TRUE STORY: THE COST OF A MIRACLE

2013-22  True Story: How much does a miracle cost? Dr. Carlton Armstrong

Eight year old Tess heard her Mom and Dad talking about her little brother, Andrew. All she knew was that he was very sick and they were completely out of money. Only a very costly surgery could save him now and it was looking like there was no-one to loan them the money. She heard Daddy say to her Mother with whispered desperation, "Only a miracle can save him now."

Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. Placing the coins back in the jar, she slipped out of the back door and made her way six blocks to the big Rexall's Drug Store.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he was too busy talking to his brother who had come from Chicago. Tess twisted her feet and cleared her throat. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it! 

"What do you want?" asked the pharmacist in an annoyed tone. 

"Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick.. and I want to buy a miracle. 

 "I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist.

"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?"

"We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you," the pharmacist said, softening a little.

"Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs."

The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does your brother need?"

"I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up. "I just know he's 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. "And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to."

"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven cents--the exact price of a miracle for little brothers." He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten 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 Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place. 

"That surgery," her Mom whispered. "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?" 

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost.. one dollar and eleven cents ...... plus the faith of a little child!