottle Cap
Is Where the Boy Angel's Heart is!
Dearest Readers,
Traveling this summer?
Feeling blessed to have the
money and time to travel?
Wondering how you can
make a difference in the
world whether you travel
or stay at home?
Become creative as my best
friend, Atira, does when she
travels!
Every once in a while you meet
someone or hear a story and it
leaves you feeling as if God/Spirit
has blown more wind in your sails ...
to carry you forward on your journey of life.
Part I of Atira's amazing
Egyptian experience with
the three boys is just such
a story.
This issue retells the story
and includes Part II of what
happened one year later!
Have a safe and fun holiday
season with your loved ones.
And make a miracle happen
for someone else.
Bless Your Angelic Heart,
Mary Ellen ^I^ "Angel Scribe" (ME^I^)
Creator of Angels and Miracles Good-News-Letter
If a man
does not keep pace
with his companions,
perhaps it is
because he hears
a different drummer.
Let him step
to the music he hears,
however measured
or far away.
~ Thoreau ~
The Best Trade I Ever Made
Author: Atira, Seattle, WA.
Atira
Mary Ellen and I have been friends
for many years.
I ask her to save the small hotel
shampoos and soaps when she
travels on her book tours.
I put the shampoos and soaps in
care packages that I make for the
street children when I travel to Egypt
on business once a year.
The packages are small baggies
filled with a sparkly pencil, a small
toy, and some candy.
Before my last trip I had discovered
a great buy on small toy cars, so 22
bags each had one.
Each day, in Cairo, I carry some of
these gift baggies with me and look for
children in need.
One day, in the streets of Cairo's
teeming humanity, I went down a
small and narrow street (about the
width of 2 door jambs).
The temperature sucked your
breath away at 105 degrees,
and I moved slower than usual as
I watched the people around me.
My eyes where drawn to three
small boys ranging from 6-8 years old.
The three poor, tattered and dirty
children sat barefoot in the street ...
their heads bent down...concentrating
on a piece of cardboard with many lines
drawn on it.
I watched the youngsters and tried
to figure out what game they played.
Obviously, it is their own homemade
version with bottle caps, resembling
a cross between checkers and backgammon.
I thought how ingenious, that even
with so little, they had created something
out of toss-a-way things to give them so
much joy.
I slowly walked up to the children,
reached my hand out,
palm up,
and pointed to their game.
I requested in my street Arabic
"Give me that," meaning, hand
me one of your bottle caps.
A small head looked up,
then at the cap,
and then at my outstretched hand
and then slowly...
reluctantly...
picked up a bottle cap
and put it in my palm.
I turned it over, looked at it
carefully, as if to examine it
as a priceless gem.
I nodded my head approvingly and
smiled, put the bottle cap in my pocket,
reached into my tote bag and drew
out the carefully made gift package
and handed it to him.
His eyes grew wide as he
accepted the bag.
I then reached my hand out,
palm out, to the next child
who quickly drew up the closest
bottle cap to him and popped it
with great speed into my palm.
I then repeated looking at it,
accepted it, and gave him a
bag of his own.
I then extended my hand to
the third child.
This child had sat very quiet as
he looked on, seeing his friends
benefit from giving up something
from their game.
This child carefully looked over
his cherished bottle caps.
Some in very poor condition,
they had seen better days, and
others were newer and shiny.
This child chose carefully, selecting
his very best bottle cap, and handed
it to me, turning his big brown eyes
up as if to say, "I am giving you my best."
It took all my strength to hold back
tears at his gesture.
Up until now I had been enjoying
the game....of giving.
But this child showed me
what giving truly meant.
I once again carefully examined
his cap, placing it in my pocket
beside the other two.
I gave him his bag and slowly
moved across the street in
the stifling heat to collect myself.
He touched me deeply.
I turned and looked back at the
three small boys playing in the
street... as small boys around
the world play with toy cars.
As I watched, an Arab man attending
his shop said, "Madam, these are good
boys. Poor, but good.
"There is not enough work and they
are too young so there are too few
ways for them to earn money, even
for basic needs.
This is a kind thing you have done."
Four days later, I again had to
walk down the same street for
my business connections.
A strange thing happened, all
the shopkeepers treated me
with great respect.
