‘Richie’, as he was fondly called, was simply fascinated by Christmas trees. Since he was a baby his eyes lit up at the sight of the twinkling lights on a Christmas tree. Fascinating, too, was that star atop the Christmas tree, it gave him the warm feeling that radiated within.

He got shivers that somehow told him that there was hope in any star at the top of a Christmas tree. In his little heart he was confident that if his family could only get hold of a Christmas tree with a star on top; things could change for the better. His belief was based on a story he had heard at Sunday school…Maybe it was last year or the year before.

The story, as Richie remembers, tells of a family – a man and his wife – who were so poor that they couldn’t find a home of their own. He was saddened to hear that no one wanted to help that poor family, even when the wife was ready to give birth, no one took them in.

Richie remembers, though, that there was hope for this family. He recalls vaguely that it was a star positioned above the pine trees that helped to lead rich Kings to the newborn who was called Jesus and his family.

He was certain that his Sunday School teacher ended that story in the fairy tale way –‘they lived happily ever after’ because Jesus became ‘King of the World’…Or was that just him getting things all mixed up?

“No it couldn’t be. This had to be the way the story goes,” Richie convinced himself. Somehow he knew that his family had to come into possession of a Christmas tree.

However, he couldn’t find out from his Sunday School teacher just how to do that. In fact, he was forced to stop Sunday School because he, like his two older siblings, had to start doing odd jobs to help make ends meet. Their father’s job as a watchman was not nearly enough to support a family of seven.

Two new babies were recently added to the Ashby household, so mom couldn’t work, and it was an especially hard time for the family to make ends meet. But this situation would not last for long; at least not if Richie could help it.

He was going to find a way to have good luck come to his home.

But how was he going to do this? He was pretty sure he saw Mr. Daniels from down the road take home a Christmas tree in the tray of his pickup truck the previous week. But Christmas was one week away, and he was pretty sure that Mr Daniels had paid for that beautiful tree; maybe he already had a star somewhere waiting to mount atop it. “Oh what exciting gifts were in store for his children,” Richie thought.

But it was while doing some work for the age-old Mrs Banarsie that Richie heard a voice repeat about three times, “it will only happen for you if you believe; pray and believe.” Yes, it was meant for him, that message. But where in the world did it come from? Curious, he tried to trace the voice which was already replaced by a Christmas song—-“Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree…”

It was merely a transistor radio he would soon learn. But he knew that the voice in the radio had delivered a message especially for him. He needed help and the only person he believed could help was Jesus. He remembered that his Sunday School teacher said anybody can talk to King Jesus, even though they can’t see him. And so quietly, in a corner of Mrs Banarsie’s kitchen, Richie started a conversation, or was it a prayer?

“Jesus, I know we don’t know each other very well, but I know a little bit about you. My Sunday School teacher told me all about how you became this King and how it was all because of the Christmas star above the pine trees. Is there any way you can help a poor 10-year-old boy out? Even if you don’t like me very much, at least help my mom and the babies, I don’t want to see them go hungry. Could you send me a Christmas Tree with a star on top so that we can have some of your good luck?”

He wasn’t concerned about whether his words went anywhere, in fact, he felt like he had done the best thing ever for his family. Little did Richie know that someone else was right in the kitchen, listening to his words as he poured his heart out.

A few more nails to drive for Mrs Banarsie, so that she could hang her paintings, and then off to home he would be. But for some reason, Mrs Banarsie had a whole lot more for Richie to do. “Fetch me some water Johnny, could you help me clean up that mess I just made and before you go could you bathe the dog.” All these requests she made as she tattled on the phone.

Johnny was more than happy to be done with Mrs Banarsie’s requests and was quite pleased to receive a handsome payment of $2,000. He never got paid that much before. Maybe his luck was already changing.

Anxious to show his mom his earnings, Johnny rushed home and hardly noticed that his home was unusually bright. Something was going on inside the house. He rushed in the open back door and stopped in his tracks. He was at a loss for words when his eyes rested on a Christmas tree, complete with twinkling lights and a star atop, glaring from across the room. So excited was he, that all he could think of doing was to hug his mother as he never did before. “Thank you” he said quietly, still clinging to his mother.

Staring in excitement at the Christmas tree, Richie for a second pondered on whether it all happened because of his conversation with Jesus. But was Jesus real? Is he so rich that he can do things for strangers? Richie silently questioned. But then Richie looked under the tree and just as in his dreams, there were gifts in abundance. He peeked at some of the tags, and lo and behold, he saw his name on at least three. This must be Jesus, he thought. Jesus has given me a star and a bright Christmas tree, just as I wanted.