My sisters also work in Australia.
On the reservation, among the Aborigines,
there was an elderly man.

I can assure you that you
have never seen a situation as difficult as that poor old man's.
He was completely ignored by everyone.
His home was disordered and
dirty.
I told him, "Please let me clean your house, wash your clothes
and make your bed."
He answered, "I'm okay like this. Let it be."
I said again, "You will be still better if you
allow me to do it."

He finally agreed. So I was able to clean
his house and wash his clothes.
I discovered a beautiful lamp,
covered with dust.
Only God knew how many years had passed since he last lit it.
I said to him, "Don't you light that lamp?
Don't you ever use it?"
He answered, "No. No one comes to see me. I have no need to light it.
Who would I do it for?"
I asked, " Would you light it every night
if the sisters came?"
He replied, "Of course,"
From that day on the sisters committed
themselves to visiting him every evening.

Two years passed.
I had completely forgotten that man.
He sent this message:
"Tell my friend, Sister Teresa, that
the light she lit in my life continues
to shine still."
I thought it was a very small thing.
We often neglect small things.

A mere smile, a short visit,,
the lighting of a lamp,
writing a letter for a blind man,
carrying a bucket of charcoal,
reading the newspaper for someone --
something small, very small --
may, in fact, be
our love of God in action.

---- from the book, "Voices of the Saints"
by Bert Ghezzi, 2000