"The Little Girl in Rags and Pope John Paul II"
A moving account by Fr. Pedro Opeka, CM of his work with the poorest of the poor in Madagascar.From 29 April to 2 May 1989, Pope John Paul II visited Madagascar. One day, I was in the midst of thousands of young people who had come to see the Holy Father. During the course of this ceremony, a little girl in rags, who was carrying her little brother on her back, went up to the podium. No one knew how she had managed to get near the Pope, evading the police guard.
The Pope responded by taking her in his arms and giving her a big hug. It was as if the Pope was embracing all the misery of the world. This little girl had certainly found the comforting tenderness for which she was hoping.
The gesture bowled me over. It was a renewed call from Jesus. This was an irresistible challenge. Both my heart and my reason spoke to me: “Now, you have to do something to improve the suffering of human poverty, the misery of this little girl and of so many others!”