The new-born

In a very distant region lived a very poor man. One day, walking through the forest looking for firewood to sell, he found a basket by the side of the road and inside it saw a child.

He heard the weak weeping of the new-born baby, who was carefully wrapped in a blanket and, filled with compassion, picked up the little one, snuggling it to his chest.

Generously, he immediately decided to take him home. He was concerned, however, about the extreme poverty in which he lived. How to take care of the baby, to provide him with the necessities, he, who often did not have what to eat? Who knows, someone with more resources, who passed through that road, could stay with him and give him a better life?

However, hearing the wailing of the child who was staring at him with bright little eyes, he said loudly:

-  I cannot leave you here exposed to danger. God will help me! Besides, I always wanted to have a baby. Better to share my poverty with this child than to leave him to an uncertain destination.

As if he understood the decision the woodcutter had taken, the new-born settled down and fell asleep.

Arriving at his house, the man opened the door and said:

- Woman, look what I’ve brought!

His wife, curious, approached and opened the package that her husband had in his arms. The new-born slept serenely, and his heart was tender. Full of joy, he exclaimed:

- The son we always wanted to have! God heard our prayers!

At the same time, aware of the misery in which she lived, she asked, afflicted:

- But how are we going to take care of the baby, John? We have no food for us! And a child needs special care!

Confident, the husband replied:

- Do not worry, Ana. If the Lord has sent us this baby, He will certainly give us the means to support him.

It was a boy and they called him Benvindo.

From that day, everything has changed. The house, once sad and lifeless, became cheerful and full of laughter. John, more stimulated to work, was not just looking for wood in the bush to sell. He looked for other sources of income.

Knowing the child, a farmer from the neighborhood sold him a goat at a reasonable price that John payed as he could. That way the baby's milk was guaranteed.

Life was changing. But that was not enough. What else could it be done?

John, in the doorway of the house, looked at the land that lay before him and thought he could cultivate it. So they would have vegetables, legumes, and maybe some fruit. He did not think twice. The man who had sold him the goat also got him various seeds and seedlings, pleased to see him interested in working.

John took the axe and knocked down some trees, clearing the ground. Then he made seedbeds and threw the seeds into the soil. He planted the seedlings and cared for them with much love. Soon everything was different. As Benvindo grew, strong and healthy, the plants also developed in the fertile soil.

After a while, on the previously uncultivated and neglected ground, the legumes and vegetables appeared, enchanting the sight and bringing abundance. The fruit trees soon began to produce: they now had bananas, oranges, apples, mangoes and lemons at will.

As the production was large, in addition to having food, John went on to sell the fruit, legumes and vegetables in excess.

Ana began to take care of the house with more affection with a cheerful heart for new functions as a mother, Ana transformed her house into a home, like her husband, planting a garden and growing flowers that adorned and perfumed the environment.

Benvindo grew up learning to work with his father. He was a bright and intelligent boy. As a young man, John told him how he had found him abandoned and the satisfaction of bringing him home, always saying:

- You are our very dear son. It was God who sent you to us.

The time has passed. Benvindo began attending school in the village. John and Anna made it absolutely plain that their son would not be an illiterate like them.

Albeit, they considered themselves ignorant, they knew how to give the boy notions that were really important to his life, such as love for God and the Gospel of Jesus. Then he grew up aware of appreciating honesty, work, respect for others, forgiveness of offenses and, above all, good.

Benvindo was already a young man when he went living in a big city to continue his studies. Concluding the course, with great satisfaction from his parents, he returned home and said, excited:

- Dad, I do not know how to thank you for everything you've done for me. I could have died of hunger and cold as an abandoned child but thanks to your kindness I came to this house as a son who has received so much of both. Everything I am today I owe you. Thank you very much!

Wiping away the tears, Benvindo looked at his father, already old and shrouded, embracing him with deep love. John took his son by hand and led him out of the house, where the beautiful landscape was visible: very close, the garden full of colourful and fragrant flowers; a little further, on the left side, the orchard trees, laden with fruit. On the right side, until out of sight, the vegetable garden, where the legumes and vegetables produced abundantly.

- You see all this, my son?

- Yes, my father. It is an image that I am never tired of admiring. How beautiful our property is!

- Very well! None of this existed before you came here. Me and your mother, old and tired of life, had no disposition to fight. We even starved.

He paused, wiped away a tear, and went on:

- When you arrived, my son, filled us with hope and new spirit. We needed to feed you, dress you, take care of you. For that, I had to work hard. But the result is there.

Embracing his son with immense affection and fair pride, he pointed to the cultivated lands:

- So we owe all this to you! And I owe more. I owe you, my son, the opportunity and the blessing of being called FATHER!

The mother, who was crying with emotion, got closer to them and they kept together for a long time.

                  Aunt Celia

 Translation:

Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com

Marli Silva de Souza - marlisilvadesouza@gmail.com