At the station

One day, I went to the train station to pick someone up.The station is in a small town that doesn’t have a waiting room open at night, or anywhere to wait. When we got into the car, we saw a young woman alone with a bag who seemed disoriented, as if she were looking for something. She was alone and it was midnight. The train had already left. I got out of the car and went over to her to ask what she was looking for. She told me that she wasn’t sure if this was Junín or not. Junín is the next stop; she had got off at the wrong station. She was young. Her aunt was waiting for her in Junín, but she couldn’t come and pick her up because she didn’t have transport. The next morning, I had an appointment with the doctor in that very town and a solution came to mind. I asked her, “Would you like to spend the night at my house?” I’ll take you to your aunt’s tomorrow.” She agreed to this. So we went home, had dinner together and I made up a bed for her in the kitchen because I only have one bedroom. The next day we set off for Junín. During the journey, she told me that she hadn’t seen her aunt for four years, that it was the first time she had travelled alone and that she had taken a few days off work because her aunt was ill and she wanted to be there to help her. After leaving her with her aunt, I thought of the parable of the Good Samaritan. It felt like I had experienced it with her.

(Analia Maezo – Argentina)

Struggling but with a big heart

My husband and I are doctors and, having experienced poverty ourselves, we opened a clinic for the poorest people in our neighbourhood. One day, we only had 25 pesos left and there was still a week to go before we were paid. I tried not to worry, but I couldn’t see how we could make it to the end of the month with that amount. I had anxiously taken out 5 pesos for the bus to visit some friends, when a lady who was being treated by my husband knocked on the door. She was desperate; she and her children hadn’t eaten for three days. I immediately gave her what I had left, 20 pesos and then I set off. Later, the joy of seeing so many friends again made me forget all my worries. My husband was there too, having come straight from the hospital. While I was telling him about that woman, a friend approached with an envelope. It contained 500 pesos, a belated birthday present, collected by the friends involved in our solidarity initiative. We felt greatly relieved and felt that we are part of a big family – poor, but with a big heart.

(Reilita – Philippines)

Compiled by Maria Grazia Berretta

taken from The Gospel of the day, Città Nuova, year XII – no.5 –September-October 2026)

Photo © Soner-Arkan-Pexels