There is a story about a man who lost his legs and left arm in an accident. After the accident, only a finger and thumb on his right hand remained.
He was a brilliant, creative, and educated man. He had gained a lot of experience while traveling around the world, so he became very depressed after his accident. He was afraid that he would spend the rest of his life suffering and would no longer be able to spend his life in a meaningful way. Then, he realized that he still had partial function of his right hand and could still write even though it was very difficult. An idea occurred to him, “Why not write to other people who need encouragement?”
He wrote to the prison ministry about sending letters to the prisoners. The prison minister replied, “Writing to the prisoners is acceptable, but your letters will not be answered.”
Filled with excitement, the man knew he could write his letters. He began sending one-way messages of God’s love, hope, strength, and encouragement. He wrote twice a week, testing his strength and ability to the limit. He poured his heart and soul into his words and shared his experience, sense of humor, optimism, and faith.
It was difficult to write those letters, especially without hope of a reply. One day he received a letter from the prison ministry. It was a short note from the officer who monitored and checked the prison mail.
The letter said, “Please write on the best paper you can afford. Your letters are passed from room to room until they fall to pieces!”
No matter what circumstances life may present, we all have unique experiences, abilities, and God-given talents. We can discover ways to reach others who desperately need messages of encouragement and strength.
Before the man had the accident, he __________.
A.had toured around the world |
B.had visited local prisons |
C.had tried doing exercise to recover himself |
D.had been friends with the prison minister |
In order to live in a meaningful way, the man began to ________.
A.receive the school education |
B.write to other people who needed encouragement |
C.meet the people who were depressed |
D.help other people who lost arms and legs |
From the officer’s short note we are told that __________.
A.the man would be offered free paper to write letters on |
B.some of the prisoners were not satisfied with his letters |
C.the prisoners eagerly wanted to write back to the man |
D.his letters were very popular among the prisoners |
What can be the best title for the passage?
A.Stories about a Humorous Person |
B.Popularity of Special Letters |
C.Special Letters of Encouragement |
D.Relationship between Writers and Prisoners |