This
story was narrated by the mother of a Nun and it concerned her own family. She
said:
"During
the German occupation we suffered a lot. The day arrived when there was nothing
in the house except water!
Then my
father took us by the hand and we climbed up the mountain, which towered above
our village, and we gathered lupins. My poor mother boiled them a thousand
times over, but the bitterness did not lessen. With these we fooled our hunger,
but our eyes burned from the bitterness. And one could only imagine that my
oldest sister was seriously ill. But what would my brothers eat who were
working and still developing?
Once my
mother saved a piece of chocolate! Whether it was given to her by an English
soldier or if it was given to her by a philanthropic organization, I don't
know. Our good mother did not even touch it. She brought it secretly to my ill
sister, hoping to strengthen her. In vain, however, for soon after she died and
God took her near to Him.
'Take it
and you eat it, my sister, because you have to walk a lot tomorrow and you need
the strength.'
I took it
and saved it for the journey the next day. But my good mother put me on the
donkey and she walked beside us on foot. I urged my mother to also climb on,
but she didn't want to. She felt sorry for me because I was small. I then took
the chocolate out of my pocket and gave it to her, saying:
'Mom,
take it and you eat the chocolate that you may be strengthened for having walked
so many hours, since the donkey is taking me.'
Before
she refused, I put it in her hand. Then she paused and looked at it with tears
in her eyes. It had returned to her hands!"
This
Greek family was tormented with poverty and illness, and had such an ethos,
such love, such self-denial! Let us wonder at the them, but let us also imitate
them.
Source: http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2014/11/a-wonderful-family.html#more
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