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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Kids
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Seasonal / Holidays
- Published: 12/23/2015
A Christmas miracle: A new home away from home
M, from Milton Keynes, United KingdomA Christmas Miracle: A new home away from home
By Vassilis Papaioannou
Christina and Vassili were crossing the sea in a small boat with mum, dad and twin baby brothers. There were lots of other people with them in the boat. They were sailing across the water to get far away from their war-torn homeland. All of a sudden, a big wave came and their boat turned over. Vassili and Christina found themselves washed up on a seashore, but they could not see their mother, father and brothers anywhere. They shouted their names for hours, but there was no sign of them. Thankfully, they still had their rucksacks on their backs, which still contained a few nuts and some biscuits. It started to get dark, so they decided to go into the woods, to find somewhere to sleep.
“Christina, are you asleep?” whispered Vassili.
“No, Vassili, I’m not. Are you?” answered his sister Christina, in a sleepy voice.
“It’s so cold, tonight! Freezing cold”, trembled Christina.
“Snuggle up to me to keep warm” said Vassili, “close your eyes and try to sleep”.
“I can’t, Vassili. I keep thinking of the boat, the voices of all the people, mum, dad and our twin brothers…” Christina started to cry.
“I know, I know”, said Vassili “but please, stop crying; it can’t be helped…look at the sky, Christina! Look at that shiny star! It’s just like the one that led the shepherds and the three wise men to baby Jesus, in the manger.”
“Yes, yes, Vassili! It’s wonderful”
“I think it’s a good sign, Christina; perhaps tomorrow we will be lucky and find our family – who knows?”
“Oh yes, Vassili; tomorrow must be Christmas Eve, when dad used to tell us that story…do you remember? The one with the miracle that happened when two orphan children met a wonderful family who loved them ever after?”
“Yes, of course I remember – who knows what tomorrow might bring us, Christina? Now let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow, we must try to find a way North, just as dad told us we should.”
...
Christmas Eve, 20 miles north….
“Good morning, Martha. Did you sleep well, my love?” whispered Michalis, stroking his wife’s hair off her face.
“Oh yes, I slept so well, Michalis. I saw the same dream again. Our children are coming home tonight!”
“Oh Martha, how many times do I have to remind you? Our beloved children were lost in the war, ten years ago! Its’ no good hoping every Christmas that they will come home, my love.”
“Oh no, Michalis; I am sure you’re wrong. They will be home tonight. I must iron their pyjamas now, and decorate the Christmas tree, just as we always do on Christmas Eve. Now, Michalis, please pop over to the shop and bring the Turkey, so I can get it ready to roast tomorrow!”
“Oh dear me” muttered Michalis to himself, 'Martha is sure to have ordered the biggest turkey in the butcher’s shop again – we’ll be eating it every day for a week! Just like last year, the year before and the year before that! But we’re both getting on, now; I love her, and she loves me. I can’t spoil her hopes and dreams. If only they would come true.'
Later in the evening, as night fell, the house glowed with a blazing fire and dozens of Christmas lights on the tree – red, yellow, green and blue, with angels, snowmen, golden balls and a shiny silver star on the top. Martha had laid four places round the dining table, with beautiful shiny knives and forks and crystal glasses; freshly pressed red napkins in silver rings. And candles. Lots and lots of candles, all round the house. The wood crackled in the hearth while in the distance, carol singers made their way from house to house, spreading good cheer and warm hearts.
...
Christmas Eve, in the evening. Vassili and Christina are making their way through the woods …
“Do you think it’s going to snow, Vassili”?
“I hope not”, he said, “But the sky does look full of snow …”
“Oh! A snowflake just fell on my nose”, shrieked Christina
“We’d better hurry now, Christina”, urged Vassili, “We must try to find shelter in case it starts snowing hard. There must be a village somewhere”.
Christina and Vassili started to walk faster, sometimes running, as they followed a path through the wood, which they hoped would take them to a village.
