Make You Feel Good Story from Old Readers Digest "Did God Ride the Brooklyn Subway that Afternoon?"

by RottenRiley 11 Replies latest jw friends

  • RottenRiley
    RottenRiley

    We need a good story either from the Past or Present to fight off the nasties of life and this Cult!

    " Marcel Sternberger was a creature of habit. He used to take the 9:09 Long Island Railroad to Woodside every morning. When you live in New York, you begin to live like a machine. Everything is like clock-work. Even the delicatessen man learns just three words: "Thank you, Next." Like rote, life goes on.

    Again, Sternberger used to get on this 9:09 train to Woodside every day. One day he didn't do it. He decided to go and visit a sickly friend who was dying. He wanted to pay him a visit because he knew he wouldn't be around that much longer. As a result, Marcel hops a different train --- a train that he had never ridden before. As he gets on another man gets up hurriedly to leave. This leaves a vacant seat which Marcel manages to get. Sitting next to him is a man who is reading a Hungarian newspaper. Marcel Sternberger, being of Hungarian decent himself, eventually strikes up a conversation with the fellow. He asks the stranger what he is doing in New York City. The brother replies that he is in the city looking for his wife.

    "What do you mean, you're looking for your wife?"

    The stranger then said, "Well, my wife and I used to live in Dubreken in Hungary. During the war, I was taken away and made to work in the Ukraine burying the German dead. In time I managed to escape and run back to freedom. When I returned home, I found that my wife had also been taken away by the Nazis. One of the neighbors said they thought she had been taken to Auschwitz and, therefore, she would have been killed in the gas ovens."

    Someone else told him that they thought that the Americans had arrived in time to save some of the prisoners and had taken some of them to America. His wife might have been among those that were rescued. He said, "By a long shot, I'm hoping my wife is here."

    Marcel Sternberger kept listening to this story. The more he listened, the more familiar the account sounded to him. He asked, "What is your wife's name?"

    The stranger said, "My wife's name is Maria. My last name is Paskin. It's Maria Paskin."

    Sternberger took out his wallet and found a dog-eared piece of paper. As he looked down he saw the name Maria Paskin with a telephone number. He had met the lady at a party some time back. She had shared with him the same story that he had just heard. For some reason, he made a note of her name and number. Marcel then said, "Look, I want to do something for you now. What is your name?" He said, "My name is Bela Paskin." Sternberger then said, "Bela, get off with me at the next station."

    As they got off of the train, Marcel went over to a phone and called the number on the dog-eared piece of paper. After many, many, rings a feeble voice answers the phone. Marcel asked if he was speaking to Maria Paskin and she said that he was. He then went on to say, "Maria, my name is Marcel Sternberger. We met some weeks ago." She said that remembered him. He said, "Can you tell me what your husband's name is?" Rather shocked, the lady answered, "My husband's name is Bela Paskin." He said, "Can you tell me a little more about him?" Again, the two stories were identical. Sternberger said, "just a moment, I think you're about to witness one of the greatest miracles you will ever see." Then, as Marcel held on to the receiver, he called Bela Paskin into the booth and he said, "Would you please speak to this person?"

    In about 10 seconds or so Bela's expression changed. His look was beyond description. He then started to scream as the tears profusely poured down his creeks, "It's Maria! It's Maria! It's Maria!"

    Marcel Sternberger took him away from the telephone and hailed a taxi. He was going to go with his new friend to be a part of the moment when he decided that the occasion was to sacred for him to witness. So he put Bela Paskin into the cab, paid the taxi driver, told him where to take him, and sent him on to the reunion of his dreams.

    Listen to the way the writers of The Reader's Digest end this article: "Skeptical persons would no doubt attribute the events of that memorable afternoon to mere chance. But was it chance that made Sternberger suddenly decide to visit his sick friend, and hence take a subway line that he had never been on before? Was it chance that caused the man sitting by the door of the car to rush out just as Sternberger came in? Was it chance that caused Bela Paskin to be sitting beside Sternberger reading a Hungarian newspaper? Was it chance or did God ride the Brooklyn subway that afternoon?"

    http://www.meetchristians.com/new/tr_fr_view_thread.php?TID=1383410&r=&F=4

  • LisaRose
    LisaRose

    It's an amazing story. Logic tells you that this is just an amazing coincidence, but I have had the benefit of Serendipity in my life so often it's hard for me to believe that there might not some other force at work. Like leaving my email at classmates .com two days before my (now) husband went there to look for me, 28 years after high school. Like giving someone my place in line because they were in a hurry, I ended up starting a conversation with the person helping me, she is now one of my best friends. Amazingly, she had previously purchased something I made at the antique co-OP where I sold my things. In November I was selling at an antique market, a person who bought a few things from me offered to let me sell things at her shop, for free, for a year. She had gone to the market in order to offer someone this, out of 400 vendors she picked me.

