а One girl'sа prayer

а

ааааааааа аааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааал Soul by

its nature is Christian ".

аа Tertullian.

ааааааааааа

On a sort of my activity ( I am a teacher) it is necessary to face with completely different people and to listen their ааstories

So itа was in the evening on January, 26, 1996.а It was my last lesson that day. The 14-years schoolgirlа was reading one boring English text, I listenedа to herа thinking to myself: ла Soon I'll be at home ".

аAll of a sudden sheа asks me:

- I wanted to learn something from youа for a longа time. You christened my schoolmate,а did not you? -а andа she glances at meа withа her beautifulаа brown eyes. (Only on a type of eyes and a typical surname youа know, thatа Natia is Azerbaijanian. In all the rest sheа differs nothing fromа herа Georgianа classmates.)

- You are right.

- And how does the priest christen in church? Whatаа is happening there?

- Nothing especial. it isа suchа a ceremony, - I try toа stopаа the theme. Butа everything is useless.

-а Do you understandа me, -аа she says and looks at meа attantively.-а I wouldа like to beа christened and carry a cross, as allаа people here, in Georgia. Explainа me, please a difference between us, Moslemsа and you - Christians. What does a christening needа for?

I did not want to go on this conversation any more but it was necessary to tell:

- It is considered, that after аааthe Last day we, Christians, shall revive....

- You will revive, and I?! - there was an immediate reaction of a pain and insult.

I had toа change this unpleasant talking, having said:

а- Let's readа our text, my dear.

а It was time toа go, but Natia asked me the new question.

-.. I аoften think: for what I live and I can not understand. I can not speak with mum on this theme,аа she will tell: л Do not speak nonsense! ╗;а I cannotа speak with girlfriends too - they will not understand me at all. And you?а What will you tell? - andа thenа Natia continues, thoughtfully twistingа her pen.-I had twin- sisterа who has died in a maternity hospital. Sometimes I think, whyа I amа alive. Has God wanted so?

- Yes, it is possible to tell.

-а It isа means, Heаа waits something from me...аа There were many cases when I have nearly not died. Once it was in theа car. We, children, satаа in a cabin -аа myа grandfatherа enteredаа the shop. My small cousin Ramiz has pulled something andа our car has gone. Iа began to cry. My grandfather has jumped out ofаа the shopа andа stopped the car... Then inа the classroomа the boardа fell dowm from the wall directlyа in front of me.а Myаа classmates were shocked.

аWhy Heа savesа me? I frequently think aboutа baptism. Especiallyа when I read evening prayers.

- What do you read? - Iа did not expect to hear it.

- Evening prayers, -а answersа Natia.-л Our Father ╗ and "Virgin"

- In Russian?

- No, in Georgian. At schoolа our teacher of religion has learned us.а And I have a prayer book. Why are you so surprised? Do notа you read them every evening?

- I readа them ....а sometimes - her naive question was a reproach for me. I read my prayers veryа seldom.

-а If I shall not read them, I can not fall asleep, - continued Natia.- ааI wonder why weа began to speak on this theme today ?... Tomorrowа it will be Ninaoba ( * The day of st. Nina is celebrated on the 27- th of Januaryа in Georgia).а Maybe st. Nino helped usа to begin this theme.

аIt was time to leave.

This academic yearа hasаа passed.For this time we still had someа conversations on spiritual themes.а Natia was wondering: how and why Jesus Christа was killed,а how Virgin has given birthа and many other things.It was difficult to answerа forа me.

From time to timeа Natiaа shared with meаа herа spiritual experiences.

-...Yesterdayаа we hadа aа controlаа workа on algebra. You know, how I do not likeа it. I have asked before a lesson: л My God,аа help me! ╗...а And Iа have writtenааа my control work soа well, thatа I was surprised.аа It wasа any inspiration! Then Iа taughtааа my schoolmateа to address to Himа before each difficultа affair. And she was lucky too.

ааааа Sometimesаа Natia hadа "examinations".а One day I found her in tears.

- I have lostаа wrist-watch at school, - explainsа Natia to me with tears.-а It belonged to my Mum...а It was very expensive.

As I could , I calmed her, speaking, that in a life frequently it is necessary toа loseа more expensiveаа things than wrist-watch. Therefore it is impossible to become attached to anything. She attentively listens to me thenа says with sigh:- Soа God has wantedа so, that I have lostа this thing, has not He?.а Is it truth? Nothing happens without will of the Divine ... Maybe they are more necessary for someone, than me. Yes?

.... In September, 1999а we have again renewedаа ourа study. The first thing that sheа has told me ,а it was:

- I had aа realа miracle!а Iаа and my grandmotherа with the and several women have gone by bus on a cemetery in summer. Whenа weа went back, the busа was hanging aboveа theа precipice. Allа people who were in the bus squealed for fear. I have cried: л My God,а help us! ╗ And at once the bus itselfа rolled away back.

а How strange, that from 20 adult people,а nobody recollected,аа the God except me. Then all spoke " What a good luck!". I think, He has rescued us.

а2005. The 14 - th of.March. Weа have not seen each other for 4 years and suddenly Natia's phone calling.

а- It is me, Natia, yourа pupil....

After mutual inquiriesаа Natia said.

-...а I have a great news! I was christened this year for the Christening.а Iа told to mum aboutа my desire, and she has agreed, though earlierа she was against. The priest has toldа meа that "Natia"а is not a church name andа heа has suggested to choose new one: Ketevan, Nino. I have chosen Mariam, in honour of Mother Divine!а Is not it cool?!

ааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааа 2005.