>>It's a Wednesday night and you are at a church prayer meeting when
>>somebody runs in from the parking lot and says, "Turn on a radio,
>>turn on a radio."
>>
>>And while the church listens to a little transistor radio with a
>>microphonestuck up to it, the announcement is made: "Two women are
>>lying in a Long Island hospital dying from the
>>mystery flu."
>>Within hours it seems, this thing just sweeps across the country.
>>
>>People are working around the clock trying to find an antidote.
>>Nothing is working. USA, Asia, Africa, Europe, Australasia.
>>
>>It's as though it's just sweeping in from all over the world. And
>>then,all of a sudden the news comes out. The code has been broken.
>>A cure can be found. A vaccine can be made.
>>It's going to take the blood of somebody who hasn't been infected,
>>and so, sure enough, all through the world, through all those
>>channels of emergency broadcasting, everyone is asked to do one
>>simple thing: Go to your downtown hospital and have your blood type
>>taken.
>>
>>That's all we ask of you. When you hear the sirens go off in your
>>neighborhood, please make
>>your way quickly, quietly, and safely to the hospitals.
>>Sure enough, when you and your family get down there late on that
>>Friday night, there is a long line, and they've got nurses and
>>doctors coming out and pricking fingers and taking blood and
>>putting labels on it.
>>
>>Your wife and your kids are out there, and they take your blood
>>type and they say, "Wait here in the parking lot and if we call
>>your name, you can be dismissed and go home."
>>You stand around, scared, with your neighbors, wondering what in he
>>world is going on and if this is the end of the world.
>>
>>Suddenly a young man comes running out of the hospital screaming.
>>He's yelling a name and waving a clipboard. What? He yells it
>>again! And your son tugs on your jacket and says, "Daddy, that's
>>me." Before you know it, t hey have grabbed your boy. Wait a
>>minute. Hold on!
>>And they say, "It's okay, his blood is clean. His blood is pure.
>>We want to make sure he doesn't have the disease. We think he has
>>got the right type."
>>Five tense minutes later, out come the doctors and nurses, crying
>>and hugging one another-some are even laughing. It's the first time
>>you have seen anybody laugh in a week, and an old doctor walks up
>>to you and says, "Thank you, sir. Your son's blood type is perfect.
>>It's clean, it
>>is pure,and we can make the vaccine."
>>
>>As the word begins to spread all across that parking lot full of
>>folks, people are screaming and praying and laughing and crying.
>>But then the gray-haired doctor pulls you and you wife aside and
>>says, "May we see you for moment?
>>We didn't realize that the donor would be a minor and we need ...
>>we need you to sign a consent form."
>>The number of pints of blood to be taken is empty. "H-how many
>>pints?"
>>And that is when the o ld doctor's smile fades and he says, "We had
>>no idea it would be little child. We weren't prepared. We need it
>>all."
>>"But-but...You don't understand."
>>"We are talking about the world here. Please sign. We need it
>>all!" "But can't you give him a transfusion?"
>>"If we had clean blood we would. Can you sign? Would you sign?"
>>In numb silence, you do.
>>
>>Then they say, "Would you like to have a moment with him before we
>>begin?" Can you walk back? Can you walk back to that room where he
>>sits on
>>a table saying, "Daddy? Mommy? What's going on?" Can you take his
>>hands and say, Son,
>>your mommy and I love you, and we would never ever let anything
>>happen to you that didn't just have to be. Do you understand that?"
>>
>>And when that old doctor comes back in and says, "I'm sorry,
>>we've-got to get started. People all over the world are dying.
>>
>>Can you leave? Can you walk out while he is saying, "Dad? Mom?
>>Dad? "Why, why have you forsaken me?"
>>And then next week, when they have the ceremony to honor your son,
>>and some folks sleep through it, and some folks don't even come
>>because they go to the lake, and some folks come with a pretentious
>>smile and just pretend to care.
>>
>>Would you want to jump up and say, "MY SON DIED FOR YOU! DON'T YOU
>>CARE?"
>>
>>Is that what GOD wants to say?
>>
>>"MY SON DIED FOR YOU. DON'T YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I CARE?"
>>
>>Father, seeing it from your eyes breaks our hearts. Maybe now we
>>can begin to comprehend the great Love you have for us."
>>
>>You can now spread the gospel... or delete it.
>>
>>If you are not ashamed of God or what he has done for you pass this
>>on, PLEASE spread the word.
>>
>>Someone on your address list might not know God and this could
>>change their life. So, take a few moments to forward this.