Generosity

Just a few doors up the hill from our home lives a lovely family of four.  The front of their house serves the double purpose of housing their car, which I have never seen out of its place, and housing their little Convenience Store, or Pulperia.  The mother, Victoria, is a dear friend of ours.  If you were to meet her you would first notice her lovely smile.  She is almost always smiling.  Her daughters work with her.  One recently graduated from college, a matter of great pride for the family, but has been unable to find work.  The younger daughter is in high school.

If you go to church in the morning on Sunday, she will be there praying before you arrive.  She is almost always accompanied by her friend who exhibits charity to me in so many ways.  I believe they go to church every day.  If you ever have the privilege of walking home from church with her you will notice two things.  She has a slow elegant gait.  And she seems to know everyone which slows her homeward progress all the more.  Her life has not been easy, but she bears her struggles with grace.  You would never know that she struggles with justified fears.       

I met her my first full day here when we needed some eggs.  She greeted me as if she had known me always, with genuine affection, thanks to the many volunteers she knew before me.  That was the first day I received her charity.  Instead of paying for our eggs, she gave them to us.  This is so common with Victoria.  Sometimes I ask for three avocados and pay for three avocados, but receive four tomatoes as well.  Other times I ask for three and receive four.  Othertimes I pay nothing.  And on occasion, I receive and pay for exactly what I intended to buy in the first place.

Doña Victoria isn’t our only friend who is generous in this way.  We frequently receive donations of food and clothing from our neighbors, the same neighbors who are struggling to feed their families.  They have a good day at market and want to share in the abundance.  They know Fr. Jose loves bananas, so they send us ALL the bananas from the tree behind their house.  And this is how they say, “I love you” and “Thank you”.