This is one of the most wonderful stories we have ever heard.  It brought tears to our eyes.  This surly shows the work of the Lord in each and every one of our lives.  We just have to keep our eyes and ears open to see it.  It is there, sometimes where we least expect it.  God Bless you all.

Love,

Kathy and Michael

 Robby's Night

At the prodding of my friends, I am writing this story . My name is
Mildred Honor. I am a former elementary school music teacher from Des
Moines , Iowa . I've always supplemented my income by teaching piano
lessons-something I've done for over 30 years. Over the years I found
that children have many levels of musical ability. I've never had the
pleasure of having a prodigy though I have taught some talented
students.

However I've also had my share of what I call 'musically  challenged'
pupils. One such student was Robby. Robby was 11 years old  when his
mother (a single Mom) dropped him off for his first piano  lesson. I
prefer that students (especially boys!) begin at an earlier  age, which I
explained to Robby.

But Robby said that it had always been his mother's dream to hear  him
play the piano. So I took him as a student. Well, Robby began with  his
piano lessons and from the beg inning I thought it was a hopeless
endeavor. As much as Robby tried, he lacked the sense of tone and basic
rhythm needed to excel. But he dutifully reviewed his scales and some
elementary pieces that I require all my students to learn.

Over the months he tried and tried while I listened and cringed and
tried to encourage him. At the end of each weekly lesson he'd always
say, 'My mom's going to hear me play someday.' But it seemed hopeless.
He just did not have any inborn ability. I only knew his mother from a
distance as she dropped Robby off or waited in her aged car to pick him
up. She always waved and smiled but never stopped in.

Then one day Robby stopped coming to our lessons.

I thought about calling him but assumed because of his lack of  ability,
that he had decided to pursue something else. I also was glad  that he
stopped coming. He was a bad advertisement for my teaching!

Several weeks later I mailed to the student's homes a flyer on the  up
coming recital. To my surprise Robby (who received a flyer) asked me  if
he could be in the recital. I told him that the recital was for  current
pupils and because he had dropped out he really did not  qualify. He said
that his mother had been sick and unable to take him  to piano lessons
but he was still practicing 'Miss Honor I've just got  to play!' he
insisted.

I don't know what led me to allow him to play in the recital. Maybe  it
was his persistence or maybe it was something inside of me saying  that
it would be all right. The night for the recital came. The high  school
gymnasium was packed with parents, friends and relatives. I put  Robby up
last in the program before I was to come up and thank all the  students
and play a finishing piece. I thought that any damage he would  do would
come at the end of the program and I could always salvage his  poor
performance through my 'curtain closer.'

Well, the recital went off without a hitch. The students had been
practicing and it showed. Then Robby came up on stage. His clothes were
wrinkled and his hair looked like he'd run an eggbeater through it.  'Why
didn't he dress up like the other students?' I thought. 'Why  didn't his
mother at least make him comb his hair for this special  night?'

Robby pulled out the piano bench and  began. I was surprised  when he
announced that he had chosen Mozart's Concerto #21 in C Major.  I was not
prepared for what I heard next. His fingers were light on the  keys, they
even danced nimbly on the ivories. He went from pianissimo  to
fortissimo. From allegro to virtuoso. His suspended chords that  Mozart
demands were magnificent! Never had I heard Mozart played so  well by
people his age. After six and a half minutes he ended in a  grand
crescendo and everyone was on their feet in wild applause.

Overcome and in tears I ran up on stage and put my arms around  Robby in
joy. 'I've never heard you play like that Robby! How'd you do  it? '
Through the microphone Robby explained: 'Well Miss Honor . .  Remember I
told you my Mom was sick? Well, actually she had cancer and  passed away
this morning And well . . . She was born deaf so tonight  was the first
time she ever heard me play. I wanted to make it  special.'

There wasn't a dry eye in the house that evening. As the people  from
Social Services led Robby from the stage to be placed into foster  care,
I noticed that even their eyes were red and puffy and I thought  to
myself how much richer my life had been for taking Robby as my  pupil.

No, I've never had a prodigy but that night I became a prodigy. . .  Of
Robby's. He was the teacher and I was the pupil for it is he that  taught
me the meaning of perseverance and love and believing in  yourself and
maybe even taking a chance on someone and you don't know  why.

Robby was killed in the senseless bombing of the Alfred P. Murray
Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April of 1995.

May God bless you today, tomorrow and always
*********
If God didn't have a purpose for us, we wouldn't be here!