Does anyone know why we must suffer? This is the question that Sam was pondering about in his mind while he was waiting for his mother to make his breakfast. Like any other ten year old, Sam could not answer the questions running through his mind.
He then asked his mom, “Mom, why am I the only one in the family that has to suffer from a disease?”
“This is a question even I don’t know the answers to, and son you’re not the only one who has asked this question. There a plenty of people in this world that suffer even though they don’t deserve it,” answered his mom.
“Can I please have another cup of water?”
“Sure, I’ll get you a cup right now,” spoke his mom while refilling the cup of water.
“Thank you.” It was four in the afternoon when the agitation began again in the home of William Shamson, Sam’s father. Sidnee, Sam’s younger sister, sat in the corner of the room not knowing what to do because she was too afraid seeing so many people around Sam. After her brother was taken to the hospital, Sidnee remained home with her grandma Laura who just arrived from Britain.











































“Grandma, do you think that Sam will be alright in the end?” Sindee questioned. In the time that Grandma Laura tried to come up with an answer that would calm the little girl, she placed her glasses on the night stand and sat thoughtfully.

“Would you like to go for a walk on the forest trails Sidnee?”

“Yes.” They head out on the trail talking. “Can you please answer my question now?”

“Grandma’s sweetie, since you are so little it’s hard for you to understand what you brother is going through.”

“But grandma, grandma I just turned six! I’m not a little girl anymore!” whined Sidnee.

“I know but you’re still too young to understand all of this. Sam barely understands it.”

“Oh. Is there anything I can do for Sam?”

“Yes, there is. Since your mother has to worry about Sam all the time, she is too stressed out to worry about the house being in order.”
“But I already help her. Grandma Laura, I was expecting you to tell me to pray for Sam.”
“Who told you what prayer means and what it helps you with?”
The little girl tugged her grandma by the hand and pulled her to the window to show her something. While pointing to a house, Sidnee exclaimed, “There across the street lives Mr. Dan Shmoogers, my favorite neighbor.”
“And…?” Laura’s face was filled with curiosity to hear about this Mr. Shmoogers.
“Every time I go visit him, he always read a story from a book and prays with me.”
“Do you remember the name of the book?”
“Umm yah I think it was the Bible?”
“Now, I understand. I know what you are talking about,” her grandma exclaimed.
“Alright then, Dan told me that if I pray for Sam, he will get better and not suffer anymore. Is this true Grandma?”
“Umm… It depends on the person.”
“What do you mean?”
“There are some people that don’t believe in prayer, but I personally do believe what Mr. Dan told you.”
“Oh how good then,” the girl calmed down to her grandmas answer. After Sidnee and her grandma came to the end of the path, they hurried home to see if there was any news about Sam.
“What was that sound?” Laura asks with an amused voice.
“It was my stomach.”
“That means you must be hungry right?”
“Yea, all that walking and talking made me hungry.”
“Let’s make some supper then.” As they began preparing the food, the phone rang.
“Ring, ring…” the phone screeched till Sidnee briskly picked up the phone.
“Hellloooooo?”
“Hi honey its mom. How is everything at home?”
“Oh good, good just tell how Sam is feeling? Is he ok? Will he be ok? Is he coming home soon? Tell me! Please!” Sidnee interrogates her mother.
“Sweetie, mommy can’t answer all your questions at once.”
“Ok answer my first one then. Please.”
“Ok I have some good news. Sam will be allowed to come home tomorrow.”
“Really?” Sidnee proclaimed happily with her eyes wide open.
“Yes baby. Can I please talk to your grandma?”
“Yea sure.” Sidnee turns her head and yells at her grandma, “Mommy wants to talk to you right now!”
“Ok thanks. Why don’t you sit down and eat your dinner?”
“Ok whatever you say.”
Grandma Laura begins talking to Sidnee’s mother, “Hi Grace.”
“Hi mother.”
“How is everything?”
“I just now told Sidnee the doctors will release Sam tomorrow.”
“Oh I’m so glad he’s ok.”
“Yea me too, is it possible that Sidnee can hear you right now? Can you please go in a different room?” Laura hastily walks in the room next door and shuts the door.
“Is everything ok?” Laura who is now concerned for Sam’s health questions.
“I didn’t want to upset Sidnee, but there is nothing that the doctors can do for Sam. They are just going to release him and let him enjoy the last few weeks of his life at home.”
Grandma Laura is speechless and sits down on the chair by her to keep from fainting. At the same time she is trying to encourage her daughter that there is still hope and she will be waiting for them to arrive home. She gets up and puts the phone away trying to stop the tears rolling down her cheeks before Sidnee. She finally puts a relaxed face on and goes back in the kitchen. Sidnee had finished all her food and was waiting for her grandma. Sidnee sincerely asks, “Can I please go visit Mr. Shmoogers, Grandma?”
“Yes, just be home before dark please.”
“Ok thank you!” Sidnee exclaims while running for the door. She slams the door on the way out. She sprints across the street and rapidly knocks on Mr. Dan’s door.
“Oh hello, you look different today,” the friendly, old neighbor said.
“How could I not be happy when I know that my big brother will be home tomorrow morning?”
“Wow that is some great news. I’m really happy for you.”
“I know me too! You were right when you told me to ask God to make him better. He’s feeling better now.”
Mr. Dan looks out the window and sees Grandma Laura sitting on a chair with her head down crying and says, “Well we better thank the Lord for all the good he has done for you and your family. And then we should ask God to completely heal him and so that he regains his health.” They both kneel down and bow their heads praying to God.
After they complete the prayer, Sidnee pleads with Dan to tell her another story, “Please Mr. Dan can you please read me another story from the Bible.” He gives in and tells her the story of David and Goliath.
“So you see Sidnee, David was a little kid compared to Goliath but David was a man of big faith. His faith should be an example to you and your family.”
Sidnee notices that the sky is becoming dark and remembers her promise to grandma. She thanks Mr. Shmoogers and hurries home to bed. The next morning, she wakes up with a smile on her face and remembers that this is the day she was waiting for. It was as if she was flying from room to room trying to make the house perfect for Sam’s welcome. She abruptly stops and says a quick prayer to God to thank him for the new day. Then, she runs down the stairs almost falling as she stops and asks her grandma, “Grandma Laura can we please make cinnamon rolls for Sam?”
“Why?”
“Well you see cinnamon rolls are Sam’s favorite breakfast.”
“Well I don’t think we have all the ingredients.”
“Oh. Well then can we go buy some?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“YAY! Let’s go right now!” Sidnee rapidly replies as she grabs her grandma’s keys and purse. They go grocery shopping and purchase all the ingredients needed to bake the rolls. Back from grocery shopping, Sidnee and Laura mix the ingredients together and place the rolls in the oven. They hear a car pull in the driveway, and Sidnee runs to the door, pulling it open and skipping to Sam’s side. She does not realize that Sam looks worse than before, but instead pulls him into a big hug and whispers, “I knew you would feel better and come home.”

