Perisi was a little African girl. She had come to the Bible classes and there heard the sweet story of Jesus and His love in dying for sinners everywhere. Perisi believed that He died for her, and she trusted Him as her Saviour.
Her mother, however, was not at all pleased and beat the little girl for going to the Bible school. She turned her over to the witch doctor thinking he would make her afraid and give up her new religion. But Perisi did not cease to love her Saviour, and to memorize Bible verses, and sing the sweet Christian hymns she had learned.
At last her mother took her into the forest and tied her to a tree. She hoped the lions would come and frighten her belief in Jesus out of her.
When her mother left she said, “You are a worthless girl to me-good only for the lions.”
Throughout the long black night little Perisi remained there and prayed. He who has said, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee,” watched over her all night long. The next morning at dawn, a Christian boy found her still tied to the tree. There were lions’ tracks all around, but little Perisi was unharmed. She saw the eyes of the great beasts shine in the darkness, but not one of them had come within fifteen feet of her. Perisi remembered how God had shut the lions’ mouths and delivered Daniel, and she prayed that He would deliver her also. All her fear had gone.
Perisi never forgot that night and many, many times since did she thank her Saviour that she could experience His love and care for her in such a remarkable way.
ML-07/04/1976