In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach in Russia. They were invited to teach at many places including a large orphanage. About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government-run program were in the orphanage. The two Americans relate the following story in their own words: It was nearing the holiday season, 1994, time for our orphans to hear, for the first time, the traditional story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable, where the Baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger. Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. Completing the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me. No colored paper was available in the city. Following instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel, cut from a worn-out nightgown an American lady was throwing away as she left Russia, were used for the baby's blanket. A doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought from the United States. The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy's manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously. For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately--until he came to the part where Mary put the Baby Jesus in the manger. Then Misha started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said, "And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no mamma and I have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with Him. But I told Him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give Him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept Him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus, "If I keep You warm, will that be a good enough gift?" And Jesus told me, "If you keep Me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me." "So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and He told me I could stay with Him---for always." As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found Someone who would never abandon nor abuse him, Someone who would stay with him--FOR ALWAYS. I've learned that it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.

在一九九四年﹐有兩個美國人應邀到俄國授課﹐其中之一個要探訪的地方是一所大的孤兒院。 孤兒院裡面有一百多個男孩和女孩 ﹐都是被人拋棄、虐待而交給政府照顧﹐這兩個美國人對以下的故事作出回報﹕   因為適逢是聖誕節﹐這就成為孤兒們聆聽聖誕故事一個最好的機會﹕ 「當馬利亞和約瑟到達伯利恆城﹐因為在旅店找不到房間﹐最後只有停留在馬廄裡﹐耶穌當晚亦在馬槽中誕生...」 所有孩子和孤兒院員工都聽得很入神。 故事講完﹐我們隨即派發給孩子們三小塊硬卡紙﹐然後叫他們做一個馬槽﹐之後每人更接到一片我們用黃紙巾剪成的方型紙﹐因為在城裡簡直買不到顏色紙。 跟著指示﹐孩子們撕裂方型紙﹐把它用作馬槽裡的乾草。 之後再將一些布料小塊放在馬槽作為嬰兒的毛毯﹐這些布料來自一件別人不要的睡袍。至於嬰兒﹐我們則用厚墊布剪出來。 每個人都忙於組裝馬槽﹐我就在他們當中走動﹐看看他們有沒有需要。 所有事情進行順利﹐直到我來到米亞坐的桌子。他看來只有六歲﹐已經完成他要做的手工。 當我檢查他的作品時﹐我留意到他的馬槽裡面有兩個嬰兒﹐而不是一個。通過我的傳譯員﹐我問他為甚麼他的馬槽裡面有兩個嬰兒。 這個男孩蹺起他雙手﹐很認真望著馬槽﹐然後將馬槽故事再講出來。 對一個第一次聽馬槽故事的小孩來說﹐他對整個過程都講得很清楚﹐除了馬利亞將聖嬰耶穌放在馬槽那部份。 米亞開始加鹽加醋﹐故事的結尾也就改變了...『當馬利亞將嬰兒放在馬槽的時候﹐耶穌看著我﹐問我有沒有住的地方。 我回答他說﹕「我沒有媽媽，也沒有爸爸﹐所有我沒有住的地方。」 耶穌對我說﹕「你可以跟我一齊住。」我告訴他不行﹐因為別人有禮物給他﹐我卻沒有。 可是﹐我真的希望可以與耶穌在一齊﹐我就再想想我有甚麼可以給他。有了﹐我可以給他取暖﹐這份禮物也應該算不錯。 我就問他﹕「如果我給你取暖﹐這算不算是一份好禮物﹖」耶穌回答說﹕「如果你給我取暖﹐這會是一份最好的禮物。」 我於是爬進馬槽﹐耶穌看著我﹐對我說我永遠可以跟他在一齊。』 當米亞講完他的故事﹐他眼睛的淚水已經流滿整個小臉。他忍不住將他的手蓋上他的臉﹐趴在桌上悽涼地哭起來。 這個小孤兒已經找到一位永遠不會拋棄或傷害他的人﹐一位願意永遠照顧他的人。 我現在知道一個人在世間上擁有甚麼都不重要﹐重要是你擁有誰。