Thursday, August 26, 2010

My Hero: George Mueller


I recently read an incredibly inspiring biography about George Mueller. He was a man who lived during the 1800's in Bristol, England. At that time, there were many orphans who wandered the streets with no place to live and no one to care for them. The few orphanages available to children required payment from family members to cover the care of the orphan. If an orphan child had no money, then there was no place for him or her to go.

George was moved by the plight of the orphans in his city and he set out to do something about the situation. Though he barely had enough food or money for his own family, George started a "Breakfast Club" for orphaned children. The club started out with 30 orphans and eventually evolved into five large houses that ultimately cared for over ten thousand children.

George Mueller trusted in God to provide everything the orphans needed and God never let him down. George believed that he did not need to ask others for money to provide for the many children in his care and that God alone should move people's hearts to donate the funds needed. George Mueller possessed a faith and trust in God that has rarely been seen.

George Mueller's autobiography has inspired me so much and that is why I now call him one of my heroes. I have included a short story below about one of the many times God provided for the orphans of Bristol. I highly recommend the book above or any book about George Mueller. The book above is a great book to read to children. Isaiah especially enjoyed having this read to him.

"Things weren't looking good for the children of George Mueller's orphanage. It was time for breakfast, and there was no food in the whole house. A young girl whose father was a close friend of George was visiting the home. George took her hand and said, "Come and see what our Father will do." Long tables were set with empty plates and empty mugs in the dining room. Not only was there no food in the kitchen, but there was no money in the home's account.
Mueller prayed, "Dear Father, we thank Thee for what Thou art going to give us to eat." Immediately, they heard a knock at the door. When they opened it, there stood the local baker. "Mr. Mueller," he said, "I couldn't sleep last night. Somehow I felt you had no bread for breakfast, so I got up at 2 o'clock and baked fresh bread. Here it is." Mueller thanked him and gave praise to God. Soon, a second knock was heard at the door. This time it was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage and he needed to unload all the milk before he would be able to take his cart to be fixed. He said that before the milk spoiled, he would like to give it to the children." He wondered if they would be able to use it. Where there had been no food in the home only a few minutes before, now the children had fresh bread and milk to fill their stomachs. This was just one of many instances where God provided for the children at the orphanage just in the nick of time. At no time during George Mueller's life did the children at his orphanage go cold or hungry thanks to God always providing what they needed.

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