All of a sudden, Christina began to feel very tired, “My legs are hurting, Vassili”, she wailed. “My whole body aches. Can’t we stop try to find some shelter, to rest for a while? I am so hungry too – I wish we could find something to eat”.
“Let’s be thankful we are still alive”, said Vassili. “We have a few berries and some walnuts left from the forest, and a little water. Let’s carry on until we find some shelter; then we can settle down for the night and eat the little we have left”.
“Yes, Vassili. Perhaps God will work a miracle for us, and help us find somewhere to rest and eat.”
“Yes, you never know”, agreed Vassili. “Today is Christmas Eve, after all”.
A few minutes later, the two children saw lights glinting way off through the trees…
“Look, look, Christina”, cried Vassili. “Can you see the lights?”.
The children ran on ahead. As they got nearer to the edge of the wood, they could see more and more lights…
“Look! Look! There’s a village, Vassili”, shrieked Christina.
Snow had covered the rooftops and the road, the trees glistened with Christmas lights and in the distance the children could hear the voices of people singing.
...
Meanwhile, in a small cottage near the top of the village, Michalis was helping Martha with the final preparations for Christmas…
“Michalis, do light the lamps down the garden path – oh, and open the garden gate too, please!” said Martha, excited that night had now fallen.
“The lamps are lit, Martha dear, and the garden gate is wide open. Now, would you like a hot chocolate and a mince pie?”
“Oh no, Michalis, we must wait. But do put some more logs on the fire – it’s getting a little chilly”.
Suddenly, a gunshot tore into the peace and quiet. And angry shouts could be heard from the house at the edge of the wood, right at the top of the village, “Get out of here, you two vagrants! What do you mean by stealing from my vegetable patch – and you’ve messed up my garden. Get lost the pair of you”.
Martha, with her nose pressed to the window, peering out down the garden and into the street, jumped up, scared to death.
“Michalis, run, run! Quickly, go and fetch our children – that crazy man at the end of the street will shoot them! It’s so dark! Quick, Michalis, quick! Don’t let them get hurt”.
“Alright, alright, Martha. I’m going”, sighed Michalis.
It was not the first time he had to calm his wife and her illusions that their children, long gone in the war years before, would come home.
The door shut noisily behind Michalis. He started to run as fast as his could – for his age. With a torch flashing, he rushed towards the top of the village where the gunshot had come from. The snowflakes danced in the wind, glistening under the street lights as they fell, looking magical and mysterious all at once. As Michalis trudged on, the snow got thicker and thicker under his feet. All of a sudden, he saw two small figures coming towards him in the darkness, slipping and sliding as they ran hand-in-hand down the middle of the snow-covered road. They looked so frightened and alone…
“Come, children!”, cried Michalis. “Let me help you, please!”. Michalis smiled as they approached him, and in a steady voice, filled with love and tenderness for the two poor lost children, said “Hello, I am Michalis, I live here with my wife Martha, in that cottage just down the road”. Michalis pointed to where the cottage stood, glowing with warmth and light in the darkness. “Welcome to our village!”
“Hello – I’m Vassili… and this is my little sister, Christina”, panted Vassili, cold and afraid; looking over his shoulder and shielding his sister.
“Don’t worry about the gunshots and the man at the top of the village”, Michalis said. “He is elderly now and at night, if ever a stranger comes into the village, he seems to remember the days when he was in the army and likes to show that he can protect us all. He is not a bad person, really, once you get to know him.
“Now”, said Michalis, smiling once more, “come home and meet Martha, my wife. It would be like a dream come true if you joined us for dinner, this Christmas Eve!”
The two children exchanged glances. Christine’s face looked pale under the streetlights, and she was shivering with cold. Vassili rushed to accept Michalis’ invitation, and the three of them started down the hill towards the cottage.
Martha was waiting on the roadside, outside the garden gate, watching intently as the three figures approached.
“Thank you, lord Jesus”, she whispered to herself, as she saw her husband Michalis and the two children come nearer.
