As members of the Girl Guides, Annie and her friends enjoyed camping in the country every summer. Annie loved camping, and she particularly looked forward to sitting around a big campfire each evening. In the darkness she could see the flames sparkle and hear the wood crackle as it burned. She also enjoyed joining in the campfire songs.

Annie had been attending a Christian Science Sunday School since she was five, and although she wasn't able to go to Sunday School when at camp, she had a Christian Science Quarterly and read the Lesson-Sermon from her Bible and from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. She did this each day during "rest hour" when everyone had to have quiet time. Reading these books reminded her that God was taking care of her and made her confident enough to try even the hardest camp activities. Then one year she had an opportunity to turn to these two books for help when she felt ill.

On the last day of the trip, Annie and her friends were sitting at the top of a field, talking together, when Annie decided to run back to her tent for her shoes so that she could join her friends for a hike. She ran down the field so fast that she didn't notice some ropes holding one of the tents in place, and suddenly she found herself flat on her face. She had tripped and landed hard on the grass. For a few moments she lay there gasping for breath. Her friends gathered around to see if she needed help, but Annie thanked them and told them that she was all right. They helped her get up, and she went into her tent to put on her shoes. Then she joined them for the hike.

Annie soon forgot about the fall, but when she woke up the next morning, she found that her tummy was very sore, and she didn't feel well at all. This was the day that the camp ended, so everyone had to be up early for the long journey home. First, they had to go by coach across the island; then there was a boat trip to the mainland, and lastly, a long train journey. By the time they had reached the train, Annie felt miserable. Her tummy was very upset and her head hurt a lot.

Usually the journey back from camp was fun. Everyone talked about the good time they'd had, and then they would begin to sing the new songs they had learned. There was plenty of laughter and noise, and everyone ate sandwiches and, of course, lots of sweets and chocolates. But Annie didn't feel up to joining in the fun or eating her supper. She just sat there, curied up on her seat.

After a while, though, Annie sat up. She thought, 'Why am I sitting here feeling sorry for myself?" She knew how to turn to God for help when she felt sick, and she had been healed many times by praying to God. She'd learned in Sunday School that God is Love and that He made her perfect. She felt very sure that God did not make sickness because she had read in the Bible that God made everything good (see Gen. 1:31). Annie knew that she was God's child and that He was her loving Father-Mother, but she wasn't used to praying by herself. Usually, her mother prayed with her, or sometimes she asked a Christian Science practitioner to help her pray. But this time her mother was nowhere near, and Annie felt rather alone.

Then she realized that she had her two special books with her and could read one of them. So she asked a friend to get Science and Health for her from her suitcase high up on the luggage rack.

She decided to open the book and just read what she found there. The book fell open to page 475, and the first thing Annie read was this question: "What is man?" Then she read part of the answer: "Man is not matter; he is not made up of brain, blood, bones, and other material elements. The Scriptures inform us that man is made in the image and likeness of God." Annie looked at the passage carefully. Suddenly, she thought, "If I'm not made up of matter but am God's own spiritual likeness, then I can't be sick because God isn't sick!" She shut the book, and for the first time that day she began to smile. In fact, she started singing with the other girls. She felt so happy because she knew that she was the perfect image and likeness of God and that no bad thoughts could trick her into believing something untrue about herself.

The pain and soreness in her tummy were gone. Annie looked into her supper pack to find her sandwiches. She felt very hungry. When the train pulled into the station later that evening, Annie's mother was there to welcome her home. Annie ran to give her a big hug and to tell her about all the fun they'd had at camp. But she was most excited to tell her mom about the healing on the train and how she had prayed for herself. "I think I'd like to tell about this healing on Wednesday evening at the testimony meeting," Annie said. And she did!