There are nine houses in the cul-de-sac. Fred (No. 9) didn't know most of the people in the other houses. When Jane and John moved into No. 4, they didn't know anybody. John (No. 6) was a recluse. His window blinds were always closed. Kathy, a single parent with children, followed a two-parent-but-fighting family of five into No. 7.

Nobody knew anybody else, except to say hi if they passed someone in their front garden. Nobody really cared about anybody else living in the cul-de-sac--until Katy and George came to live at No. 8.

Katy and George were Christians, and one thing even half-good Christians do is try to love their neighbors. So they took a small magazine to each house and introduced themselves in a noninvasive manner. Gradually they got to know the people by stopping and chatting (rather than just flinging a hi as they passed), and they began to care for the folks in the cul-de-sac.

They prayed for them, cut Kathy's grass when she was expecting her fourth child, took apples to Jane when she was battling cancer, had a lengthy chat with John the recluse, told Fred his geraniums were great--and much more. And they "gossiped" (in the nicest way!) to each of the residents about the others so that they they got to know everyone too, albeit by proxy.

Jane knows Fred can become a bit depressed at times. Fred asks how Jane is getting over her cancer. Even John the recluse asks about the woman two doors from him who was rushed to the hospital, and Jane makes sure the husband is coping on his own. They water one another's gardens and return stray children and dogs to their rightful homes. When someone's house caught fire, Katy took the children into her home for the day-despite the fact that the smell of smoke took days to disperse--and kept them from worrying while their mom sorted out the mess. They watch over one another's homes when people are away. It's a really safe community nowadays because they know and care for one another--and all because Katy and George cared about them and helped them to get to know one another.

Some of these folk know and appreciate that Katy and George pray for them. Some don't want to know. But they get prayed for anyway! Only eternity will tell what wonders those prayers will have accomplished with the help of God.

Mankind too much for you? Start with the person next door!--Anita Marshall