In the assembly, many of the brothers wondered what good it did to pray. One man said to Nicholas, “We pray for freedom, and he sends us famine.”
Nicholas said, “Yes, but your prayers are never wasted. In fact, I believe he has given what we asked. Because of the famine, they have no strength to pursue us. We have greater freedom here than we do in the city.”
As the weeks went by, Nicholas could see even the spies were growing thin. One day, he set a covered basket at the edge of the camp where the spy would often sit. He called out to the spy standing far off, “I know you are not to talk to me, but I can talk to you... It’s smoked fish. Share it with your comrades. It’s a gift in the name of Christus.”
Later, when the spy had finished his shift and another had taken his place, the basket was gone. Each week, Nicholas would leave another basket marked, “in the name of Christus,” and it would disappear. The spies said nothing, but he continued the practice. Then one morning, he stepped out of his hut to find a 17-pound sack of grain, a full modius of wheat. On it was a note that read, “From your silent companions.” The sack bore the official marking S.P.Q.R.—“Senate and People of Rome”—that marked rations of the Roman army. The spies had given some of their food in return.
As summer turned to fall with no more rain, wheat came to be valued in gold. Most of the ships pulling into the harbor with grain from Alexandria didn’t even bother to offload their cargo because it was more profitable to sail on directly to Nicomedia or Rome and sell it there. The people of Myra now came directly to the ships to plead for a portion of the load.
The Christiani began running out of money. Nicholas could see people in the camp were growing weak with hunger and he could begin to see the bones in his own arms. Many would die if food did not come soon. He found Lucas and told him, “It’s time.”
Nicholas said, “Yes, but your prayers are never wasted. In fact, I believe he has given what we asked. Because of the famine, they have no strength to pursue us. We have greater freedom here than we do in the city.”
As the weeks went by, Nicholas could see even the spies were growing thin. One day, he set a covered basket at the edge of the camp where the spy would often sit. He called out to the spy standing far off, “I know you are not to talk to me, but I can talk to you... It’s smoked fish. Share it with your comrades. It’s a gift in the name of Christus.”
Later, when the spy had finished his shift and another had taken his place, the basket was gone. Each week, Nicholas would leave another basket marked, “in the name of Christus,” and it would disappear. The spies said nothing, but he continued the practice. Then one morning, he stepped out of his hut to find a 17-pound sack of grain, a full modius of wheat. On it was a note that read, “From your silent companions.” The sack bore the official marking S.P.Q.R.—“Senate and People of Rome”—that marked rations of the Roman army. The spies had given some of their food in return.
As summer turned to fall with no more rain, wheat came to be valued in gold. Most of the ships pulling into the harbor with grain from Alexandria didn’t even bother to offload their cargo because it was more profitable to sail on directly to Nicomedia or Rome and sell it there. The people of Myra now came directly to the ships to plead for a portion of the load.
The Christiani began running out of money. Nicholas could see people in the camp were growing weak with hunger and he could begin to see the bones in his own arms. Many would die if food did not come soon. He found Lucas and told him, “It’s time.”
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