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Look What God Is Doing!

Anna’s Bible

By Elaine L. Schulte

Last year, my husband and I were on a cruise ship sailing around the tip of South America. When I visited the ship’s spa, a Romanian masseuse, Anna, told me her problems. I explained Scripture’s answers and prayed for her.

She sighed, “If only I had a Bible. In our church we don’t read the Bible. Can you find one for me?”

“I’d be glad to.”

Surely I’ll find a Gideon Bible in our cabin, I thought.

Later I searched the cabin, but there was no Bible. I couldn’t find a Bible anywhere on that ship. What do I do now, Lord? No immediate answer came.

The next morning, we disembarked at the Falkland Islands. Anyone who has visited there knows its main inhabitants are penguins. We had seven hours to spend with penguins.

We stopped at the Visitor’s Center on the pier.

“Where can I buy a Bible?” I asked the woman at the desk.

“You ain’t gonna find no Bible around here,” she said gruffly.

On shore, we noticed a church. Its sign announced: “Sunday service, 10 a.m.”

It was Sunday morning at 9:40. Pleased, we went inside. I asked the greeter, “Where can I buy a Bible?”

“I don’t know, but there’s the minister. Maybe he knows.”

We introduced ourselves and explained our situation.

His eyes lit up. “I’ll find one for you.”

Moments later, he returned with a Bible. “It’s actually a children’s British edition and it’s a bit worn.”

“That’s fine. Let me pay you…”

“Thanks, but I can’t take money for it. Our congregation is small, but we’d be blessed to give it to Anna.”

Back on the ship, I glanced through the Gospel of John in the newly acquired Bible. English was Anna’s second language, and the British “thences” and “whences” might confuse her.

In the first three chapters, I wrote in “Jesus” here and there to clarify verses, and made other notations.

I took the Bible to Anna. She was delighted.

Later she left a message. “It’s wonderful how you explained everything. Could you write like that in the whole Gospel of John?”

Could I!

She left the Bible at our cabin door. Grateful for years of Bible studies, I did my best to “rewrite” the Gospel of John.

I can’t believe I’m writing a Bible study on a cruise ship! I thought as I worked. But when you’re traveling with God, anything is possible.

ELAINE SCHULTE is the author of 36 novels and hundreds of articles. She and her husband live in Tucson, AZ.