The Answer to a Six Year Old's Prayer

I have to share a story with you.  This is one of those times that I truly believe God answered just because he loves us.  It is what Prof. Lauter would call an "earnest" from God.  

Let me start with.... through this whole adoption the Lord has laid people in our paths that have supported us spiritually, physically, financial, etc.  He has showed us time and time again that he simply loves to love his people.  In our lives we have been taken care of time and time again and I want to again, give God the praise for this family that He sustains.  

My story starts over Easter weekend.  We were out at the house in the woods.  Kelty (our dog) was being his normal active, fun self and running around in what we call his "happy run".  On one of the turns something snapped in his back left leg and he let out a hjelp.  He stopped putting pressure on it and sat down.  This was on the Easter holiday weekend (no one's open).  So we nursed him, kept him quiet and waited.  (Well, Andreas did, I was throwing up).  

This past Tuesday I called my friend Slavik (who is a vet here in town, he is a friend from my Swedish courses).  Sam and I took Kelty in and Slavik took a look at him.  Kelty is not a small dog, but he turns into the biggest chicken at the vet.  Turns out he snapped the ACL in his knee.  The vet that owns the clinic came in and asked me if I had insurance on my dog...

DISCLAIMER:  I had no idea until that point that you could insure your pet.  I have heard of it for people who bread or show their pets, but not for the common house pet.  

Needless to say my answer was no and he said...This is going to be expensive.  Okay, I like to have all the facts on the table so I asked how much.  Turns out it is around $2500.  YIKES.  He was very nice and said we could do a payment plan and everything.  

All I kept thinking is that we are going to China in two weeks, how in the world are we going to not only get the money, but find someone to care for Kelty in that way while we are gone?  He told us to go home and think about it and let him know.  The surgery could take place on Thursday.  I came home and Andreas and I tried to find anyway possible to do the surgery.  When it came down to it, we simply could not come up with the money.  The next day we received our final adoption bill.  That sealed the fact that we could not afford the surgery.  The only other option was to put Kelty to sleep.  He was obviously in pain and stressed.  

Andreas and I did not come to this option litely.  To be honest I have laughed at some of the extents that some people have gone to to save their pets.  But it didn't sit well with me that we had to put Kelty down because he still has so much life in him, but we couldn't let him suffer either, it just wouldn't be fair to him.  

So yesterday we told Sam.  I had to leave the dinner table because I didn't want Sam to see how sad I was.  While I was in the bedroom I heard him say to Andreas that they simply needed to pray and God would give them the answer.  So he took Andreas from the dinner table and they sat down next to Kelty.  Sam prayed his little heart to a Mighty and Powerful God that heard every single word.  

Today, Andreas and I went out to the house in the woods and dug a grave for Kelty.  We had our neighbors say goodbye, we were preparing ourselves to say goodbye.  Kelty spent his day stuck to me like glue.  The plan was for the vet to come to our house tomorrow and put him to sleep.  

After digging the grave we came back to town.  I let Andreas off at our house and went to get Sam, who was at a friends house.  Before I got to Sam, I received a call from Slavik.   Slavik put the other vet on and he told me to bring the dog in as soon as possible and they would do the surgery.  I told him that we could not pay for it and he said he would do it for free.  FOR FREE! Then he said they would take care of Kelty for us when we were in China if we couldn't find anyone else!!!!

I ran and got Sam and got home to Andreas and Kelty.  We were so excited to share with Sam that God had answered his prayer!!  That God had heard him and was giving Kelty this chance to live.  Sam was overjoyed!  How exciting it was to share with Sam in a tangible way that the God of the universe heard him and answered!!!!!!!! 

How exciting that we could see how the God of the universe loves us so much as to show us in so many tangible ways. I truly believe that he wants to do that for everyone if we would just listen and follow him.  

So, thank you God for this earnest of love.  Thank you for a kind hearted vet.  Thank you for being so real to my beloved son.  Thank you for giving David a chance to have a puppy dog to play with.  Thank you for being in every decision and every part of our lives.  And thank you for allow us to have Kelty for a few more wonderful years.  

So never doubt that the God of the universe is waiting to give you an earnest.  Look for them, they maybe in the smells of Spring, in a day off, in a friend or whisper of love.  He loves us.....it is just that simple.

Laurie