A Plea for Dignity in Her Final Years

Today, Leslie returned home quiet and deeply saddened. Concerned, I waited for him to settle down before gently asking how his day had been. Without saying much, he took out his phone and showed me a video—one that spoke louder than words.

 

While visiting the houses we’ve built in a remote village, he met an elderly woman living alone in a makeshift home of corrugated metal sheets. She invited him inside, and what he saw broke his heart. The ceiling was riddled with holes, offering little protection from the rain. When it pours, water seeps in, turning the dirt floor into mud. With tearful eyes, she explained how difficult life had become and pleaded for our mission to build her a small, simple house—just a place where she could spend her remaining years with dignity.

Leslie looked at me and said, “Please, we have to help her.”

 

I tried to explain what I have told myself so many times—we encounter these heartbreaking situations every day, and with limited resources, we cannot help everyone. I remembered my first trip to Guatemala, feeling the same sense of helplessness. When I shared my frustration with our mission founder, Fr. Joseph Camilleri, he gave me words that have stayed with me ever since:

 

“We are like a grain in the sand. But in God’s eyes, even a single grain matters.”

 

We have since forwarded the video to Alvaro, our mission coordinator, who was already aware of this woman’s situation. With so many urgent requests for housing, we must carefully evaluate each case. Alvaro will conduct a full assessment of her well-being and present his report to our foundation’s board members for consideration.

 

So today, I ask—can we come together to be that grain of hope for this woman? No matter how small, every act of kindness makes a difference. If you’d like to be part of this mission, please reach out. Let’s give her the dignity and shelter she deserves.