God Changed the Wind
In the prematurely cold weather of November 1857, the boiler that heated one of George Mueller’s orphanage buildings in Bristol, England, developed a serious leak. Because the boiler was encased in brick, repairing or replacing it would be time-consuming. How could Mueller keep 300 children warm during repairs? To make matters worse, a bleak north wind started blowing, further chilling the air.
Mueller wasted no time in appealing to the living God. “Lord,” he prayed, “these are orphans: be pleased to change this north wind into a south wind, and give the workmen a mind to work that the job may be speedily done.”
The evening before the repairs began, the cold blast was still blowing. But when daylight arrived, a south wind made the temperatures so mild no heat was even needed. When Mueller went down to the cellar to see if the work could be expedited, the foreman told him the men would work late and return early in the morning. The men overheard; and one replied, “We would rather, sir, work all night.”
For 30 hours the soft south wind blew until the boiler was up and running and the heat was back on.
