Josh's new home

“This is our new home, Josh,” said Mum.

Josh looked and looked, but he couldn't see a house. All he could see was a river and a long, narrow boat painted in bright colours, with pots of flowers on the roof.

Mum was very excited, and put her arm around him as they walked to the boat. “Isn't this fun?” she asked him, smiling. “Come and see the inside. You will love it!”

They climbed into the front of the boat, and Mum unlocked the narrow front doors. Josh had never been inside a boat before. It wasn't a bit like a flat in the city. The boat rocked in the water. Mum began to light a small, black stove.

“We'll soon be cosy, Josh,” said Mum.“Wait till you see the rest of the boat.”

There were sofas that turned into beds at night, with a place for bedding underneath. Mum said the beds were called bunks, and the rooms were called cabins, and the kitchen was called a galley.

Everything had a different name. Even the river was called a canal.

Josh had a little cabin to himself, with a bright patchwork cover on the bunk, and lots of cupboards and shelves for all his things. The windows were round portholes, and when Josh sat on his bunk he could see the river.

Then Mum cooked their supper on a tiny cooker, and they ate it sitting by the stove. It was very warm, and soon Josh felt sleepy. Mum tucked him up in his bunk and hung up a lantern candle that made star patterns on the ceiling.

“Let's be quiet for a moment, Josh,” said Mum. “Let's just say a prayer of thanks to God for taking care of us, and for giving us such a lovely new place to live.” And they did.

Oh, how Josh wanted to be happy about his new home! But he felt sad inside because Dad would not be living with them here. He wished everything could be just as it had been before Dad had gone away. “I miss Dad,” he sighed.

Mum gently rubbed his back. “Dad loves you very much, Josh,” she said. “He'll be looking forward to you visiting him real soon.”

The gentle rocking of the boat finally put Josh to sleep. He might have slept all night through, but some strange noises on the side of the boat woke him up.

The candle lantern had gone out and a pale light came through the round portholes. At first, he couldn't think what had wakened him. Had it been a dream?

Then he heard it again, a strange sound. A tapping and a scraping. What could it be? He knew there was just the canal outside, Just water. No one could be there.

There it was again! Scrape, scrape, scrape! Tap, tap, tap! Josh felt scared.

“Mum!” he called softly, “Oh Mum, please come, there's something out there that's trying to get in.” And she did, because she had heard the strange sound, too. But she wasn't a bit scared. She was laughing!

“It's OK, Josh. Put your slippers on, and come see.” Soon they were standing in the front cockpit, looking down at the water. In the soft light of early dawn they saw three ducks tapping on the side of their boat. Josh couldn't think what they were doing.

“There are weeds on the side of the boat,” explained Mum. “And the ducks are looking for food. I expect we'll hear them every morning. They are our new neighbours.”

The ducks bobbed and wagged their tail feathers at Josh. One of them began to quack loudly, and it sounded just as if it was laughing. Josh began to laugh, too, and so did Mum.

Neither of them would think about sleeping anymore. Mum put the kettle on and started fixing breakfast. Then she wrapped Josh in a blanket and sat down next to him on the bunk.

“When things feel scary, Josh,” Mum said, remember that God is right there taking care of you. He is your Father and Mother, who will never, never leave you. Even if Dad or I cannot be with you, God always is. God is here for you now, Josh. God wants only what is good for you. He sends messages to you. They are like angels gently telling you what to do. Listening to them makes you strong and happy.”

“And Dad?” asked Josh. “Is God taking care of Dad, too?”

Mum gave him a big hug, and whispered: “Yes, Josh. God loves us all — you, and me, and Dad.”

Josh felt a new kind of happiness, sitting there in the boat that was so different from the flat in the city. He could hear the ducks quacking and splashing in the water. He liked having ducks as neighbours.

Soon the first rays of the morning sun shone through the portholes, and the kettle sang on the stove. Josh felt warm and cosy inside, thinking about how God loved him. And how God loved Mum and Dad, too.