Leila was slowly watching her innocent childhood fade away in war-torn Bosnia. There were sounds of machine gun fire and artillery shelling almost every day. Her father, brother, uncles, and cousins all left to join the fight for her homeland. She did not know if they will ever come back home again.
Leila endured much hardship and deprivation. She ate meager meals huddled in the kitchen with her mother. Although her family was Muslim, Leila found in hard to pray to Allah. The pain in her heart was just too great.
Leila hated going to school. Her shoes were worn and had holes in them. Her feet would get cold and wet from trudging through the snow to get to school. Leila cried and cried to her mother about her feet, but her mother made her go to school still. Education is important, even in times of war.
One winter morning as Leila made it to the iron gate at the front of her school, she noticed a long line. What was going on? she wondered to herself. Her teacher smiled at her and told her to get into the line. A visitor has come with presents, the teacher told her with a rare smile.
Leila dutifully waited in line. She saw a man, a foreigner it seemed, at the front of the line with many shoe boxes behind him. When Leila got to the front of the line, the man cheerfully asked her name and age, speaking to her in surprisingly good Bosnian.
“My name is Leila and I am 8 years old,” Leila answered back.
The man then turned back to the pile of shoe boxes behind him, picked out a shoe box, and handed it to her.
“Merry Christmas, Leila,” the man said, beaming.
Leila took the shoe box and ran back to her class. She opened the shoe box and there was a beautiful pair of white shoes inside! Leila rubbed her eyes in amazement. These were for her?
Leila immediately put the shoes on! They fit perfectly, and better yet, they had no holes! Inside the shoe box was also a small book, a notebook, pencils, and erasers. A new notebook! Leila flipped through it and admired its pristine pages. Her old notebook was tattered and completely marked up. Leila had to erase constantly in her old notebook to do her assignments because she had no more paper at home.
Leila put the book, notebook, and pencils back into her shoe box. She then ran back to the smiling man and asked him, “Sir, who gave me this?”
The man stooped down to her level and answered, “Leila, Jesus gave you that present.” “Who is Jesus and why would he give me all this for free?” Leila asked, bewildered.
“Jesus knows who you are and He loves you. He is in that little book if you want to know more.” Leila turned back towards her classroom, thinking about who this Jesus is. She thought it was a little silly that he would be in a book.
Later that evening, after Leila told her mother about the man and the shoe box during dinner, she went into her room and opened the little book in the shoe box. The book had a nice black cover and was written in Bosnian. Leila opened the book and started reading.
Leila read about a God in heaven who loved everyone so much that He gave His own son Jesus up to die for them, including her. Jesus came to earth and lived a life, endured so much pain and suffering, just for her. He died on a cross, but came back to life three days later, promising to go back for all those who believe in Him.
Leila put the book down and started to cry. Jesus would do all this for her! Leila knelt down and prayed to Jesus. She asked Him to come into her life and be with her. She thanked Him for sending her a shoe box that had a treasure even greater than a beautiful pair of white shoes.
David Quach
