When 8 year old Tess heard her Mom and Dad
talking about her little brother, Andrew, she
realized that he was very sick and that they
did not have enough money for his treatment.
Tess heard Daddy say, "Only a miracle can save
him now."
Tess went to her bedroom and retrieved a jar
from its hiding place. There was some change
in it.She counted the change. She made her way
to the Drug store but the pharmacist was busy
talking to his brother from Chicago.
"Annoyed at her persistence,he asked, "What do
you want?" Tess replied, "My brother is very sick...
and I want to buy a miracle.His name is Andrew
and he has something bad growing inside his head
and my daddy says that only a miracle can save
him. So much does a miracle cost?"
The pharmacist's brother, a well-dressed man,
stooped down and asked the little girl, "What
kind of a miracle does your brother need?"
"Don't know," replied Tess, eyes welling up. "I
know he is really sick and mommy says he needs
an operation. But my daddy can't pay for it, so
I want to use my money"
"How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago.
"One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely
audibly." Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man.
"A dollar and eleven cents-the exact price of a
miracle for your little brother." He took her money
in one hand and with the other, he grasped Tedd's hand
and said" Take me to where you live. I want to see
your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I
have the kind of miracle you need."
That well-dressed man was Carlton Armstrong, a neuro-
surgeon. The operation was completed without charge
and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and
doing well.
"I wonder how much the surgery cost" thought the
mother, aloud. Tess smiled to herself. She knew exactly
how much a miracle cost: One dollar and eleven cents...
plus the faith of a little child.