The Hope in a Presence

By Isabella C., on mission in Brazil

We arrived at Senhor José’s house and saw through the window that he was all alone, resting on a hospital bed. The other missionary, Valeria, and I got worried because he was lying under a blanket, covering his entire body, even his head. We realized he had the blanket that way because he thought he had a fever and was cold but had no thermometer to check. During our visit, he shared that he had a deep sadness, that he was incredibly lonely, and had no one to take care of him. He said he thought about suicide but hadn’t had the courage to do it. Listening to this truly touched me, and my eyes welled up (along with his) as I observed him express his sadness, with great attention, empathy, and helplessness. Most of the time, he just needed someone to listen to him, so we remained silent in the monologue.

In the middle of our conversation, we asked him if we could sing, and although very confused, he said yes. So we did. My friend Valeria and I sang “Sencillamente” by Hakuna (you can look it up; it’s one of my favorite songs). As we sang, I watched as his smile spread across his face, and his eyes widened as they filled with tears, which he quickly wiped away as an immediate reaction, almost with a hint of embarrassment, using his sheet. He loved the song. He asked us to sing another one in Portuguese. And then he started singing along. Literally, his face and mood changed so drastically in a matter of minutes, along with the room’s atmosphere. That day, for the first time, I felt like I was beginning to experience the essence of this mission.