A Story About A Girl Named Beth

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Beth.

Being 3, she thought she was a "big girl" and yearned to be like the older kids who seemed to have so much more fun.

Beth wanted to learn all sorts of things: swimming, inline skating, hoola hoop-ing, music. She wanted to play the piano, the drums, the guitar and be a choir member, just like Mummy and Daddy.

But most of all, Beth wanted to be a 'big jie jie' ("jie jie" is Chinese for "older sister").

When asked if she wanted a little brother or sister, she always gave the same answer: "I want a 'di di' ("little brother") AND a 'mei mei' ("little sister")."

This never failed to make Mummy and Daddy smile.

Mummy had lost a baby to a miscarriage not long ago, and she told Beth that she actually did have a little "di di" or "mei mei", but Jesus had taken the baby home.

Beth asked: "Why did Jesus take away your baby?"

Mummy explained that Jesus loved the baby very much and wanted him/her in heaven.

"Jesus will give you another baby," proclaimed Beth confidently.

Mummy's heart melted to hear those words, and she silently wept tears of joy mingled with sadness.
Joy that her 3 year-old had so much faith when she herself had so little.
Joy that God had spoken words of comfort and promise through an innocent little child.
Sadness that a life had ended before it began.
Sadness when she thought of how different life might have been like, had Baby lived.

In the silence of her thoughts, Mummy felt Jesus whisper these words:
"Precious child, I alone know the plans that I have for you. They are plans to prosper you, not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope."

And Mummy was comforted.