The Only Gift

(As told from the main character=s point of view)
by Hailey Jo Sanderson

It was Christmas time again in the bustling city of New York. Boys and girls sang carols in the streets and had snowball fights almost every day. There were horse drawn carriages, giant piles of snow and Central Park had never looked so beautiful in the winter time. This was a Christmas that simply no one could afford to miss. At least, that is, on the Manhattan side of the city. Brooklyn was poor man=s land. Christmas just meant more hand- me- downs and maybe, if you were lucky, a brand new pair of shoes.

My name is Elijah. I was five years old and I had never had a Christmas before. To me, it just meant another day in winter that meant survival of the fittest. Mama and I lived in a run- down apartment with very little furniture. We only had a few chairs and a crooked dining room table. It was the only thing mama had never managed to sell. She sold a lot of things, even the food stamps we got from someone mama called Uncle Sam. I knew not to ask mama any questions. Questions meant a smack up side the head and no dinner that day or the next.

One day, mama brought home her boss who I only knew as Mr. Smith, but I knew it wasn=t his real name. Like usual, he would give me a candy bar and send me to my room so him and mama could have a meeting that concerned none of my business. I obeyed. These meetings weren=t very often, but I cherished them all the same, because, for me, they meant candy. However today was not the same. I heard shouting and screaming and soon, I heard the sounds of hitting and fighting coming from the kitchen. It all ended in a loud slam of the front door. I crept out of my room and entered the kitchen. The crooked table was snapped in half and all the chairs were tipped over. Mama was crouched in a corner. She was crying. Her tears, mixed with blood and sweat, ran down her bruised cheeks. A large AX@ was carved into her forehead. Mr. Smith had branded her. She tried so hard to keep up with her payments, but she had already sold everything she could. Now, to pay off her debts, he would own her body and mind to gain back the money he lost on her forever. She was his property now.

A couple weeks had passed since the fight. Mama had lots of guests over so I had to go play outside and many times I had to sleep outside on a bench. Christmas was one week away, but it still didn=t make a difference to me. What was the big deal anyway? It was just another miserable day that came and went every year. However, today was special because a lady invited me to Kid=s Church for the very next day. Mama said it was ok for me to go. Some more guests would be over all day tomorrow anyway. I had never gone to Church before. I always heard mama telling stories about when she was a little girl and how much fun she had at Church.


I waited all morning for the bus to come and pick me up. It arrived at about 11:00 and it was filled with kids. I was nervous at first, but the boy I sat with recognized me from the park and we struck up a conversation. When the bus reached the Church everyone filed out of the bus into a large room with tables that weren=t crooked and we all sat around them. Each of us was given a brown paper bag filled with a PB&J sandwich, a juice box and a bag of chips. After everyone finished lunch, we headed into a huge auditorium. I had never seen a room so big in my life! I found a seat next to the boy I rode with on the bus and sat down. Soon the skinny guy who drove the bus I was on got up and began asking questions and picking kids out of the crowd to answer them. His name was Pastor William James Billings; Pastor Willy, for short. He pointed at me and asked me, ASon, what is Christmas all about?@ I looked at him sheepishly and replied,@ Um... I don=t know. No one has ever told me.@ Pastor Willy reassured me that it was alright because he was going to tell everyone about it today. First, though, we played some games and sang a couple songs. Then, Pastor Willy came back on stage and started sharing about baby Jesus and how Christmas is the celebration of His birthday, even though it wasn=t His real birthday. By the end of Church, I had a lot of questions. On the way back home on the bus Pastor Willy answered all of my questions. He told me how Jesus was sent by God as a gift to the world and me too. I had never gotten a gift before. I asked him when I would get this gift and he told me I could have it right now if I wanted to. All I had to do is confess that I was sinner, believe Jesus is the son of God and put my faith and trust in Him. I began to cry. Pastor Willy asked me what was wrong. I told him that I didn=t have anything to give back to Jesus and that I couldn=t afford a Christmas present for him. He said,@ the only thing you need to give Jesus is your heart. Have a relationship with Him and talk to Him like He is your best friend. You may not be able to see Him, but He=s there.@ I wanted that gift so bad and I wanted to give my life to Jesus so intensely that I asked Pastor Willy to help me give my life to Jesus. He led me in a prayer. Then, I wrapped my arms around him and cried.

I climbed the stairs to my apartment with every ounce of joy and happiness I had. I couldn=t wait to tell mama! When I reached my floor I noticed the door to my apartment was wide open. I searched the place and found that it was empty. I waited up all night and day for her. She didn=t come home. Four days later, Pastor Willy came to visit. It was Christmas Eve and he and a team of volunteers from the Church were delivering Christmas presents to the kids in the neighborhood. I greeted him with the biggest hug I could give. I told him about when I got home from Kid=s Church and mama was gone and hasn=t been back since. Pastor Willy took me to get a burger and then back to the Church for a little while.

I spent Christmas with Pastor Willy and his family. The next day he went to the police station to find out any information about my mama that he could. It turned out mama had been arrested for drug dealing and hosting a brothel in our apartment. She was sentenced to twenty years in the state penitentiary without parole. A lovely couple in the Church offered to adopt me and raise me in a Christian setting. When I turned eighteen and graduated the top of my class, I agreed to attend a Bible college nearby.

If it wasn=t for the gift of Christ and that one lady who invited me to Kid=s Church, I would have never made it in this world. I would probably be homeless or maybe even dead. Yet, someone took the time to tell me the meaning of Christmas. Now I am telling the story of the only gift that ever changed my life to millions of Children around the World.

My Letter to the Senator

Dear Representative,

First, I would like to thank you for representing the people of the state of Montana. You are in my prayers. Your service has made a great impact on the lives of Montanans. I pray you remain in your statesmanship and integrity while in office.

I am very pleased to hear that you do not support the Health Care Reform Bill. I believe that it is not governments decision to make. So, thank you for voting against it! I believe the bill is socialistic and would bring down important work ethics. It also encourages the government to be involved with affairs that belong personally to an individual or family. It would take away certain rights of each citizen. So, once again, thank you for voting against it.

Also, I would like to address unemployment. Recently, my mother was laid off from her job. We still manage well with just my fathers salary, but it is difficult to pay off our debts and deal with medical expenses. Thankfully, my mother has qualified for unemployment. However, it took five weeks for unemployment to approve her. This task should have only taken one week. It seems as though the local government has done more harm to employment than helped it. I appreciate your fight for unemployed people. Again, thank you!

You truly are a statesman in the truest sense. Your politics must be a true reflection of your heart. Please continue your fight in all integrity and to the best of your abilities. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you so very much for your time and consideration. God Bless You!

In Christ,
Hailey Jo Sanderson