How a Village Changed - NCCG.ORG Ning Network Archive 2008-10

by Mary Wingfield Bell

There were many kinds of people living in the village of Neverjoy. There were fair-skin folks with yellow and brown hair. There were light-skin folks having dark black hair. Some had curly hair. Some had straight hair. And there were people with yellow-tan skin and black straight hair. There were brown people having black curly hair. There were brown people with straight black hair, There were brown people having teeny-tiny curls on their heads. Some black people had very teeny-tiny curls on their heads. And of course there were the villagers that had reddish tan skin and black straight hair.

All those people lived in Neverjoy and they had not learned to be happy- no not one! They never smiled. They never danced because they were never glad.

Oh they worked but not very hard. The villagers were slow at everything. They all dragged their feet along when they moved about in their houses and on the streets.

A few of the people in this little town went to church. But what a church it was. The meetings held in the sanctuary were so dull. The minister read from ancient books. He read essays and old poems with big words in them. He never read from the Bible - not even one verse.

When the two ushers passed around the offering plates everyone could hear people dropping in their nickels and pennies. No one in Neverjoy worked hard enough to earn much money so there was hardly anything in the offering plates.

Every Sunday the congregation sang the same song in the same old way, they sang "Bringing in the sheaves, we will come rejoicing bringing in the sheaves." It was a nice song but the villagers sang the hymn so slowly as if the day of rejoicing would never come.

At the close of each service the minister would say, "God of peace be with us all." And the meeting was over. Then the black and brown and yellow and reddish tan people left the church building.

Sometimes on the way out of church a person would say to another person "Hi there" or "Come see me today or next week." The villager and his friend shuffled on the way to the street. Each one dragged his feet to his own little house where he dragged himself up the steps and slowly went inside.

A few people owned automobiles and drove them very slowly. There was no reason to hurry for anything in Neverjoy.

Truly the inhabitants of Neverjoy were the saddest most mournful-looking population ever. Even the babies seemed to be born with long sad faces. There were no happy, smiling children in the villages.

One day a stranger came to Neverjoy. He was a happy, kind, old man with a long white beard and silver-white hair. the old fellow knew what was wrong with the people and he went from door to door to tell them about King Jesus, who could make them happy.

But the people in Neverjoy had lived sadly for so long that not one believed what he told them. Seeing their lack of faith the old man left the village.

And the people dragged around at their daily routine in the same sad old way. Mayor Dickens dragged himself to city-hall each day. Doctor Lacy, with his little black bag, dragged himself to his nice office to care for patients who dragged themselves there, also. Teachers and students dragged their feet up the school steps each day. Not one child ever ran to do anything. The villagers had a most unusual slow way of living. Living was not the proper word for their state of being. All just existed, no one knew how to have fun.

Then one day a special thing happened. The people were awakened by loud strange music. The villagers ran out of their houses, which was unusual, they had not run before.

They came out to see where such beautiful unearthly music was coming from.

All the hills around the town were singing:

"Awake, O' mournful people From the city hall to The old church steeple.

Awake, 0' sad children From the east end gate To the west of town

King Jesus will come Wearing His majestic robe And jeweled crown.

The air was ting-ling with a new electric force. The people were shaking at this event and wondered what was taking place. Everything was on the move-people, animals, plants and trees.

Birds in the trees began singing so beautifully.

Trees began to clap their branches and danced about, bending the foliage boughs here and there in a rhythmic fashion. And all the little pebbles and larger stones that lined the roadways and streets began to shout praises.

"Blessed is Jesus,

Blessed is King Jesus who comes,

Great is King Jesus,

Praise Him! Praise Him!

Dogs and cats got down on all four legs and put their heads between their front paws.

Squirrels on tree branches held their tails high in a saluting fashion.

As the townsfolk watched the peculiar actions of plants, animals and stonesr a stranger, a messenger came running in the street.

"The King, the great King of all Kings is coming," he cried.

Then there was a very loud blast from a trumpet.

On the main street of Neverjoy fourteen angels appeared. Seven angels dressed in white and gold robes stood in line on each side of the street.

By this time all the villagers had gathered to watch. It was the first time they hurried for anything. The white robed angels folded their silver-white wings. The great King, wearing magnificent apparel with a flowing cape trailing behind, passed between the angels.

King Jesus was the most wonderful beautiful person anyone had ever seen. The beauty came from inside Him and flowed forth from His loving eyes.

At first everyone froze in the spot where he stood. Then a melting began. Every person dropped to the ground on his knees and bowed before the Great King Jesus.

It was a wonderful special moment when the king passed by. Soon the king and angels disappeared,

The villagers stood in awe for sometime. Finally Mayor Dickens said, "The old timer was right."

An old woman named Kanacka shouted, "I can see now!" The old woman had been blind for three years and suddenly she was joyful.

"And I can move my left leg," little Jimmy said, smiling for the first time ever. Jimmy ran around in circles and began to dance.

All the sick people had been healed that day as King Jesus passed by.

The mayor led a grand march all over town from city hall to the

old church and to the east and west ends of town.

It was the first time there had ever been happiness in Neverjoy for over one hundred years.

After the shouting, singing, and dancing stopped, Mayor Dickson shouted, "Go home, folks, and think about a new name for our town. We are a new people now, we need a new name for our community.

The villagers went home to think and think and think. Many names were suggested, but no on seemed to find a suitable name for a place that was changing so much.

Late that night a great storm came to Neverjoy. There was hail and lightning. There were very strong winds. The next morning the people came out to inspect for damage to the town.

"Look!" cried the old woman Kanacka. "Someone has chosen a new name for our town. "She was pointing at the huge sign in the town square that read Neverjoy. The powerful winds of the storm had blown the first letter-the N right off the sign. There stood a perfectly wonderful sign proclaiming the town of EVERJOY.

Everjoy was accepted by all who lived in the little town. And it proved to be the proper name for the community. Because King Jesus came through the streets, the whole place changed.

There is no happier village to live in anywhere than in Everjoy. Now the people work hard, play hard, have fun and enjoy life. No one drags his feet anymore.

The minister now preaches from the Holy Bible. People are learning to stay happy. And when the villagers began studying the Bible they learned that King Jesus would come again. The next time he would come in the clouds to take all his children to Heaven.

Now the fair-skin folks with yellow and brown hair smile a lot. The light-skin people with black hair sing and shout. Some with curly hair and straight hair say "Good morning, friendsl"

The brown people with black curly hair and the brown people with straight hair all say hallelujah. The brown people with teeny tiny curls on their heads say "Hi, brother," to the black people with the very teeny-tiny curls on their heads. And the people with reddish tan skin and straight black hair praise God everyday.

Yes, Everjoy is the best name for the town because the villagers are happy.

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