Barry was young, but he could already read and write quite fluently. He was especially happy reading Christian books. He read from the Gospel every day and knew many Bible stories. His dream was to travel to foreign countries, climb high mountains, and hunt tigers or bears.

Once, his father’s friend who was a missionary came to visit them. For many years, he had lived in Greenland among Eskimos, often spending the night in igloos. The missionary told them about Jesus Christ and read the Word of God. This was the reason he went there in the first place.

Barry found the missionary’s stories quite interesting and didn’t miss a word about the far north. His stories were so captivating that Barry would completely forget to eat his food during dinner. Oh, how many hardships this missionary went through!

At first, Barry hesitated to ask questions, but listening to the guest, he moved closer and closer to him. Finally, Barry gathered up courage and asked, “Have you ever seen a real tiger, elephant, or lion?”

“No,” the missionary chuckled, “these animals live only in countries where it’s hot. But I often saw white polar bears. They are wild and dangerous animals.”

“Aren’t you afraid of them?”

“I was,” the missionary replied. “Every time I met them, I was frightened. But the God I serve is strong enough to protect me from all animals.”

“I want to become a missionary also,” Barry burst out. “I want to go with you and tell the Eskimos about Jesus.”

This time, the missionary didn’t smile. He answered seriously, “You need to grow up a bit before going with me. But you can help missionaries, and me also, even now. Do you know how?”

Barry shook his head. He had no idea how he could be useful to missionaries from his home.

“You can pray for all those who preach the Gospel. And not only those who work in the far north. Many missionaries work in Africa, in wild jungles. The dangers and hardships they encounter are plentiful. There are many poisonous snakes, tigers, and lions. Also, tribes of cannibals live there.”

Barry listened to the missionary intently. “To save people from hell, to tell them about Jesus and eternal life, you need to leave everything and forget about yourself. Your prayer can be very helpful to those who preach the Gospel. God, hearing your prayers, will bless and protect His missionaries.” Barry really liked this idea. “I’ll be praying for all missionaries, and when I grow up, I will become one myself,” he decided.

The missionary left and much time went by. Barry never forgot to pray for him. One day, his father received a long letter. It came from the cold, far north. At the end, the missionary wrote several lines for Barry. The boy was very happy and listened intently to what his father read.

His beloved friend wrote that a few days ago, he had had a very close encounter with a polar bear. He was paddling his boat in a narrow strip of water between icebergs. Suddenly, he saw a big polar bear in front of him. The animal stood still, waiting for his victim. There was no way out, and all attempts to escape would have been useless.

The missionary wrote that at first, he had been scared. He thought of the strong claws and the big teeth. But all of a sudden, the fear went away. The missionary remembered his small friend Barry, who promised to always pray for him. “God, please save me. Hear Barry’s prayer!” he called out in his mind.

The bear stood a bit longer, growled loudly, and then slowly turned around and waddled off.

“God hears my prayers!” Barry jumped up and down excitedly as his father finished reading the letter.

Children, do you hear this? God hears Barry’s prayers! What about yours? Yes, if you pray, He hears you too!

“Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Psalm 37, 4