During the first half of 1984 I was in England working for the C.L.C (Christian Literature Crusade) at London.

I worked most of the time in the basement of the Bookshop in the City of London. I did not receive any salary from the C.L.C Mission, but only board and lodging at the headquarters of the Mission which was in the Crystal Palace area. Before Easter I found myself in need of money, because I was running out of the money I had taken with me from Italy. I had only a few pounds, and since at that time I needed to buy certain things I did not know how to get the money I needed. At that time, during my free time and even while I was working in the basement I would often read stories of missionaries who prayed to God that He might provide for their needs and God answered their prayers; so I decided to ask God for the money I needed.

So one night, I knelt down in my bedroom and I prayed to God in the name of Jesus Christ. I said to Him: ‘Lord God, you know what I need, please, give me 20 pounds!’ After a while, while I was still praying, since 20 pounds seemed to me insufficient, I changed my request and I said to God: ‘Lord, please, give me 30 pounds!’ I thanked Him in the name of Jesus and then I went to bed. I was alone in my little room, nobody knew my need and I had prayed in a low voice. The days went by and I forgot my request.

One morning, as usual, I went to the Bookshop to work together with some brothers and sisters. While I was in the basement, they told me that the brother-manager of the Bookshop wanted to speak to me. I went to his office, thinking that he would entrust me with a particular work (for example, the delivery of a parcel to someone living in London).

When I entered his office, that brother said to me: ‘Gino (my name is Giacinto, but my nickname is Gino), I have noticed that you do all kinds of works here in the bookshop, and since I have to do a work at my home I was thinking that you could do that work; however, I don’t know if you will accept to do this work because it is a work through which you could get dirty easily. Anyway, I will pay you for it!’ Then I replied: ‘Brother, don’t worry, tell me what I should do, to me it is no problem.’ Then he said to me: ‘You should take off some glass wool blankets from the ceiling in order to allow the workers who are working at my house to work in the ceiling. For this work I will give you 25 pounds’.

I accepted immediately, saying, ‘To me everything is all right, so I will wait for you to tell me the day when I should do the work.’

After I came out of his little office, suddenly I remembered the request I had made to God some days before. I remembered that I had asked Him for 20 pounds first and then I had asked Him for 30 pounds (therefore the Lord had averaged 20 and 30 pounds for He had seen my hesitation), and I was really astonished and full of joy as well. I was moved and without saying anything to anybody I went into the bathroom to thank God. I even wept before the Lord.

After several days, I went to the house of that brother to do that job. I worked for about two hours. And as that brother had promised, he gave me 25 pounds.

Oh, My God, you are great, to You be the glory now and forevermore! Amen

 

Giacinto Butindaro

 

 

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