smile was so much more infectious and welcoming than the nagging he received at home fr

such a debt that he was now a family slave. She l

was definitely

or were both schedule

this afternoo

… you should come. I think it

t is

t have to w

, and they drove to a run-down part of town. Kids wer

s this

until about three or four years ago. Since then, it has gone downhill fast. They were

happ

nk there was anyone left who cared enough to make

out of the center just then, “

der man. “Conor, meet Johnathan. He has been

ed, young Conor

man's hand. “I …ummm, I dimly reme

ince I last saw you. Your mother wa

hem, surprised, “you

a beloved follower of Celia. She touched many lives.” Johnathan beamed

he explained, “We have many needs, but we make do with what we have. From time to tim

is anything I can do to help, please don’t hesitat

u. No need to worry. Just be open to Celia’s voice and willing to

I must get back to my tasks, but please, feel free to come by any time,

ce, Cara tugged on his arm. “Come on. L

ers around age five to ten. “Every

kids as they went back to dr

made use of even the tiniest scraps o

d hugged Cara and peaked at Conor,

a turned red, “No Emma, we are not da

ed her head from her drawing as she cas

ged. “Hannah says some random things. Sometimes I a

any other kid he had seen. “Are her parents immigrants? She doe

er family has always been local. Her mom works in one of the Bened

little in the way of comforts but they still found reason to smile, play, and make friends. Conor was amazed at how content they wer

ness was something he could help

ughts with a tap on his shoulde

had two long ropes and were doing a fun double dutch challenge. Two of the

e, the double ropes spinning around all three of them. She and the kid

stepped out of the ropes so t

uld jump rope like t

kids, you pick up a thing or

t on my face,” Co

time they will coa

simple joy infectious to all around them. He was sad to have to l