Through It All

Chapter 7

Now that Spring planting was finished, the Manns permitted Ernest to work with the cobbler four days a week. He worked hard alongside Herr Konrad Schneider and made several pairs of boots and several pairs of shoes of varying sizes. Very pleased with his work, Herr Schneider promised he would receive payment on the village trips. Occasionally, Ernest brought home a rooster or later, some berries, apples, or other fruit.

Ernest joined him with enthusiasm in working with customers. He helped mend shoes and boots while there in the village. The apprentice measured and took required notes for making new ones. Bartering was much more common than cash, so he listened with great interest in the deals made. Poor folks were treated as courteously as the wealthy, so Herr Konrad often agreed on a few eggs, cups of goat milk or a lunch of bread and cheese in exchange for mending shoes or boots.

The cobbler empathized with each family's struggles and would often share an encouraging Bible verse and pray with them. Then before lunch, Ernest would hear the cobbler recite the growing list of prayer requests, earnestly pleading to the Lord on their behalf. "O Lord, I pray you'll be with the Krauss' sick baby. . . the Herz's housebarn fire in which they lost all their livestock and a son. They know of no way to rebuild and grief has overwhelmed them . . . Herr Hahn badly wounded his foot while chopping firewood without boots that he just couldn't afford. Now infection has set in and it may have to be amputated . . . You know all about each of these situations, Lord. You know, Lord, that I'm no doctor and have no money. All I have is You and your precious Word, but I know your power. Lord, please stretch out your healing hand and move in their lives . . . doing what only You can do. Now I thank you for this food You have generously provided and ask you to bless it for our bodies. In the precious name of Jesus I pray, Amen."

Soon the praise reports came in. At each announcement of the Lord's hand in their lives, Ernest beamed as gentle, quiet, and barely five foot Bruder Schneider leaped in the air, thrusting his clenched fist high, shouting, "Praise God!" Then he would immediately kneel down with the person and Ernest and offer a prayer of thanksgiving. The Krauss' baby recovered. All knew only God could have healed Herr Hahn's foot along with the poultices of natural herbs and ointments. Now he has been offered more work and soon he hopes to purchase boots from the cobbler. The surrounding villages heard of the Herz's need to rebuild their housebarn. Many joined together to supply lumber and many came together to rebuild the home. The Anabaptist community wanted to help, especially since the Herz family had recently begun attending services. So church families joined to bring them a couple pigs, several chickens, and with the help of the Weiss family, even a cow.

Herr Schneider's fame had spread through the years as a trustworthy, godly man, the only man guaranteed to get his prayers answered. At the news that he was said to be the "only man . . .", Bruder Schneider only slightly smiled and denied it. "Anybody that is His obedient child will get his prayers answered, but not all prayers get answered the way I wish. After all, two of my little ones are with the Lord."

Although the public only seemed to hear of the miracles, tragedy of death through illness, farm accidents, etc. still happened despite the cobbler's prayers. The families gathered to seek his counsel and the cobbler encouraged them to avoid bitterness and strive to someday be able to think, Thy will be done.

Bruder Schneider also shared an oft misquoted verse by the English. "Philippians 4:4 really says, 'Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.' Most English quote their Bible saying 'always', but it is impossible to ALWAYS rejoice when we face a tragedy like yours. But the verse really uses the word 'alway', which means 'all the way.' With the Lord's strength, it is possible to rejoice all the way through life no matter what comes our way."