“Come on, you three”, she shouted, “I can’t wait to see you!”
Martha rushed up the path to the house and flung the front door open wide; the light and warmth flooded out as Michalis and the two children rushed up the path…
“Welcome, children, welcome! I’m Martha, and it is a miracle for us all that you are here tonight, on Christmas Eve!”. Before the children could say more than their names, and thank you, Martha hurried on, “Now, you must be tired and hungry – the dinner is nearly ready. Just time for you each to have a nice warm bath! Now, up you go to your room – your towels, clean clothes and warm slippers are all laid out for you there!”
“Our…our room?” the two children looked at each other in amazement. “Are we dreaming?” they whispered. “Are we imagining things, because we are so tired, hungry and cold? Are we…?”
“Oh come on now, you two”, chirped Martha, “off you go for your baths, then come on down to sit by the fireplace. The dinner will be ready by then!”
“Oh Martha, don’t be so bossy with the children”, scolded Michalis.
“Michalis, I will thank you to mind your own business”, replied Martha with a smile, “Now, stoke up that fire!”
Five hours later, as midnight struck, the children were tucked up in bed…
“Vassili, are you asleep?”, whispered Christina.
“No, I’m not Christina. Are you?”
“Of course I’m not!”, giggled Christina, “otherwise I wouldn’t be talking to you, would I, silly?”
“What are you thinking about, Christina?”, asked Vassili.
“Oh… just that a miracle has happened to us today”, Christina replied.
“Yes, it really has. We are so lucky after all, to have come across Michalis and Martha, and their lovely cosy house, at Christmas”, sighed Vassili.
“And what about when they said we could stay as long as we like? What do you make of that, Vassili?
“Wonderful”, murmured Vassili, as his eye lids began to close.
“Merry Christmas, dear brother”, whispered Christina.
“Merry Christmas, Christina. May god bless us all”.
A Christmas miracle: A new home away from home(Vassilis Papaioannou)
A Christmas Miracle: A new home away from home
By Vassilis Papaioannou
Christina and Vassili were crossing the sea in a small boat with mum, dad and twin baby brothers. There were lots of other people with them in the boat. They were sailing across the water to get far away from their war-torn homeland. All of a sudden, a big wave came and their boat turned over. Vassili and Christina found themselves washed up on a seashore, but they could not see their mother, father and brothers anywhere. They shouted their names for hours, but there was no sign of them. Thankfully, they still had their rucksacks on their backs, which still contained a few nuts and some biscuits. It started to get dark, so they decided to go into the woods, to find somewhere to sleep.
“Christina, are you asleep?” whispered Vassili.
“No, Vassili, I’m not. Are you?” answered his sister Christina, in a sleepy voice.
“It’s so cold, tonight! Freezing cold”, trembled Christina.
“Snuggle up to me to keep warm” said Vassili, “close your eyes and try to sleep”.
“I can’t, Vassili. I keep thinking of the boat, the voices of all the people, mum, dad and our twin brothers…” Christina started to cry.
“I know, I know”, said Vassili “but please, stop crying; it can’t be helped…look at the sky, Christina! Look at that shiny star! It’s just like the one that led the shepherds and the three wise men to baby Jesus, in the manger.”
“Yes, yes, Vassili! It’s wonderful”
“I think it’s a good sign, Christina; perhaps tomorrow we will be lucky and find our family – who knows?”
“Oh yes, Vassili; tomorrow must be Christmas Eve, when dad used to tell us that story…do you remember? The one with the miracle that happened when two orphan children met a wonderful family who loved them ever after?”
“Yes, of course I remember – who knows what tomorrow might bring us, Christina? Now let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow, we must try to find a way North, just as dad told us we should.”
...
Christmas Eve, 20 miles north….
“Good morning, Martha. Did you sleep well, my love?” whispered Michalis, stroking his wife’s hair off her face.
“Oh yes, I slept so well, Michalis. I saw the same dream again. Our children are coming home tonight!”
