Supernatural Multiplication
The New Testament records two instances of Jesus and His disciples multiplying fish and bread to feed large crowds. Jesus gave thanks to the Father, and then the disciples distributed the food to everybody. After everybody ate and was full, there were plenty of leftovers for later. You can read these stories in Mark, chapter six and Mark, chapter eight.
My grandmother (Grammy) told me a remarkably similar story of a supernatural multiplication miracle that happened when she was a missionary with her family in Brazil. This happened when my dad was a teenager. I am telling this story as accurately as I can since I am relying on what Grammy told me.
What is really remarkable about it is that my grandfather (Pappy) never was “baptized in the Holy Spirit.” He desired the gift of speaking in tongues but never “got it.” He had faith, however, to multiply ham! He was a trucker who loved to do disaster relief work and help people in any way he could.
My grandmother spoke in tongues, but it was in secret. She could have gotten in trouble if the missions agency with which they worked knew about it. Grammy now attends a Baptist church, and most of her friends are very traditional. She is not your typical “holy roller!” Even though she secretly spoke in tongues, for most of her life, she rejected stories of people having visions or similar experiences. Then she fell on the ground for hours and was taken to heaven, sat on God’s lap, and healed. She also saw heaven again in a near-death experience. But those are stories for another time.
Multiplying Ham In Brazil
My grandparents were missionaries living in Belem do Para, Brazil for about three years. I would guess that this was in the ’70s since my dad was a teenager. Their house was in front of the airstrip where Bible translators arrived from the jungle. When the airplanes full of missionaries arrived, they went to my grandparents’ house for dinner.
Ham was a rare and expensive commodity at that time in Brazil, but somebody had brought a 2-pound canned-ham with them on the airplane from the US and given it to my grandparents as a Thanksgiving gift. That Thanksgiving, an airplane came in on the airstrip. They had about fourteen guests besides their family. There were almost twenty people and very little food! Grammy said to Pappy, “How are we going to feed all of these people?”
He looked at her, and she saw in his eyes that he was full of faith. He said, “Just cut it up and give it to them.”
They passed the plate around, and everyone had firsts. They passed it around again, and everyone had seconds. They passed the plate again, and some people had thirds. After everyone had finished, there was still enough ham left over for them to make ham sandwiches for the next few days. It was remarkable that a 2-pound ham in a can could feed so many people!
This is one of many stories for which I thank God and which is worth recording and remembering. I thank God that we have such stories to tell my little daughter about her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.
Were I to tell all his wonders they would be more than could be numbered! (Psalm 40:5 KJV)
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on gotoheavennow.com
