JUNIOR KING’S BUSINESS A RUNAWAY NATIVE by Evelyn Carlisle E ditor ’ s N ote : Our production staff expresses sincere apologies for the error in last month’s Jun ior K.B. feature. The following story is part one as it should have appeared last month. Parts two and three will appear in October and November issues. P art I Late one night Dr. Clark, a missionary stationed in the bush country of Africa, awakened at the sound of clapping o f hands at the doorway o f his grass hut. “Who’s there?” He called. “ It is I, Joseph.” Someone whispered. “ Joseph—come back tomorrow. It’s late and I’m very tired.” “ Please, Bwana, I have much to ask of you! I must see you to night!” The native boy was im patient. “ It must be very important!” Dr. Clark thought. He jumped out of bed. Quickly he pulled on his clothes. As always, he turned his shoes upside down and tapped them to dislodge any scorpions that might be hiding there. “Come in, Joseph.” Dr. Clark lit his lantern. He looked at Joseph’s raw bleeding back and knew he had been beaten. He was badly hurt. Dr. Clark cleansed the wounds the best he could in the clinic of his hut. Since Joseph might re ceive more beatings from his fa ther, the missionary didn’t ban dage the wounds. Then the missionary asked: “ Now what is this urgent need?” “ I want to become a Christian!” Dr. Clark recalled Joseph’s de light when he first heard the Gos pel phonograph records. Joseph called it the “magic box” and SEPTEMBER, 1968
glad he remembered to bring his big knife to clear the thorn-cov ered path that led to the hospital. That night as he slept in a tree, Joseph was startled awake by a noise! Crack — a twig broke! He sat very still. There — glaring down at him were two green eyes shining in the darkness! “A leopard — what shall I do? Please, dear God, help me,” he prayed. He waited — the leopard turned very slowly and quickly leaped to the ground! He landed on a rabbit just below the tree! Joseph sank back against a tree limb and took a deep breath! He waited until daylight to travel but he slept no more that night. Birds chirped to one another happily as the warm sun peeked through the woods the next day. Joseph climbed down from the tree. Even with the use o f his big knife, his hands and feet had be come sore and bleeding from thorns as he had cut his way through tough branches. He stoppped to wipe the sweat from his forehead and to scratch the many mosquito bites. Suddenly the ju n g le became dangerously quiet. The monkeys even ceased their chatter. Joseph proceeded very cautiously. As he crept along — his eyes fell on a hooded cobra — sleeping right in his pathway! Joseph had to make a quick decision. The snake might wake up if he tried to pass it, so he backed away very quietly. Find ing a tree limb, he trimmed off all the leaves and branches except a fork on the end. Stealthily he crept toward the snake! Fearing even to breathe, he paused, then quickly he brought down the stick, pinning the snake’s head to the ground, and pushing the prongs down tight with all his strength. He ran as fast as he could. Glanc ing back, he saw the snake wrig gle and squirm — lashing his body about — trying to get free to attack him! Joseph didn’t stop until he was well out o f sight of the snake. Then he sat down, all out o f breath and munched on Cont. on Page A5 37
listened to stories from the Bible many times in his own language. One day he had slipped away from taking care o f his father’s sheep to learn to read the Bible and to speak the missionary’s lan guage. Joseph’s father became very angry and had forbidden the boy to see the missionary again. “Bwana, I remember a verse you taught me from the Bible. It says I can live in God’s house for ever if I believe in His Son, Jesus Christ.” “ Do you remember where this verse is found in the Bible?” Dr. Clark smiled. “ I remember, Bwana — it is John 3:16!” Dr. Clark and Joseph knelt to pray on the grass rug. Joseph accepted Jesus as his Saviour. When Joseph got back to his father’s hut, he could hardly keep from singing out loud! He crawled into his threadbare blanket and even his cow-skin mat seemed more comfortable. Secretly, from then on, Joseph read his Bible and prayed every day, but he was afraid to let anyone know he was a Christian. One day, when Joseph slipped away from his chores to see Dr. Clark, the doctor told him that the hospital in a village several miles away needed him. He would have to leave in the morning. “Bwana, I would like to go, too!” Joseph dug his toes in the dirt floor at the clinic. “ I believe it would be better for you to stay here. Your father is still very angxy. I’ll get back as soon as I can.” “ But, Bwana, I want to be your helper—please!” “Miss Jan, the nurse at the hospital, has two young men called houseboys — Samuel and Moses. When you are a little old er, we’ll talk to you about train ing to be a houseboy too.” Joseph became very despondent because he missed Dr. Clark and the Bible stories. One night, when his family slept, Joseph quietly left and ran to the woods in the direction of the hospital. He was
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