World Vision Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

To heal the sick he said, the lord's ways are mysterious.
And off he went without my personal donation.
The papers couldn't print it soon enough, the healings,
and what a wonderful true servant of the Lord.

Papua New Guinea was the target of his powers,
there was a dying need in them there golden hills,
so many blind and deaf and otherwise afflicted,
the Lord would surely touch their souls and make them whole.

And there was mention of the treasurer's own brother,
who was a man of heart involved in all this healing stuff,
he had a vision for the suffering God's children,
he had a vision for the future of the people.

The blind can see, the deaf do hear, so were his words,
when he came back, with early notice by the tabloids.
Apparent healings had been done in Jesus' name
and so much more was to be planned for through his grace.

So, will you help me with some funds for these poor devils,
and ask your friends to reach much deeper inside theirs,
we cannot leave these people, our Lord's own children,
to their demise and suffering lives one minute longer.

He drove a car that was of modesty pretensions,
and wore the garb that made some local people weep,
but business class and Hilton was essential.
And holy water was in bottles for their sleep.

I wrote a lengthy article before their late return,
and challenged that I see one lousy, single cure.
That's confidential he replied, this day and age
one cannot show the goodness of ones God-Almighty heart.

We then discussed things after they had stormed
into my surgery, while waving the newspaper,
but no convincing evidence was up their poker sleeves,
and then they left to see a sick mother at home.

You charities out in this world, you want my money.
Just lay your cards where I can see them, marks and all.
And at the outside chance that you would be fair dinkum
I'll be your banker and your pilot, your accountant.