Sometimes there are moments of fate that no one can explain. Such is the story of Tess, who bought her little brother a miracle - and only for a few dollars.
Tess is a cheerful 8 year old who lives with her mom, dad, and little brother Andrew in the USA. They are generally a happy family. But one day, Tess overheard her parents talking quietly about her little brother. She knew that he was gravely ill and that her parents were running dangerously low on funds. They had plans to move into a tiny apartment so they could afford both rent and the doctor's bills. The only thing that could save her brother was an expensive operation. Tess heard her dad say, "only a miracle could save Andrew now." Then the little girl got an idea.
Tess went to her room and grabbed her piggy bank. She emptied the change and carefully counted each coin once, twice, three times - just to be sure. Then she put them back in the bank and tiptoed out the front door with her savings.
She walked for six blocks before she reached a pharmacy. Tess waited patiently until it was her turn. But the pharmacist was so deep in conversation with another customer that he didn't even notice the little girl: not even when she tapped her foot or cleared her throat. It wasn't until she put a few coins on the counter that the man even looked at her.
Annoyed, he asked, "What do you want? I'm talking to my brother, who I haven't seen in ages." Tess answered unphased, "I also have a brother. He is very sick and I want to buy him a miracle." The pharmacist was confused at first so Tess explained, "My brother's called Andrew and he has something bad growing in his head. My dad says that only a miracle can save him. And I wanted to ask how much a miracle costs."
"Sorry kid, but we don't sell miracles here," he said in a soft voice. "Unfortunately, I can't help you." Tess answered, "Please, I have money. If it's not enough, I'll get more. Just tell me the price." Then the pharmacist's brother leaned over and asked what kind of miracle Andrew needed. "I don't know," admitted Tess. "But he needs an operation and my daddy can't pay for it, so I will." And she eagerly held up her piggy bank.
The man asked how much she had. "One dollar and eleven cents," said Tess. "That's all I have." Then the man laughed, "What a coincidence, that's the exact price of your little brother's miracle." He took her money and helped her find her way home. Once there, the family discovered that this man was a well-known neurosurgeon. He offered to operate on Andrew for free and thus saved the little boy's life.
The parents were speechless. They wondered what the true cost of the operation was, but Tess just smiled. She knew exactly how much it cost: $1.11.
What a perfect case of destiny. Tess listened to her inner voice and was definitely given good guidance. Little Andrew is doing a lot better now and Tess has learned that miracles are possible.
