[This story was shared by an elderly friend, Cart Leverentz, as he recalled his boyhood in Sweden before the turn of the century.]
"For most folks food was never too plentiful," our friend recalled. "It was usually herring and potatoes. In the summer the herring were fresh, and in the winter they were salted and dried. We always boiled the potatoes and ate them with the jackets on!—we couldn't afford to throw the peelings away. Mother often managed to get skim milk for us also, so we were better off than many others.
"We did not feel sorry for ourselves. Herring and potatoes had been the food my father had grown up with, and my grandfather before him. We children greatly enjoyed hearing grandfather tell stories of his boyhood, and there was one he told and retold many times.
"It happened like this: One summer the potatoes had not produced well for there had been very little rain. That meant a hard winter for everyone, and they looked forward anxiously to the next summer's potato crop. When that spring came they had good rains, and the farmers were hopeful, but the last rain was on June eighth.
"When August came the potatoes were only the size of marbles and the plants had withered to the ground. Everywhere Christians were crying to the Lord, for the situation was desperate. On August eighth rain came—rain in abundance! It rained until fields were flooded and barnyards turned into miniature lakes. Gradually the thirsty earth drank up the water.
"Then a wonderful thing happened! Those small potatoes became seed potatoes and began to grow! It did not seem likely that they could mature before frost would come, but Christians were praying, and God mercifully granted the longest fall without freezing weather that anyone could remember. It was well into October, and not until they had harvested a bountiful crop of potatoes that a killing frost came.
"But that was not all! God sent herring in abundance also! Fishermen with nets and boats, farmers with wagons and some only with wheelbarrows were fishing. The fish were so abundant that a man could wade out into the water and scoop the fish out onto the shore with a board!
"God was good to the many devout Christians who cried to Him for help.
"That was my grandfather's story," our friend continued. "Now let me tell you one of my own. One time when I was a boy we went through a very hard time. My father was a tailor. I well remember seeing him sit cross-legged upon the table, as the manner was in those days, busy with his tailoring. One fall he became ill and had to take to his bed. Several weeks went by and he grew no better. Finally the day came when we were sitting down to the table to eat the last food in the house, with no knowledge of how we would be able to get more. We were quite a large family of still small children. With a sick husband our mother had her hands full.
"At that moment a knock was heard, and we found a stranger at the door in need of a meal and a night's lodging. Without a moment's hesitation our mother invited him in, and we shared our last meal with this young man.
"It was not long before our guest noticed that father was a very sick man, and upon inquiring about my father's trade he became thoughtful. Finally he said,
" 'I believe God has sent me here to help you. I too am a tailor. I see you have work stacked up here that you are unable to do. I was on my way to the next town to look for work. I believe I have found it right here.
With your permission I'll stay with you and do your tailoring for you, and care for your family until you are able to be up and do so again yourself.'
"It was spring before father was able to be out of bed and strong enough to work. All winter that fine young man worked industriously, sitting cross-legged upon the table as he did his careful hand tailoring. As a result our house was warm, we were clothed, and we never lacked sufficient food.
"How thankful we were to God for His provision! How thankful for that large hearted young tailor, and how thankful for a mother who would not turn a stranger away, but was willing to share our last bit of food with him!
"I've lived a long life now, and there is something I can say with David, 'I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. ' " Psalm 37.25
"The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself."