保持耶稣暖和（Keeping Jesus Warm）

【1994年，两个美国宣教士应俄罗斯教育部的邀请，前往俄罗斯公立学校，讲述基于圣经原则的社会道德和伦理。他们也应邀在监狱、公司、消防站演讲，最后他们获准造访一间很大的孤儿院，这家由政府管理的孤儿院收容许多被虐待、遗弃的孩子。下面是其中一位宣教士讲述的故事。】

【In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments and a large orphanage. About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government-run program were in the orphanage. They relate the following story in their own words:】

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1994年接近圣诞节，孤儿院的孩子们平生第一次听我们讲述传统的圣诞故事。我们讲到马利亚和约瑟来到伯利恒，因为客店里没有地方，他们只能来到一间马棚，婴孩耶稣就在那里出生，然后用布包起来被放到马槽里。当我们讲述马槽的故事时，孤儿院的工作人员和孩子们全程聚精会神，他们的神情都一个个带惊讶不已。他们有的坐在板凳的边上，努力不漏掉一个字。讲完故事，我们给孩子们发放材料，让他们搭建自己的马槽。这些孤儿都各自忙着自己的手工，我就在他们中间来回踱步看他们是否需要帮助。

一切都进行得很好，直到我来到一个名叫米沙、大约六岁的小男孩桌边，他已经完成了他的项目。当我弯腰察看这个小男孩的马槽，我吃惊地发现，马槽里不是一个、而是两个婴孩。我赶紧叫来翻译，询问小男孩为什么他的马槽里有两个婴孩。小米沙将两只胳膊交叉抱在胸前，看着他已经完工的马槽，他开始认真地复述马槽的故事。对于这么小的年纪，而且是第一次听到圣诞的故事，他竟然将这个故事完整的讲述出来，直到他讲完马利亚把婴孩耶稣放在马槽这一部分。

然后，米沙脱口而出，下面是他自己加上去的故事结局。

“当马利亚把婴孩耶稣放进马槽时，我也站在旁边。耶稣看着我，问我是否有住处。我告诉耶稣，我没有妈妈，也没有爸爸，所以我没有地方住。然后耶稣告诉我，我可以和祂住在一起。但我对祂说，我不能，因为我不能像别人那样送祂礼物，我没有任何礼物可以送给祂。但我实在太想和耶稣住在一起，我就用力想着到底有什么可以送给耶稣做礼物。我想如果我能用我的身体保持耶稣暖和，那算不算是一件礼物。于是我问耶稣，‘如果我能使你保持暖和，这算是一件好的礼物吗？’耶稣对我说，‘如果你使我保持暖和，那就是人所能给我的最好的礼物了。’于是，我就躺进马槽里。耶稣看着我并告诉我说，我可以永远和祂在一起。”

当小米沙讲完故事，他两眼满溢的泪水，溅落在他的腮颊顺着脸庞流淌下来。他用两只小手捂住自己的脸，头低低的垂下来抵在桌子上，两肩不住地颤抖着抽泣…抽泣… 这个孤苦无依的孤儿小米沙，终于找到一个再也不会遗弃和虐待他的人---耶稣，而且可以永远和祂在一起。

我默默无声地站在那里… 我突然发现，不在乎你生命中拥有什么，而在乎你生命中真正拥有谁，那才是更重要的事情。

附：英文原文

It was nearing the holiday season, 1994, time for our orphans to hear, for the first time, the traditional story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn, they went to a stable, where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger. Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. Completing the story, we gave the children many things to build their own manger. The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help.

All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy's manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously. For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately - until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus in the manger.

Then Misha started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said,

And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no mamma and I have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus, 'If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?' And Jesus told me, 'If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me.' So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him---for always.

As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon or abuse him, someone who would stay with him - ALWAYS.

I've learned that it's not WHAT you have in your life, but WHO you have in your life that counts.

（作者：佚名 【特向作者致谢】 译者：任运生牧师）