Eight-year-old Hickel darted across the grass on a hot afternoon in Costa Rica.

School was out, and he was playing soccer with his friend Royden.

The soft green grass of the churchyard felt good under his bare feet.

When Hickel saw an opportunity to make a goal, he raised his leg and kicked the ball with all his might.

Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced the back of his foot.

Lifting his leg, he peered under his foot. A dark-brown snake with white stripes was dangling from his heel.

Hickel’s eyes widened with horror, and he screamed, “Aaaaaaaaah!”

At that moment, the snake let go of his foot and slithered off into the grass.

Hickel’s foot hurt, but he ran home as fast as he could. He was scared.

“Mother!” he cried. “A snake bit me!”

His mother heard his cries and ran out of the house. She was scared, too. She saw the two marks left by the snake’s fangs on his heel.

Hickel’s mother frantically called his father on the phone. His father came home from work and took him to the clinic. The doctor pulled out a syringe and gave Hickel an injection. Then he looked at the boy with concern.

“Do you feel all right?” he asked.

Hickel didn’t look well. He didn’t look well because he didn’t feel well.

Thump!

Hickel fainted and fell to the floor.

No one knew what kind of snake had bitten the boy. Was it dangerous? Was Hickel’s life in danger?

People ran to the churchyard to look for the snake. After a short search, the snake was found in the grass behind a small shed that served as the church’s kitchen.

“It’s a baby velvet snake!” someone called out.

The velvet snake is one of the most poisonous snakes in Costa Rica.

This was a serious emergency. The doctor called an ambulance.

A short time later, the ambulance rushed Hickel from the clinic to the nearest city hospital. It was dark when Hickel arrived two hours later in the city of Limón.

It was scary being in the hospital. It was scary having a big, swollen foot. Hickel asked his mother to pray to God for help.They bowed their heads and closed their eyes, then Mother prayed, ““God, please heal Hickel’s foot.” Help him to leave the hospital soon.”

Then she told Hickel to have faith that God was with him.

Hickel believed.

On his third day in the hospital, Hickel felt fine. . He was very happy! He knew that God had heard his mother’s prayer and healed him.

Back home at last, Hickel learned that the whole town had heard about his snakebite and astonishing recovery. Everyone was amazed to see the healthy and happy boy.

“It is a miracle,” someone said.

“There is a God who takes care of His children,” said someone else.

The next Sabbath, nine people came to church after hearing how God had answered Hickel’s mother’s prayer. They all gave their hearts to Jesus and got baptized.

Hickel is happy to be alive.

“God saved me from the snake,” he said.

Part of this quarter’s 13th Sabbath Offering will help open a center of influence in Costa Rica that will teach children about the power of prayer. Thank you for planning a generous offering.