Once people were calmed down a little, Daisy finished the story. She explained how they were thinking about Noah and Mr. Mathews had asked them to do some research about the devastation of animals during a volcanic eruption in Indonesia. Somehow they had gotten to the website about Indonesian flood stories and everyone walked over to the computer to read the story.
Their father silently reached out to the bookshelf and opened his bible. “Kids, we only started the story about Noah today,” said Mr. Mathews. “I think that it’s time that we read the rest.”
Curious, everyone sat on the floor as their father read the story of Noah from the book of Genesis. Mrs. Mathews pulled out her Korean bible and helped the firemen and neighbor understand the story.
Mr. Mathews read how all of the animals had come to Noah and they had boarded the ship. Everyone listened intently. Mr. Mathews read how God closed the door of the boat while it rained 40 days, how Noah had to stay on the boat with all of the animals for over a year waiting until the water went down, and using a raven and a dove to determine when they could get off.
And then Mr. Mathews came to the end and said, “This is the most important part. Listen carefully.” He read, “The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: ‘Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease’.”
Mr. Mathews looked over at his kids. I asked you to look up the volcanic eruption in Krakatoa, not because I wanted you to know about the other natural disasters on earth, but because I wanted to know that even though this devastating thing had happened, today there is a thriving community and even a National park with the most beautiful animals living there. God put those animals there- just like you were asking, Leo. God promised that He would never destroy living creatures again the same way that He did during the time of Noah. And God doesn’t break his promises.”
“So screaming slugs don’t cause floods?” asked Leo.
“There are many natural disasters these days, but He won’t wipe the human race off of the face of the earth,” said Mr. Mathews. Only God can make the thunder and the lightning and the rain. God definitely loves each of you. When bad things happen (and they will!), we have to trust that God is there to take care of us.”
After Mrs. Mathews translated the conclusion, the old woman nodded and said “amen.”
“Oh, she’s a Christian?” asked Max.
“Yes,” said Mrs. Mathews. “She goes to church nearby and she loves God with all of her heart.”
“Really?” asked Daisy wondering why this woman had tried to poison them earlier today.
Mrs. Mathews asked the old woman something in Korean and the woman nodded quickly and then replied. Mrs. Mathews translated, “She goes to morning prayer everyday to pray for her family and she says that when we moved in she also prayed for our family too!” The old woman talked a little more and then Mrs. Mathews said, “She also says that she needs to pray harder for the strength to keep putting out your fires!”
“What?!?!?!” asked Daisy, Max and Leo at the same time.
Mr. Mathews answered, “That’s right kids. She said that she smelled the smoke and when she saw you coming out of the apartment with such a scared look she got really worried. She opened our door and saw the fire still burning on the floor so she dumped a bucket of water on it. She saved this apartment from burning and the homes of so many families in this building. You should be really thankful for what she did.”
The children stared at her curiously, but thanked her using their limited Korean vocabulary, “Kam-sa-ham-ni-da!” Thank you.
The old woman smiled and nodded in reply.
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