The last several months in my country have been the most difficult I’ve known, socially, politically, and economically. Many would say we are going through a famine. 

One morning a few days ago, as I approached a store where merchandise and food are resold at higher prices, some people on the street asked me, “Friend, can you give us something to eat?” How sad and troubling it was for me to see members of my community, whom I consider my brothers and sisters, in such a desperate state. I didn’t know what to say or do. Regrettably, the only thing that came out of my mouth was, “I’m sorry, I have to go.” 

When I got home, I cried. I spent some hours in sadness, until late afternoon when I contacted a Christian Science practitioner to pray for me, as I finally had to admit I needed Christian Science treatment. I realized the importance of not being too proud to ask for help, even though I am a Christian Science practitioner myself.

I received a spiritual uplift from the practitioner’s response, which was exactly what I needed to break through the sadness. It directed me to the first chapter of Genesis in the Bible and nourished me with comforting passages from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, all of which I drank in. These ideas woke me up to the reality of God’s spiritual creation and His infinite goodness—a goodness that is the natural expression of divine Love, which is continuous, unchanged by circumstances. 

I realized the importance of feeling the same compassion exemplified by Christ Jesus.

I also realized the importance of feeling the same compassion exemplified by Christ Jesus, who beheld the completeness of God’s spiritual creation, and of not being fooled by the false picture of incompleteness presented by the physical senses—a picture of suffering mortals with limited means. For it is only through this genuine compassion, which has its source in God, Love, that we can heal sickness and help our neighbors find their every need already met. 

The practitioner’s Christian Science treatment helped me see this and was really wonderful. I felt so good and light that I fell asleep. A little over an hour later, I woke up with a song of peace and happiness in my heart. 

A few days later, I went by bicycle to look for the people I had met at the store. They were there again, asking for food, and I gave them some fruit and vegetables from the garden I farm for food for my brother and me. We hugged one another. It was marvelous to see their faces light up with smiles of joy and gratitude. I told them that God, their Mother-Father, is the source of all good and loves all His children abundantly. When I said that I was a Christian Scientist, one of the men asked me to come to his home to share more about this Science. I went to visit him the next day and brought more fruit and vegetables from my garden. He introduced me to four members of his family. Surprised at my generosity, they asked me about my religion.

I told them that God, their Mother-Father, is the source of all good and loves all His children abundantly.

I spent several hours talking with them. I explained that Christian Science teaches that God’s goodness is abundant—in fact, unlimited—and that we are all the recipients of His goodness because we are His children. Christian Science also teaches the unbroken brotherhood of all of God’s children. One member of the family asked me to please come back every week so they might learn more about Christian Science. I went back to this man’s home frequently and lent him some of my Christian Science literature. His family has, in turn, connected me with other members of their community so that I can share Christian Science with them. 

I am grateful to be able to share the truths I’ve learned in Christian Science with anyone who wishes to hear and understand them. They can transform anyone’s outlook and life experience as they did for me—and can turn a day of sadness and affliction into one of joy and fellowship.