“Oh Martha, how many times do I have to remind you? Our beloved children were lost in the war, ten years ago! Its’ no good hoping every Christmas that they will come home, my love.”
“Oh no, Michalis; I am sure you’re wrong. They will be home tonight. I must iron their pyjamas now, and decorate the Christmas tree, just as we always do on Christmas Eve. Now, Michalis, please pop over to the shop and bring the Turkey, so I can get it ready to roast tomorrow!”
“Oh dear me” muttered Michalis to himself, 'Martha is sure to have ordered the biggest turkey in the butcher’s shop again – we’ll be eating it every day for a week! Just like last year, the year before and the year before that! But we’re both getting on, now; I love her, and she loves me. I can’t spoil her hopes and dreams. If only they would come true.'
Later in the evening, as night fell, the house glowed with a blazing fire and dozens of Christmas lights on the tree – red, yellow, green and blue, with angels, snowmen, golden balls and a shiny silver star on the top. Martha had laid four places round the dining table, with beautiful shiny knives and forks and crystal glasses; freshly pressed red napkins in silver rings. And candles. Lots and lots of candles, all round the house. The wood crackled in the hearth while in the distance, carol singers made their way from house to house, spreading good cheer and warm hearts.
...
Christmas Eve, in the evening. Vassili and Christina are making their way through the woods …
“Do you think it’s going to snow, Vassili”?
“I hope not”, he said, “But the sky does look full of snow …”
“Oh! A snowflake just fell on my nose”, shrieked Christina
“We’d better hurry now, Christina”, urged Vassili, “We must try to find shelter in case it starts snowing hard. There must be a village somewhere”.
Christina and Vassili started to walk faster, sometimes running, as they followed a path through the wood, which they hoped would take them to a village.
All of a sudden, Christina began to feel very tired, “My legs are hurting, Vassili”, she wailed. “My whole body aches. Can’t we stop try to find some shelter, to rest for a while? I am so hungry too – I wish we could find something to eat”.
“Let’s be thankful we are still alive”, said Vassili. “We have a few berries and some walnuts left from the forest, and a little water. Let’s carry on until we find some shelter; then we can settle down for the night and eat the little we have left”.
“Yes, Vassili. Perhaps God will work a miracle for us, and help us find somewhere to rest and eat.”
“Yes, you never know”, agreed Vassili. “Today is Christmas Eve, after all”.
A few minutes later, the two children saw lights glinting way off through the trees…
“Look, look, Christina”, cried Vassili. “Can you see the lights?”.
The children ran on ahead. As they got nearer to the edge of the wood, they could see more and more lights…
“Look! Look! There’s a village, Vassili”, shrieked Christina.
Snow had covered the rooftops and the road, the trees glistened with Christmas lights and in the distance the children could hear the voices of people singing.
...
Meanwhile, in a small cottage near the top of the village, Michalis was helping Martha with the final preparations for Christmas…
“Michalis, do light the lamps down the garden path – oh, and open the garden gate too, please!” said Martha, excited that night had now fallen.
“The lamps are lit, Martha dear, and the garden gate is wide open. Now, would you like a hot chocolate and a mince pie?”
“Oh no, Michalis, we must wait. But do put some more logs on the fire – it’s getting a little chilly”.
Suddenly, a gunshot tore into the peace and quiet. And angry shouts could be heard from the house at the edge of the wood, right at the top of the village, “Get out of here, you two vagrants! What do you mean by stealing from my vegetable patch – and you’ve messed up my garden. Get lost the pair of you”.
Martha, with her nose pressed to the window, peering out down the garden and into the street, jumped up, scared to death.
“Michalis, run, run! Quickly, go and fetch our children – that crazy man at the end of the street will shoot them! It’s so dark! Quick, Michalis, quick! Don’t let them get hurt”.
“Alright, alright, Martha. I’m going”, sighed Michalis.
It was not the first time he had to calm his wife and her illusions that their children, long gone in the war years before, would come home.
