The Newspaper Men.

There was a knock at the door.

PEDRO: (In his 70s) Sir, I was just wondering if you could spare me your old newspapers.

It so happened that Joseph, a journalist, read four newspapers a day. He did not have a computer, so his neighbor, a newspaper distributor, gave him four hard-copy newspapers every day for free. And they were piling up fast in a corner, now five feet high, teetering precariously.

PEDRO: (Seeing the pile) Wow. You must be sent by God. I was praying hard this morning, as my wife has breast cancer.

JOSEPH: This is not enough for her medicine.

PEDRO: It’s a good start. More are coming. God is good.

JOSEPH: Actually, I’m glad you came. I was wondering how I could get rid of all this junk. You must be sent by God.

PEDRO: That’s what I just said about you. Now I can buy the painkiller she needs so badly, to stop her groaning at night.

He took out a torn notebook and a magnifying glass, and started scribbling.

PEDRO: This pile is worth about 240 pesos. God is good.

JOSEPH: You can’t even afford reading glasses? Try this on (giving him his reading glasses).

PEDRO : (Reading the small print on the front page) Wow. BBM and Sara again on the front page.

JOSEPH: It’s yours. I have a second pair in the bedroom. As you were saying, God is good. Now at last, I can get rid of the newspapers. Tell you what. Come here once a week. The papers pile up fast.

Joseph and Pedro became the best of friends. They would drink coffee on the patio weekly when Pedro came to pick up the newspapers. After all, they were both newspaper men.

The Healer

Sister Raquel was a famous healer. She had healed hundreds of cancer patients. She had a predicament. In their healing chapel in Novaliches, she prayed hard because she could not pay their electric bill of 25,000 pesos, and in one more day, the electricity would be cut off. She never asked for money, even during hard times. Surprisingly, she was not in a panic.

Sr. Raquel asked those who had been healed to tell their story. This had a profound effect on the sick. Their faith grew stronger. That day, Joel, an architect who had kidney cancer testified that he was suddenly healed after just two weeks of praying at the healing center every day. His doctor was surprised because he had given Joel four months to live. While everyone was leaving to go home, he approached Sister.

JOEL : Sister, I want to help. It is my way of thanking the Lord for healing me.

SR. RAQUEL: Anything you want to give is okay. Give from your heart.

JOEL: A first-class hospital could not heal me. But the Lord did (he scribbles on a check). Sister, please accept this small donation.

SR. RAQUEL: Thank you for your kindness.

Sr. Raquel folded the check and pocketed it.

JOEL : Thank you for healing me.

SR. RAQUEL: Thank the Lord, not me. He healed you because He loves you.

When Joel left, Sr. Raquel went to her bedroom to rest. She placed the check on a table, slept soundly, and forgot about it. The next day, when she looked at the check, it read 40,000 pesos.

SR. RAQUEL: (Aloud, to the Lord) I was asking for just 25,000 but you gave me 40,000. What else can I say.