Livia, aged seven, was very sad. Sitting on her bed, she cried. Her mother would always scold and ground her for any little thing, and she could not stand it anymore.

Right now, she was grounded in her room because she had quarrelled with her two year-old sister Beth.

Livia felt the most miserable of all creatures.

Suddenly, she decided: "I'm running away from home. Surely the streets are better than staying here, where no one likes me."

Thus, Livia waited for a time when everyone was busy to run away from home without anyone seeing her. After lunch was the best time: her father would have had returned to work, her mother would be resting, her older brother at school and little Beth sleeping.

So, she picked up a briefcase and put some things she would need in it: a few pieces of clothing, her favorite doll, a chocolate bar, and she waited. When the house got quiet, she went out the front door quietly.
 

On the street, nobody saw her. She began to walk around without knowing where to go. Her little heart was tight. Holding back tears she continued walking, feeling like she was the most miserable of all girls. She walked and walked... Before she noticed, she was out of the small town. She was in a road that she did not know and there was no one who could give her directions. Exhausted, she sat on the briefcase. She did not know what to do. She was lost! Livia felt very alone. She wanted to run to the arms of her mother, but her mother was not there. Or into the strong arms of her father, who would

throw her into the air, making her scream with fear of height. Or her brother Hugo, who had always been nice to her, helping her with her homework when she could not do it by herself.

Livia sighed. She even missed little Beth! Beth loved her and clung to her legs, wanting to go for a walk; Livia would hold her hand and take her to the sidewalk, or they would go to the corner shop to buy candy, which she loved!

Livia even fondly remembered her school. She would never see her friends or her good and kind teacher again.

Feeling miserable and alone Livia began to cry.

And what was worse: it was now dusk! What to do? In that isolated place, she had no one to turn to! She could hear strange noises like animal noises that made her scared. She snuggled up to a tree, trying to keep warm but trembled with fear and cold.

Right then, Livia recalled that her mother would always say a prayer with her before bedtime. So, with that happy memory, the girl prayed to Jesus:

- Lord Jesus, help me! Send someone to help me. I'm very scared and I know my family is worried about me. I want to go home! I've always been happy there, I recognize it now! Help me, Jesus!

After that prayer from the bottom of her heart, Livia hung her head and began to cry.

After crying for a long time she fell asleep. She woke up frightened, feeling that someone was pulling her sleeve. It was a small boy, dressed very poorly, with a cap on his head.

- What are you doing here, girl? - he asked. - Are you lost ? Where do you live? - he asked again, concerned to see such little a girl alone in a secluded place at dusk.

Livia was so scared she could only nod in agreement. Then she told to him where she lived. The boy's eyes widened.

- You've walked a lot! Your home is far from here! I'll take you there. But first, come with me to my house which is nearby. You must be hungry.

Livia accepted; she had already eaten the chocolate bar and was hungry and thirsty.

Arriving at his house, Philip told his parents how he found her. The house was simple but cozy. His parents kindly welcomed the visitor. After taking a delicious bowl of soup, accompanied by homemade bread, she said goodbye to her hosts thanking them for their hospitality.

Thus, in the company of Philip, Livia made the journey back to her home. Now more lively, she was talking to her new friend and did not even notice time pass.
 

- Did you go for a walk and did not take me? Why?

- I did not go for a walk, Beth. It's a long story! I will you tell you later - she said picking her up, and crying and laughing at the same time.

They went into the living room and sat on the couch. Livia introduced her new friend to her parents, and Philip told them how he had found the girl alone in a secluded place.

Then Livia explained what had happened during the hours that she were outside their home, and ended by saying:

- I love you so much. It took being alone in a secluded place, with fear and cold, to understand how much I love you. Thanks to Philip I'm here! Now I recognize that family is the most important thing we have in life! ...

She embraced everyone, vowed never to run away from home again, and said:

- I asked Jesus for help and He sent Philip to help me! Thank you, Jesus! ...

 

MEIMEI

 

(Psychographed by Celia X. de Camargo on 10/03/2014.)