IN INDIA two little Hindu sisters A huddled together in a shed far from home. Their father had taken them on a long journey, but he became very ill and died during the night. Some people from the village came and took his body away, and then a thief stole most of their belongings, leaving the little girls with only the clothes they had to wear.
Their food all gone, the two little sisters were very hungry. Juanita, the older of the two, said to her little sister, “You stay here, Shyla, while I take what clothes that are left of Daddy’s and see if I can sell them and buy something to eat.” Shyla did not like to be left alone. Juanita summoned all the courage she could and went into the village. Walking up to a storekeeper she asked, “Will you give me something to eat if I give you these clothes of Daddy’s? He died yesterday.”
But the big shopkeeper ordered her out of the store. “You probably stole those clothes,” he said angrily. “Now get out before I call the police.”
Terrified, poor little Juanita fled from the place. She tried another storekeeper, but he did not believe her either. Wherever she went it was the same.
Now Juanita did not know that all the while she was being followed by a lady who heard everything that was said. When the little girl was too tired to go any further, she sat down by the side of the road. Along came this lady and said, “Little girl, I believe your story. How would you like to come with me and go to a school with other little girls, and live and study?”
Juanita was frightened. Her pants had warned her never to go anywhere with strangers. Jumping up she turned and ran as fast as she could back to the shed where Shyla was. There the little sisters huddled together till the twilight, hungry and afraid.
Then, as the darkness came on, they heard footsteps. Someone in white was approaching the shed. Was it a ghost? No, it was a lady all dressed in white. She stopped at the doorway, and as the little girls gazed at her face they thought she looked different to anyone they had ever seen before. There was such a kind look in her eyes, and they felt she was someone they could trust. They did not know where she came from, but somehow they thought that God had sent her, Without saying a word the kind lady sat down beside them. Lovingly she drew Juanita close to her side, and little Shyla found a place on her lap.
“When I was a little girl your age,” she began, “I lost my Daddy and Mother, and like you I was left alone, with my little brother. We wandered about and had many sad experiences. But now I am grown up and I have a home and a school for little girls like you. If you stay here there are those that will do you harm. But if you will come with me you will have a nice home, and go to school with other little girls, so that you too can grow up and help people who are in need just like you are.”
The kind lady was a Christian who made it her life work to help the poor homeless, little orphan girls of India, and to tell them of the Saviour’s love.
The little girls believed her kind words, knowing she spoke the truth. There was something about her that made them feel they could trust her. In fact, they were ready to go anywhere just to be with her.
She told them she would send them ahead on the train the next day, in company with another lady, and that she herself would follow a week later. They did not want to go without their newfound friend, but the other lady was very kind to them too, and finally they arrived at the school.
Here they felt very strange and Juanita wanted to run away, but Shyla encouraged her by saying, “No, the lady in white will be here next week, and I want to be in her school.” True to her word their new friend arrived, and the joy of the little girls knew no bounds as they ran to her open arms. They felt she loved them just as their own mother had.
The two little sisters grew older and went to school. They learned the sweet story of the Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd who loved and gave Himself for the sheep. They remembered how they were like two lost little lambs in that strange village, that the Saviour had sent the kind lady in white to help them, and they grew to love Him as their own Saviour.
Juanita’s one desire in life was to tell others of the Saviour she loved and this she did wherever she went. Shyla took very sick one day and Juanita nursed her faithfully, until the Lord restored her to health again. Then Juanita herself became ill, and though they did all they could for her, she slowly grew weaker. One morning, with Shyla sitting beside her, she suddenly remarked: “Listen, can you hear them? I hear them singing.” Soon after she went peacefully home to be with the Lord Jesus.
Shyla became a teacher and a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus. By and by when the kind lady in white went Home to heaven, Shyla became a mother to the little orphan girls in the mission school. She loved them and they loved her because she showed them the love of Jesus which was in her heart.
Jesus said unto them: “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them.” {vi 24603;24605}Mark 10:14,16.
ML-05/16/1971