that's when things really began to change for me."
"So do you believe in God now?" asked Michael, his eyes
glowing with excitement.
"I think so." Gavin seemed a little uneasy. "But I don't
really know what to do about it. I mean, is that all I need to
do? Just believe in God and then go about my business trying
to live right and be good and everything?"
Michael smiled. "That is just the beginning, my brother.
If you want to talk to me about the next steps, I would be
most happy to share what I know with you."
"I might just take you up on that."
"Good," said Michael.
"Did you know that Michael prayed for snow," said
Spencer suddenly, "and the next day it snowed six inches!"
"Really?" exclaimed Barbara.
Gavin laughed. "Maybe he'd better pray again. From
what I'm hearing already, the business community could
really use it."
"Maggie," said Barbara as if suddenly remembering
something, "I read your newspaper from cover to cover
today. It was very nicely done, I might add. There's quite a
lot going on in Pine Mountain these days." Then she glanced
uncomfortably at Michael. "But that story about the Ebbert
family was rather frightening, don't you think? Do you sup-
pose they're very dangerous?"
"I don't know. It's hard to understand those kind of
people."
"I read the story about Randy Ebbert too," said Michael
gently. "And I have made him number one on my prayer list.
But you must know that there are people like him every-
where. There will always be those who hate others because
they are different. It will never stop until they learn to think
differently themselves." His voice grew dramatic. "For
instance, in my village, there was a group of men who hated
us because we were Christian. Certainly our skin was the
same color as theirs, but their hate became like a big wall 188Melody Carison
between us. But in time, we learned how to break down that
wall."
"How?" asked Maggie.
"With love." He smiled. "Instead of getting angry or
demanding retribution for the mean things they would do,
we did what Jesus said to do. We chose to love our enemies.
We prayed for those men who tried to destroy us. And, in
time, every single one of them became believers. All, except
for one. Bilami-he was a very angry man. He finally gave
up and moved from the island to live in another village, but
we sadly learned that he died within that very same year."
"That's a cool story," said Spencer. "I don't know why
you couldn't be the preacher at church every Sunday."
Michael laughed. "Thank you, but I do not wish to take