    I don't believe God is doing this, because there is too much evil in the world to say that, if he could help this man find his wife, why not prevent the Natzis from taking her in the first place?. But I sometimes wonder if there isn't something, some force that we are occasionally able to tap into somehow.

  • SecretHeart11
    SecretHeart11

    Such a sad but beautiful story. Thanks for sharing.

  • humbled
    humbled

    But I wonder if there isn't something, some force force that we are occasionally able to tap into somehow--LisaRose

    I am glad you commented here LisaRose, and said what you did.

    Some many months back I told on Punky's thread what praying for years for god's help had done for me. I vividly recall your comment being consistent to your above remark: it is selfish to think God heard and answered me since, as you mention, other people in pitiable circumstances get no response, no help.

    I have considered the evidence that there is no god of christian theism. I don't trust any scriptures. But I too have had too many supernormal events that make me puzzle over the good that comes to us sometimes.

    How to explain this isn't for me. But it is a wonderful story. I wonder if one of the results of rejecting the idea of our old God we find i difficult to respond to a story like this one that Rotten Riley has presented. There hardly any respondents.

    I think you said it well--there maybe is some transient phenomenon that passes near or through sometimes--like being near a bus stop you didn't know about and it picks you up and takes you just where you needed to go--

    I am glad you have experienced things like that. It makes one simply very, very happy!

  • LogCon
    LogCon

    That story has much more strength to it than 'Jehovah save the chickens.'

  • ShirleyW
    ShirleyW

    I'll totally believe this story over those phony stories in the Daily Text and those presentations at the Assemblies.

  • AnneB
    AnneB

    I too have had too many supernormal events that make me puzzle over the good that comes to us sometimes. How to explain this isn't for me...

    The best I can come up with is that there are many more potential opportunities for "miracles" but the people involved don't follow through.

    In this account, Sternberger took the time to listen, first to Marya's (the wife) story, a few weeks before his encounter with Bela (the husband). He felt compelled to get Marya's contact information, thus was prepared when he, once again, listened, this time to Bela. Sternberger not only listened but was willing to follow through, to make the effort to reunite this couple. He put forth effort and used some of his material assets (to pay taxi fare) to send Bela to Marya. What if he hadn't been open enough to strike up a conversation with a fellow Hungarian? What if he hadn't bothered to mentally compare the two stories and act upon his conclusions? This is what I mean by following through; it can make the difference between "serendipity" and missed opportunities.

    I wouldn't call it "supernormal" or "a miracle" as much as I would say these things happen because someone actually loves his/her neighbor as he/she loves him/herself. Do unto others...

    AB

  • RottenRiley
    RottenRiley

    I have another story I heard last night that will put a smile on your faces, I agree Jehovah would be more prone to helping this couple than the crazy African JW family that abandoned their farming animals, was it chickens they left behind? (Ezk 34:1-29 Jehovah is angry at evil Shepherds, he verbally attack's the lazy people who put in charge as caregivers of the flock. With that said, why would Jehovah reward any family, the African family in we read about that allowed their animals to perish, it's Unbiblical!)

  • Miss.Fit
    Miss.Fit

    @Anne B.: I like your explanation. Maybe in reexamining "miracles" we will find that we make our own. I like how you gave credit to Bela. It might have been chance, but he made the most of it. You showed that he had to put effort in. Do we need divine direction to show concern towards our fellowman?

  • prologos
    prologos

    A great story, very moving. Why did the two not get together via UNRRA? The Amercan sponsored UN REFUGY organisation active in post war Europe and dedicated to help the millions of non-german DPs? or the red cross?

    BSW the AMERCANS did not liberate AUSCHWITZ, some of the inmates and most of Poland wished they had.

    True love is eternal.

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