Alice tucked a soft, warm blanket around her baby and kissed her good night. She gently laid the child on her bed and rose to peer out the door of her humble village home. The stars twinkled and the moon shimmered above, but Alice had an uneasy feeling. It was Friday evening, and her husband Nick was not yet home from his week of work. Frustration began to well up inside of her. Nick was a good, caring man, but the recent arrangement of him living at his work place all week only brought trouble for the family. Under constant peer pressure, he had begun to drink.
Alice’s thoughts drifted back to her days spent with the white missionary family. In their home she had found a friend in Jesus as they showed her how to study her Bible and invited her to join with them in family worship. She desired to have this kind of home, but that seemed impossible now. Nick had no interest in family worship or attending church. Alice had become discouraged and lost motivation to go to church.
One day, Alice asked Nick to watch the baby while she went down to the river to wash clothes. When she finished and came back to the house, he was nowhere in sight. Instead, a little neighbor girl was there, holding the baby. Extremely irritated, Alice took her baby and left home, hoping Nick would come to his senses.
As the sun was beginning to fall below the horizon, Nick returned home to an empty house. Where could Alice and the baby have gone? He searched the village, inquiring about his wife, but no one seemed to know where she was. When Alice finally came back, her in-laws were not happy with her. They called a village meeting the next day to discuss the matter. Apologizing for her disappearance, Alice vowed never to repeat it.
Weeks passed, and the atmosphere in Alice and Nick’s home worsened. After much thought and prayer, Alice decided that having a happy home was more valuable than all the money her husband could earn at his job in town. So when Nick came home one evening, Alice asked him to quit his job and stay home. Not wanting to cause any more strife in the family, Nick quit his job. His time at home allowed him to contemplate the road he had gone down. He got involved with a group of young men who were ministering to people through music. They met together often to study the Bible, pray and practice singing.
Alice noticed a change beginning to take place in the heart of her husband. He would rise early to pray and study his Bible. He no longer objected to being the spiritual leader of his home. He even encouraged Alice to be more faithful in seeking God and never to give up praying for him. On one occasion, a turn of events prevented Nick’s singing group from going on a long-anticipated trip to share their music. When Alice heard about this, she thought for sure she would find Nick at home in deep discouragement. She walked up the path to her house and held her breath as she opened the door. Nick greeted her with a peaceful look about him. Instead of complaining, he said, “Praise God.” He then took his Bible and went to the corner to pray. Tears of joy flooded Alice’s eyes. God had indeed answered her prayers.
