We were at our Mission House in the very poor barrio of Santa Ana located on the outskirts of Esquipulas, Guatemala. A group of us were on a Mission Immersion program and had spent most of the day in this barrio visiting with mothers and children who had gathered for activities, including the viewing of a couple of short movies.
Danielle, one of the young ladies of our group, had brought a sizable bag of Ghiradelli chocolates to give to the children. In the morning I had a chocolate fit and ate two of them rather quickly. When we had finished the afternoon evangelization session about the Lost Sheep I called all of the children out- side and sitting on the front step of the house I began to give a chocolate to each child. It seemed like a hundred hands were at the bag as I kept passing out a chocolate to each of them. Soon I began to think I would not have enough – I even called to one of our group to bring some cookies because I was sure to run out of chocolates. But somewhat miraculously, the bag of chocolates would not empty until every child had a chocolate.As the last hand receded, I looked up – all the children were walking around contentedly enjoying their one Ghiradelli chocolate. Many had gently peeled back the paper and were licking it like a sucker. I remembered how I had chewed down two of them very rapidly and
here they were, enjoying and savoring one chocolate. I remembered a meditation I had had earlier in the month in which St. Ignatius recommended that in prayer we should “relish” or “savor” happenings in our lives that we are particularly grateful for. These children of Santa Ana taught me that afternoon what it means to relish and savor the little good things of life that come our way.
Matt Rousso
Director Maryknoll Mission Ed Office
New Orleans, Louisiana
