A Few Surprises

One day my father took me with him, walking from Briar Hill to the Old Diamond Creek Road, where he was going to apply for a fencing job at Kirkbride’s orchard.

There were a lot of orchards in the Diamond Creek area at the time, and for many years later.

Dad didn’t get the job, bur Mr Kirkbride noticed how thin and hungry I looked. He went inside the house and came out with a slice of bread about an inch thick, slathered with homemade apricot jam! Gee! It was the biggest slice of bread and jam I’d ever seen. I promptly demolished it, after the necessary “thank-you”, of course.

Mum was visiting a neighbour one day, with me in tow. While Mum had her cup of tea, I was offered a sandwich. I asked what it was as I’d never seen one like it before. The lady told me it was peanut butter. It was delicious!

My mother told me, whenever I was offered seconds, I was to say “No thank you”, even though I was practically always ravenous.

One vivid memory I have of our time in Briar Hill was when I was sitting on Mum’s lap inside the house. I looked up and saw a figure standing up high, not on the floor. I just sat there and looked at him. I wasn’t scared. I was a bit surprised to see him up so high, but I never said anything to anyone about him. Soon he disappeared again. I don’t know if Mum saw him or not, But I think she would have said something if she had. For myself I knew he was an angel.

In the Bible, Hebrews 1:14 says “angels are servants. They are spirits sent from God to care for those who will receive salvation.” And Matthew’s Gospel (18:10) says “don’t despise a single one of these little ones. For I tell you that in Heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.”

Looking back, I am sure God had his hand on my life, and was comforting me in my hunger and other troubles.