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Pradheep Ayyanar

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Feb 14, 2006, 12:40:53 AM2/14/06
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HAPPY V'DAY


57 CENT
A little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned
away
because it was "too crowded."

"I can't go to Sunday School," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked
by
.


Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason
and
, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her

in the Sunday school class. The child was so happy that they found room
for her, and she went to bed that night thinking of the children who
have no place to worship Jesus  Some two years later, this child lay
dead in one of the poor tenement buildings. Her parents called for the
kindhearted
pastor who had befriended their daughter to handle the final

arrangements As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and
crumpled red purse was found which seemed to have been rummag ed from
some trash dump
Inside was found 57 cents and a note, scribbled in childish
handwriting, which read: "This is to help build the little church bigger
so more children can go to Sunday School."

For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor
tearfully
read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying
this
note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the

pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion. He
challenged
his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger

building.

But the story does not end there..

A newspaper learned of the story and published It. It was read by a
wealthy
realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands.

When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered to sell it
to
the little church for 57 cents.


Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide.
Within five years the little girl's gift had incre ased to
$
250,000.00--a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century).

Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.

When you are in the city of
Philadelphia , look up Temple Baptist
Church , with a seating capacity of 3,300. And be sure to visit Temple
University , where thousands of students are educated.

>Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday
>
School building which houses hundreds of beautiful children, built so

>that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during
>Sunday school time.

> In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of
>
the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially

>saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of
>
her kind pastor, Dr. Russell H. Conwell, author of the book, "Acres of

>Diamonds".
>
>
This is a true story, which goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57
>CENTS.



cheers
PRADHEEP
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