the sucker story << previous page

There were many stories told by a summer 2008 short term team that went to the Dominican Republic, but one seemed to stand out most. betty with pesosJust three years old, this was Betty’s first trip. Being the adorable and precocious girl she was, she drew a lot of attention everywhere she went. At one point, a woman they met gave Betty five pesos which thoroughly thrilled her. Unlike many adults, Betty didn’t keep her enthusiasm in check and she was now the only one on the team with local currency.
candy cart

Later that week, the team took a trip into the city and that’s when Betty discovered she REALLY wanted a sucker. “Mom, I need a sucker.” her mom explained that there were no suckers available. “But mom, I REALLY need a sucker.” Once again, she was told that was not an option, so she turned to another team member and related her need, in detail. Not much later, Betty's mom felt something wet on her arm and realized Betty was licking it! She explained that if she couldn’t have a sucker, she needed to lick something. It all seemed somewhat ridiculous at that point. Betty didn’t appear to understand there was no way she’d be able to get her hands on a sucker. It just wasn’t possible.
Betty gets sucker
Once the team got off the van, they began walking through a market area. They came across a makeshift sales stand. It was basically a stroller with the front end holding a display - of suckers! Not only that, but the suckers were marked at - five pesos each!
Betty loves sucker

It was an amazing moment as Betty enthusiastically received a sucker with the five pesos that had been given to her earlier in the week. It couldn’t help but appear to be a symbol of God’s incredible provision. An answer to a simple request. And yet, before Betty had asked for the sucker or even recognized that she wanted one, God had given her the exact coin she needed to buy one. It may have seemed an impossible and even silly request, but Betty maintained persistence and faith. The impossibilities didn’t appear to impact her requests. And God provided in the most unlikely way. It was just a sucker, and yet it seemed to have profound significance.

As Christians, don't we want to live that way, believing God and knowing he provides and sees what we need far in advance of us even asking? Let's pray for a childlike faith that believes that the things we'll need in the future have already been planned out by God. Let's be persistent in faith, asking for what we need but confident that he will take care of everything.