James was only 9 years old when he heard his mom and dad talking about his little sister, Janet.  She was very sick and his parents had done everything they could afford to try to save her life.  The medical insurance

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coverage had lapsed months ago.  Only a very expensive surgery could help Janet now but that was not going to be financially possible.  He heard his dad whisper in desperation, “What we need is a miracle.”

James went to his bedroom and pulled out his money sock from its hiding place under the mattress and shook all the coins and bills onto the bed.  He carefully counted everything twice.  He gathered his money and placed it into his old batman wallet then snuck out of the apartment and headed to the neighborhood pharmacy.

The pharmacist was busy talking to a man in a blue sweat suit.  James waited patiently but the pharmacist seemed too busy to be bothered by a 9 year old boy. James tapped the counter and cleared his throat.

“What do you want?” the pharmacist asked in a harsh tone. “ I’m speaking with a customer”.

“I want to talk to you about my little sister,” James answered back.  “She’s sick and I want to buy her a miracle.  I heard people say that some of the medicines from here work miracles so I brought money so I could buy one.  My dad says we need a miracle to save my sister.”

The man in the sweat suit stooped down and asked James, “What kind of miracle is your sister in need of?”

“I’m not sure,” James answered as a tear started down his cheek.  “All I know is my mom said she needs an operation but they can’t pay for it.”

The man in the sweat suit asked James how much he had.

“Two dollars and twenty cents, “James said as he proudly held up his wallet for the man to see.

“What a coincidence,” said the man in the sweat suit.  “Two dollars and twenty cents happens to be the going rate for a miracle these days.”

The man in the sweat suit asked James to take him to his home so he could meet his parents and see the little sister who needed a miracle.

The man in the sweat suit turned out to be Dr. Abraham Blessing, world renowned surgeon.  He completed the operation on Janet without charge.  Before long, Janet was home and doing well.

Mom and dad were whispering as they reflected on the recent events and wondering how much that surgery would have cost them.  James just smiled to himself.  He knew exactly how much.