The day one of my neighbours became an angel to my seven year old.

I wish I had the faith of my seven year old. When she prays incredible things happen time and time again.

My daughter is so special but so fragile. God has his hand on her in a very special way. Naomi has autism. She has huge anxiety and her twin brother has a genetic condition with complex needs as well as autism. To help ease her anxieties she carries little toys with her wherever she goes, including going to school.

A week ago today her twin brother was due to go to hospital to have an ambulatory EEG machine fitted to monitor his seizure activity. Naomi was more anxious than usual that day and clung to her toys in her pocket as she walked to school.

I left her at school and headed up to hospital with her brother Isaac. It was traumatic for him and for us and we headed home with him all wired up. Naomi was collected from school by her gran as we were not going to be home in time.

I came home to her in tears. One of her precious toys has been lost. She was distraught and I felt so helpless. I could not just go to a shop and replace it as her brother could not be left unattended and she knew this. Nothing could make things better and she cried in my arms. My heart was broken for her.

As she dried her tears and her breathing settled she quietly looked up at me and whispered

“It’s ok mummy. I have prayed. God will bring me back my toy.”

My thoughts turned to how I could make this happen. I did not want her heart to be disappointed but more importantly I did not want her faith to be shaken. I am her mum, but I can not be God. I looked into her beautiful blue eyes and saw her heart of faith.

“Naomi, you are right. I believe with you.”

And that was that. She had prayed.

As I continued to watch her brother closely we started homework with a total peace. She lined up her toys leaving an obvious gap where her missing one belonged. I knew she would not sleep tonight with that gap there but she just assured me God would bring her toy back.

She did her spelling and her reading with her heart of peace intact. She smiled, she laughed and she carried on as normal.

Then the door bell went.

“Mummy, that is the Angel God has sent with my toy.”

Have you ever seen an angel? Do you think they have a halo, wings and dressed in white? My daughter knows differently. There on my doorstep stood a neighbour I only knew by sight.

“Hi, this may sound strange. On my way to work this morning I found a plastic toy on the ground. I picked it up and wondered if it belonged to your daughter. I don’t know you but I put it in my pocket and took it to work with me. I am on my way home now and just thought I would knock your door and ask if it belonged to you.“

My daughter danced with excitement. I cried.

I don’t know what my son faces but I know God is with us.
I don’t know how my daughter will cope with a future with autism, anxiety and living with a twin with complex needs but what I do know is that God has his hand upon her in a very special way.

God cares about a plastic toy for a seven year old and God cares about you.

I will never forget the day one of my neighbours became an angel to my seven year old.