Real Life Christmas Story

Subject: Christmas message
    Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 09:07:17 -0700 (MST)
    From: Andrew or Joe Forsyth
Reply-To: cursillo@us.net
      To: cursillo@us.net


Good day friends.

The following item was the front page lead story in the Edmonton Journal
this morning.  I found it inspirational, and hope you will too.  The
writer is a 17 year old boy with acute leukemia.  Alberta Health refused
to pay for his travel to the USA for a treatment that is considered
experimental - the second time this year this has happened.  The first
young person had the money raised but died from an infection which
prevented travel.  This lad has a better chance.  I've removed the names,
but the  words speak for themselves.

May the Peace of Christ be with all of you and your loved ones this
Christmas.  If travelling, go safely; may your vacation be filled with
Joy.

De Colores

Joe Forsyth

"Christmas is about life, love and determination.  In the life of Jesus
and his parents, we find strength and inspiration.

We are faced with many challenges in life.  Often, just as the world seems
the most hostile, a new challenge or situation will draw out a level of
determination in us we never knew we had; and often, in the process, will
draw our family or the whole community closer in a way which has
long-lasting benefits we cannot comprehend until much later.

God can affect things in our world in a way we cannot even anticipate.  I
look in awe at the huge community action to help my family raise the money
for my treatment in the USA which gives the best chance, if not the only
chance, at a full and productive life.  This Christmas, I have much to be
grateful for, having derived strength from many people I have never even
met.

Christmas is about faith and miracles.  Faith is the quiet but forceful
truth that allows us to put our beliefs into action.  Our health care and
all other government support structures having failed us, the decision to
go to...was a leap of faith for me and my family.  By Oct 10th, this
became my best and only hope.

I was out of time, but they wanted $183,000 US before admission.  "Things
will work out", my mother said. "Where the money is going to come from, I
dont't know, but let's remember that faith is a power that touches each
and every one of us, and hold on to it.  God willing, even a broom can
shoot."

Indeed. Faith can make miracles happen.  Next morning, we received a phone
call that we can make financial arrangements on an ongoing basis.  Let's
save the life first.  Financial arrangements became a separate issue...I
was able to leave on Oct 14.  So I am alive, and give thanks for the
miracles brought to us every day by the world and the people all around
us...God is acting upon our lives in ways which we so often fail to
recognize.

Christmas is a time for us to listen and learn about God, about our
humanity, and about sharing responsibilities and caring for others.  I
have learned that God never presents us with challenges larger than we
have the inner strengths to overcome.  Situations in life will force you
to find them, and you will learn more about yourself through the
experience...as long as you do not drown out the inner voice that is
trying to guide you.  Perhaps there was a reason for my disease.  Perhaps
it will help many other children in some way.

IN... I have met people who've taught me a lot about myself and the
essence of life.  You can have a positive effect on every person you meet
to an extent far beyond your scope of vision.  I've learned a lot from
Dr....about life, about people, about medicine.  He was always there to
guide me in my search for the truth.  Business hours meant nothing to him.
I could phone hime 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even long before I
even knew that one day I would become his patient.  He never missed an
opportunity to lend me support when I needed it.  He, of all people, truly
appreciated the effect of the spirit on the body, and having thus also
earned my trust, he used this trust to help me develop more strength to
overcome my disease.  He helped me to find a meaning and an opportunity
for growth in everything.

His spirit of caring and willingness to give so much of himself has had
profound influence on my prsonal growth...and guided my decision to go
into medicine as a future career.

I hope that one day other children will benefit the same way through me as
I did through him.

Christmas is about life...Is this not what life is all about?"

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