Many years ago in Philadelphia, a little girl named Hattie made a difference in the lives of people in her community.

A local minister started a Sunday school program for the neighborhood children, and Hattie came to the first meeting. Because the room was small, several children had to be turned away. Hattie went to bed sad that night because many of her playmates could not attend Sunday school. There just was not enough room.

Two years later, Hattie died. Her parents sent for the minister and gave him a worn red pocketbook they found beneath Hattie's pillow. The pocketbook contained fifty-seven pennies she had earned by running errands. With the money was a note in Hattie's handwriting that read, "This is to build the church bigger so more children can go to Sunday school."

The Sunday following Hattie's funeral, the minister carried the little red pocketbook into the pulpit, took out the fifty-seven pennies and dropped them one by one back into the purse. He told how Hattie had given all she had, and the congregation was touched.

After the service, a visitor came forward and offered a piece of desirable land for a new church building. He said, "I will let the church have it for the price of fifty-seven pennies." When the story hit the news, checks began coming in from everywhere.

Today, visitors are impressed with the Temple Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Seating capacity for the church now is 3,300. And it all began with a little girl who wanted to help.

What a difference she made!

As Cited In From My Heart

Last Updated on: November 3, 2014