I can only assume more than one
shopkeeper had looked on the
other day and word had spread
about the kindness given to the
small children.
It brought a smile to my face.
I still carry the bottle caps, they
are the best trades I ever made!
In trading, the children were not
made to feel poor:
They were giving and receiving
something, and they were not begging.
These children who have
so little -- gave so much.
NOTE: on my arrival in Seattle I
shared this story with my girlfriend
Chris who is a Girl Guide leader.
Chris said her troop would create new
baggies as a troop project for my next trip.
Photo by Sgt. Rebekah-mae Bruns
Atira
CAIRO: One Year Later...
The Gift of Giving
Author: Atira in Seattle
Atira
I was having one of those rough days
where we all wonder, "Why am I here?"
So I decided to take a walk in the "souk"
(street vendors) to quiet my emotions.
As I walked down a street...
all of a sudden...
standing in front of me were three
little boys...with their hands out...
holding their very best bottle caps!
That's right!
Here were the same three boys
from last May!
What great memories!
The boys had BIG grins, so I reached
in my bag and pulled out three toy packages.
I handed each boy one bag and
continued our exchange by taking
a prized bottle cap...I looked around,
a tad worried, thinking this time they
may have brought all their friends to
get in on the action, but no.
Then I watched as two of them tore
down the street, clutching their new
treasures, and disappeared around
a corner.
But, the third boy walked over to
a smaller boy at the side of the street.
He squatted down and opened his
bag and the boy shared with the little boy.
(This was the same boy who, last trip,
had looked over his bottle caps and
handed me his prize one, the best
one-meaning less dented and cleaner.)
This became one of those rare moments
when you know that you have found one
special child in a world full of selfishness.
So I walked over to them and
reached out my hand.
They looked up and I could tell
they thought I was mad.
Their small hands began to pass
the toys back to my outstretched hand.
I shook my head no, and held up
a bottle cap to let them know I
meant to trade.
The boy reached in his pocket
and handed me a bottle cap and
I handed his friend a bag.
They were thrilled!
In their culture I was teaching
them the value of exchange.
I turned away from them, crying --
right there In the street, and said,
"Dear Lord, Thank you for sending
me this child to show how blessed
I am and how I can make a difference.
Our world is in good hands as long as
there are children who share and Love
like this little street child."
Know that we all make a difference
and when you hand out your first bag
or do an intentional act of kindness...
you are hooked.
When a little face turns up with big
eyes filled with so much joy...
your heart expands tenfold.
Beautiful Egyptian Children
Another story of Atira's kindness,
in Egypt, with a female child.
Story
Atira's story is printed in:
A CHRISTMAS FILLED WITH MIRACLES
by Mary Ellen
A Christmas Filled With Miracles
Peruvian Street Child
Selling Dolls for Survival.
Atira's Home Page
More Stories of her kindness
"The real voyage of discovery
consists not in seeking new lands,
but in seeing with new eyes."
French Novelist, Marcel Proust
Homeless cats info
for Central Florida.
Florida Feline's looking for homes
Reader Email Response
Hello - I don't know if I'm typing to
Mary Ellen, but tell her I really enjoy
her stories and newsletter.
The newsletters contributes a very
positive outlook for my day.
Tell her a big Wisconsin thank you
for her efforts.
Ann
Editor's Reply
Dearest Ann,
Thank you for your note.
I see ALL the email that arrives
at Angelscribe.com
Only two other people answer
emails connected to my
website/newsletters; Cynthia and
Judy our much loved prayer team
leaders.
Together we touch a mountain
of loving email.
For prayers requests:
cynthiamorse@mindspring.com
For ME ^I^
MaryEllen@Angelscribe.com
We are an act of kindness group
and hope your are in your circle
of friends too.
Be yourself...change a life.
Angelic Blessings,
Mary Ellen ^I^
The talent of success is nothing more
than doing what you can do well,
and doing well whatever you can do.
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~
Mew News
Miss Wings' new photo with
Artist Maria Elena is on the
Famous Friend's page.
Famous Friends
You may only be one person
to the world
but you
may also be the world
to one person
~ Anonymous ~
Never doubt
that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
~ Margaret Mead ~
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