The Kindness of Slaves

“The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening.” — from 1 Kings 17

In 1867 Bishop Crowther was travelling up the river in his own small boat with his son Dandeson. They stopped to visit a chief named Abokko, whom Samuel had known for years.

But Abokko thought the bishop owned the big trading ships and was very rich. He took the boat, grabbed all their things, and kept them prisoner. He would not let them go unless a huge pile of goods was paid for them.

The first night, they had to sleep on the damp ground with nothing to eat. One of the chief’s slaves felt sorry for them and gave Samuel his own cloth as a blanket. A boatman gave him his robe for a pillow, and Samuel gave it to Dandeson. For days the chief gave them almost no food. But the slaves of the house secretly shared their own food with them. Samuel told Dandeson that these kind slaves were like the ravens God sent to feed Elijah.

On Sunday, Samuel had no Bible, because Abokko had taken all his things. So he and Dandeson said Bible verses together from memory. Then Samuel went bravely to the chief and asked for his Bible, because it was the day God’s people meet to pray. The chief gave it back!

Dandeson was offered the chance to go free on his own, but he would not leave his father. After many days, a steamer came, and the prisoners escaped to it. But a brave man named Mr. Fell, who had come to help them, was hit by an arrow and died. Samuel was very sad. He said he would rather have died himself.

God cared for Samuel through the kindness of poor slaves. Even a small kindness can be God’s answer to someone’s prayer.

Dear God, thank you that you take care of your people, even in hard places. Help me to be kind to people who are in trouble, like the slaves who fed Samuel. Amen.