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“Wake up Jimmy! It is your special day today!” Jennifer stirred her baby up while the whole town is still asleep. As the sun slowly rose, Baby Jimmy was all dressed and pampered as he awaits his initiation into God’s own family. As usual, all the ladies were trying to kiss and pinch his cheeks and exclaiming, “Oh, look how cute he is!” Jimmy was having the time of his baby life. Sixteen year old Jennifer could only watch from a distance as she hurriedly hand out small beribboned bags of butter cookies to the family and friends who have gathered to witness this event. It was a tradition for her family to hand out the same homemade butter cookies to every guest during a baptism reception. However, some of the guests were discussing on the status of Jennifer of giving birth without being married. Those words hit Jennifer at the heart but she toughens up as she drew her strength from her precious son. It was his day, not mine, she thought. Jennifer carried the baby to the altar. With every step towards the crib, she was bought back to the time when her boyfriend had walked out on her when she told him she was pregnant. Angered and ravaged at that moment, she had attempted to abort it. But now as she kisses the baby’s cheek, her eyes began to tear and she took back all the thoughts of that selfish desire. “My beloved family and friends, we are now going to start the prayer. In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit…” Jennifer made the sign of the cross and bowed her head to pray. **************************************************************** “Don’t fidget, Asha, or I will tell Sister!” “Oh, can’t you just tie my ribbon on without complaining, Nalini!” “Children, are you ready? Mala, your sash’s here! Come, all of you, let us go to the chapel. Mother Priyanka’s waiting!” After making sure that they were at their best, three of them formed a line and marched discreetly towards the newly restored chapel at the back of the orphanage. Thanks to the community, the children there could now pray in peace and not worry about the roof collapsing on them. The flowers in the noontime garden were shining with morning dews lingering on the leaves of the jasmines and azaleas. The children and sisters had worked hard to make it so magical looking. It looks like a picture we saw in the bible, the Garden of Eden, thought Nalini to herself. She began to skip and dance along the pavement and was soon joined by Mala and Asha. Sister Anita glanced at her adolescent companions and was on the verge of reminding them Mother Priyanka’s lecture on decorum. But Anita had no heart to stop them, not yet. These girls, though tender of age, have tasted the bitterness early in life. Just like herself, they were the unwanted daughters of the broken gutter families of Calcutta, exposed to poverty, violence and abuse, pariah of the pariah. Amongst the silence of the chapel, Mother Priyanka’s voice can be heard clearly cutting through the air, “Finally my beloved, you’re here. Take these gifts here and give it to your brothers and sisters as a sign of family.” Asha opened it and her eyes went wide as a dollar coin, Chocolates! Her favourite! She hesitated for a moment but was nearly knocked over by the two friends who were pushing her to the front. All the children were excited as this was a very rare treat for them and it is the best thing they received since the beginning of the year. Mother then stretched her arms over them. “Thank you Lord, for gathering us here today. I would like to offer these three beautiful girls to you as a part of Your family…” It was a wondrous beginning. ********************************************************* It seems as if there were needles poking into his lungs whenever he breathed, Seng thought. He looked around and was greeted by the plain looking walls and the strong antiseptic smell of the ward. However, at the corner of his eyes, he saw a new wooden crucifix hanging atop of him. He struggled to wake up. It looks just like the one he had at home. Ah! Home. The good old days when he was fit as a fiddle and happy as a fiddler were long gone. Everything was going well. He had a great wife by the name of Ai Ling, a cute baby called Meng and a business that is guaranteed to make him rich. However, when Minna crossed their path, all was gone as Seng started to eye at her. Sexy with luscious lips, she was a sight to behold. Before long, Seng was already cheating on her wife. When Ai Ling found out, she filed for divorce despite his begging and pleading, leaving Meng with him. Life with Minna was so glitzy to the extent Seng lost control of himself, ignoring his responsibilities to the organization he build. Eventually, he lost everything but Minna still clung to him like a parasite. With no one to turn to, Meng became the victim of abuse which he then ran out of his life too. Life got much worse when he turned to beers, drugs and women as he enjoys the worldly pleasures while venting his anger at God all the time. However, when Seng was diagnosed with cancer, he began to rethink his actions and wondered if it was too late for him. He knew that today was a special celebration at the church. Judging by the decorated eggs he had for breakfast, he reckoned it was Easter Sunday. He begged the nurses to bring him to a priest. He knew his time was near and he wanted to make amends before it was all too late. When they reached the church, Seng knocked and was greeted by a face so painfully familiar. His eyes began to quiver with tears. “Father, forgive me for I have sinned much.” “The Lord forgives you, but can you forgive me, dad?” ********************************************************************* Through baptism, regardless of time and age and place, we are offered an opportunity to be forgiven of our sins and embraced as God’s people in his Holy Sprit of love. Thus the greatest baptism favor we can offer to ourselves and others is the same gift He is offering us, the gift of love.
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Elizabeth Ellis is a leading expert in all personalized gifts and has written a number of articles related to baptism gifts, personalized photo mugs, baby shower favors and so on. Please visit peculiarstuffs.com to read her other highly regarded work on such details as baptism favors, baby gifts, photo mugs and so on.
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