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  •  This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
  • “He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.”
  • Matthew 8:17

A boy about nine years of age had evidently hurt his leg during football practice. The young mother of one of the boys was taking them, shoulder pads and all, out for supper after practice. The young man who had been injured had difficulty get­ting out of the van. As he limped across the parking lot he decided he would be embarrassed if all of those strangers inside the restaurant were to see him limping. 

I was inside in the foyer and saw his difficulty in walking. Just as I went out the door I heard the boy tell his friends that he would wait for them in the van. Want­ing to see what would happen, I stepped aside. While pretending to be looking in my purse for my car keys, I watched the boy out of the corner of my eye. All of his friends went back and gathered around him and tried to persuade him to go in, but he obviously was too embarrassed. 

One of his friends, a sensitive-looking young­ster, walked up to him, put his arm around him, and said, ‘My leg hurts too. Come on; we’ll go in together.’ The hurt fellow laughed lightly and started off with his friends who were now all limping by the time they got to the door.  Twelve young boys, ages eight and nine, were hobbling toward the restaurant door. I had heard it all and couldn’t help but comment. So I said, ‘Pardon me, young men, but do all of you have hurt legs?’ They all answered as one, ‘Yes, ma’am!’ 

I hesitated a moment and then said, ‘One of you boys has some wonderful friends.’ As they turned to walk through the door, a single voice was heard saying, ‘Yes, I do!’

  • As told to Malcolm Parsley
  • 60-year missionary in Korea