The door shut noisily behind Michalis. He started to run as fast as his could – for his age. With a torch flashing, he rushed towards the top of the village where the gunshot had come from. The snowflakes danced in the wind, glistening under the street lights as they fell, looking magical and mysterious all at once. As Michalis trudged on, the snow got thicker and thicker under his feet. All of a sudden, he saw two small figures coming towards him in the darkness, slipping and sliding as they ran hand-in-hand down the middle of the snow-covered road. They looked so frightened and alone…
“Come, children!”, cried Michalis. “Let me help you, please!”. Michalis smiled as they approached him, and in a steady voice, filled with love and tenderness for the two poor lost children, said “Hello, I am Michalis, I live here with my wife Martha, in that cottage just down the road”. Michalis pointed to where the cottage stood, glowing with warmth and light in the darkness. “Welcome to our village!”
“Hello – I’m Vassili… and this is my little sister, Christina”, panted Vassili, cold and afraid; looking over his shoulder and shielding his sister.
“Don’t worry about the gunshots and the man at the top of the village”, Michalis said. “He is elderly now and at night, if ever a stranger comes into the village, he seems to remember the days when he was in the army and likes to show that he can protect us all. He is not a bad person, really, once you get to know him.
“Now”, said Michalis, smiling once more, “come home and meet Martha, my wife. It would be like a dream come true if you joined us for dinner, this Christmas Eve!”
The two children exchanged glances. Christine’s face looked pale under the streetlights, and she was shivering with cold. Vassili rushed to accept Michalis’ invitation, and the three of them started down the hill towards the cottage.
Martha was waiting on the roadside, outside the garden gate, watching intently as the three figures approached.
“Thank you, lord Jesus”, she whispered to herself, as she saw her husband Michalis and the two children come nearer.
“Come on, you three”, she shouted, “I can’t wait to see you!”
Martha rushed up the path to the house and flung the front door open wide; the light and warmth flooded out as Michalis and the two children rushed up the path…
“Welcome, children, welcome! I’m Martha, and it is a miracle for us all that you are here tonight, on Christmas Eve!”. Before the children could say more than their names, and thank you, Martha hurried on, “Now, you must be tired and hungry – the dinner is nearly ready. Just time for you each to have a nice warm bath! Now, up you go to your room – your towels, clean clothes and warm slippers are all laid out for you there!”
“Our…our room?” the two children looked at each other in amazement. “Are we dreaming?” they whispered. “Are we imagining things, because we are so tired, hungry and cold? Are we…?”
“Oh come on now, you two”, chirped Martha, “off you go for your baths, then come on down to sit by the fireplace. The dinner will be ready by then!”
“Oh Martha, don’t be so bossy with the children”, scolded Michalis.
“Michalis, I will thank you to mind your own business”, replied Martha with a smile, “Now, stoke up that fire!”
Five hours later, as midnight struck, the children were tucked up in bed…
“Vassili, are you asleep?”, whispered Christina.
“No, I’m not Christina. Are you?”
“Of course I’m not!”, giggled Christina, “otherwise I wouldn’t be talking to you, would I, silly?”
“What are you thinking about, Christina?”, asked Vassili.
“Oh… just that a miracle has happened to us today”, Christina replied.
“Yes, it really has. We are so lucky after all, to have come across Michalis and Martha, and their lovely cosy house, at Christmas”, sighed Vassili.
“And what about when they said we could stay as long as we like? What do you make of that, Vassili?
“Wonderful”, murmured Vassili, as his eye lids began to close.
“Merry Christmas, dear brother”, whispered Christina.
“Merry Christmas, Christina. May god bless us all”.
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Lillian Kazmierczak
12/23/2021That was marvelous story about people finding each other on Christmas. Thank you for sharing that level story!
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Kevin Hughes
12/12/2019Exactly what Jd Said. A world where all children go to bed, safe, fed, and happy. That, my friend, would truly be a Great Christmas. Thank you for this.
Smiles, Kevin
COMMENTS (4)