i haven't always been a Christian Science practitioner by profession. Early in my career, I worked as a buyer for a large chain of specialty stores in the United States. Later, I married, and when my husband started a new business, I stopped working and became a housewife. I was home much of the time and always available for lunches and social invitations. But I was also very active in my local branch Church of Christ, Scientist. Being of service to our church was very important to me and my husband. However, I was beginning to feel I wasn't doing enough that was useful and productive.

Some time later, I made an appointment with my teacher of Christian Science to talk about the full-time practice of Christian Science healing. I was so encouraged by what she said that I decided to take immediate steps to begin my own practice. Driving home from that appointment, I thought of a building with an office in it that I felt I could use for this purpose, and I rented that office the next day. My motive in taking this step was to devote myself to serving God, whether this would be through studying the teachings of Christian Science more consistently, writing testimonies or articles for the Christian Science magazines, or being available, on a regular basis, should someone call me for help through prayer. I was aware, also, that this regular work would help me turn away from just spinning the wheels of mortal existence, which I'd been doing for many years. An active healing practice came gradually, and has continued to be a joy.

After living in Washington, DC, for many years, my husband and I moved to Puerto Rico. There was a lovely Church of Christ, Scientist, in San Juan, without a practitioner among its membership. Although I did not speak Spanish, I was able to support the healing work there, since many Puerto Ricans are bilingual.

Soon after I opened my office in San Juan, a mother called me for prayerful help regarding an accident. A large glass bottle full of water had fallen from the top shelf of a refrigerator and broken on one of the bare feet of her five-year-old child. The impact of the broken bottle had severed the end of one of her toes. The mother immediately called her husband to tell him about the situation, and took the practical steps of washing and bandaging the youngster's foot, then telephoning me for Christian Science treatment. She told me, after the incident, that the girl asked to listen to one of her children's cassettes about Christian Science healing. Soon the bleeding stopped.

First, in my treatment, I clearly saw that because divine Love is ever present, fear could not enter thought. Then I prayed to see more clearly the truth of Mary Baker Eddy's statement that "accidents are unknown to God" (Science and Health, p. 424). As to infection, I realized that all substance is really spiritual. In the Bible we read, "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie" (Rev. 21:27).

The expectation that the girl's toe would be fully restored was supported by the words of a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier, which are set to music. Ther first stanza reads, in part: "That holier worship, which God deigns to bless, / Restores the lost, and heals the spirit broken" (Christian Science Hymnal, No. 217).

As a result of prayer, there was a rapid and complete healing. The end of the little girl's toe grew back normally, including the nail. The mother later remarked that it was impossible to know which toe had been injured. Friends of the mother, who had felt great fear when they heard that this family was relying solely on spiritual treatment for healing, showed surprise, and respect for this method of treatment.

I was again convinced of the power of divine Love to heal when one turns in prayer to our ever-present God. I'm so grateful to have been led into the practice of Christian Science.