Holding him by the arm, they stroll into the kitchen where Grandma awaits them with breakfast. “It smells like cinnamon!” Sam painfully speaks.

“Yea, me and Grandma made the rolls just for you because I knew they were your favorite. You should try one!”

“Sidnee,” the mom, “Sam is still weak can you please let him rest a bit?”

“But, but I thought he was better.”

“About that… Your father and I would like to talk to you alone. Can you please come sit with us on the sofa while Grandma Laura helps Sam to his room?”

“Umm yea, but I’m confused. Why did you lie to me?”

“Come have a seat. We didn’t want to tell you that the doctors cannot do anything for Sam anymore.” After Sidnee hears these depressing words, she heads to her room and starts crying without knowing what to do anymore, but she remembers the story that her neighbor, Dan told her a day before. She then slowly walks out of her room, goes down the stairs, and softly knocks on Sam’s door not wanting to disturb him. He whispers, “Who’s there?”

“It’s Sidnee.”

“Yes sister?”

“Can I please come in?”

“You know you can always come in.”

“Ok.” Sidnee goes in the room and sits on the edge of Sam’s bed. Sidnee says, “You know what even though mom and dad keep telling me that you won’t be with us for a long time. I still believe and have the faith that David had when he struck down Goliath.”

“Wait, who are David and Goliath?”

“Well you know our neighbor Mr. Shmoogers?”

“Yea, what about him?”

“I went over his house yesterday and he told me a story of the two guys.”

“Can you tell me the story?”

“Yes I can. Ok so there was war between the Philistines and Israel. Saul, the king of Israel, was afraid of Goliath who is the giant on the side of the Philistines. There was a little boy named, David who had the faith in God that he could defeated Goliath, so he volunteered himself to fight Goliath. The people didn’t believe that a little boy could defeat a monster but little did they know. David killed Goliath with a slingshot and rock. Can you imagine that?”

“Hmmh… that’s interesting.”

“You believe me though right? I mean it’s not just a story it’s something that actually happened.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s from the Bible.”

“You know what surprised me Sidnee?”

“No what?”

“Every story that you have told me has given me courage to want to hold on to everyone longer. Can you pray with me so that I can have a faith like David had?”

“Yea for sure, but I have a question for you. Why do you want to have his faith?”

“Because faith is everything, my life depends on it.”