Hope Full of Grace

By Sofia S., Volunteer in Argentina

To even begin to understand the meaning of hope, I must cling to the ones who are my masters, the children in our alley. One of my masters is 5-year-old neighbor, Grace.

God knocks at the window as this 5-year-old little girl, asking, “What are you doing? Can I come inside? Who cooks today? Can I help clean? Can I pray? Can I draw?” She has a thirst to be in our house, to be in a place of love and where she experiences something different, where she lives friendship.

And through this thirst of love, she comes most days to pray the rosary at three, she prays in adoration sitting in silence, she attends Mass with us when we are able to take her, she lives a life of prayer through our presence in the neighborhood.

She comes from a broken family that has a history of being in and out of jail with drugs and being involved in the gangs. I am left in awe of Christ who incarnates himself in this little girl, who is in search for the presence of Christ unconsciously and prays for her family. In a family where there may not be much prayer or life of faith, He has not forgotten about them, no matter what life they choose to live. He has given them hope through the smallest person in their family.

Our house and friendship is a refuge for these small but mighty prayers. He makes himself present in the smallest ways, through grace, through being a newborn, bringing hope and joy. I have seen his hope and joy in the eyes and the smile of this little girl who brings so much joy and hope to our house.