A Modern-Day “Israelite Girl”

TWO weeks before the Memorial of Jesus’ death, each member of the Sales family in Praia Grande, Brazil, made a list of those they would invite. Six-year-old Abigayl was given an invitation and was asked whom she wanted to give it to.

“The man who always smiles at me,” she answered.

“Who is he?” her parents asked.

“The one in the wheelchair,” she replied.

Four days later, Abigayl pointed the man out to her parents. The man, Walter, lived only a block from the Kingdom Hall. Over 15 years ago, when he was 28, an auto accident had left him paralyzed from the waist down. He had two bodyguards, since he was well-to-do. After permission was received for Abigayl to speak with Walter, her parents explained to him that their daughter wanted to give him an invitation.

At the end of her presentation, Abigayl said: “All the others in our Kingdom Hall have many invitations, but I have only one. So you are the only one I am inviting. If you don’t come, I will have nobody. But if you come, I will be very happy, and Jehovah will be even happier.”

On the day of the Memorial, the Witnesses, including Abigayl, were cleaning the Kingdom Hall in preparation for the evening Memorial program. That afternoon Walter was passing by, and on seeing Abigayl, he told his driver to stop the car. A window opened, and he asked Abigayl what she was doing. She told him that they were cleaning the hall to make it nice for him.

That evening Abigayl was very anxious. The talk began, and she kept looking around to see if Walter had arrived. All of a sudden, he and his bodyguards arrived. Her smile was enormous. After the talk, Walter admitted that he had started out on a trip to another city but then changed his mind and went to the Memorial, just for her. Then he added: “The talk was what I needed to hear.” He asked for a Bible and started to study and attend meetings.

In the meantime, Walter’s sister said that she wanted to meet this Abigayl, whom her brother mentioned so often. When she did, she was delighted to learn what a fine young girl Abigayl is. “Now I know why my brother is so happy,” she said.

Walter continues to study and attend meetings. He even makes comments and shares with others things that he has learned. Surely little Abigayl reminds us of the Israelite girl who helped Naaman to come to know the true God, Jehovah.​—2 Kings 5:2-14.