A Letter to God

A poor farmer writes to God for money after a hailstorm ruins his crop; kind post-office workers secretly help him, but his unquestioning faith in God and his refusal to believe in human goodness create the story's central irony.

The story shows how Lencho's simple, absolute faith moves the postmaster to organise charity, yet Lencho cannot accept that ordinary people could be generous: he calls the post office employees 'a bunch of crooks' while thanking God for the help they actually gave. Faith, kindness, and dramatic irony work together to make this a memorable tale.

The story shows how Lencho's simple, absolute faith moves the postmaster to organise charity, yet Lencho cannot accept that ordinary people could be generous: he calls the post office employees 'a bunch of crooks' while thanking God for the help they actually gave. Faith, kindness, and dramatic irony work together to make this a memorable tale.

Lencho was a farmer who lived on the crest of a low hill with his wife and sons. His fields in the valley needed only a little rain or a shower to give a good harvest. He was known in the valley as 'an ox of a man' for his hard work, but above all he had firm faith in God. He believed that God could see everything, even what was in one's conscience.

Lencho lived with his family on the crest of a low hill. From there he could see his fields and the river in the valley. The earth needed only a little water for the corn to ripen; Lencho was certain of a good harvest. He worked like an ox, but what defined him most was his deep faith. He told his wife that if they had a good harvest, no one would go hungry, because God would not let them suffer. He believed God sees everything: even what is in a man's conscience.

Lencho lived with his family on the crest of a low hill. From there he could see his fields and the river in the valley. The earth needed only a little water for the corn to ripen; Lencho was certain of a good harvest. He worked like an ox, but what defined him most was his deep faith. He told his wife that if they had a good harvest, no one would go hungry, because God would not let them suffer. He believed God sees everything: even what is in a man's conscience.

While Lencho's family was eating supper, big raindrops began to fall and a strong wind blew. Soon large hailstones destroyed the corn, flowers, and even the leaves on the trees. The field was white as if covered with salt. Lencho's soul was filled with sadness. 'The hail has left nothing,' he said. 'This year we will have no corn. We will all go hungry.'

That evening, as the family sat at supper, rain began to fall and a strong wind rose. Within moments large hailstones pelted the house and the fields. Not a leaf remained on the trees; the flowers were gone; the corn was totally destroyed. The whole valley looked white, as if covered with salt. Lencho, who had lived for his crop, stood in the middle of the field and said, 'It's all over. The hail has left nothing. This year we will have no corn. We will all go hungry.'

That evening, as the family sat at supper, rain began to fall and a strong wind rose. Within moments large hailstones pelted the house and the fields. Not a leaf remained on the trees; the flowers were gone; the corn was totally destroyed. The whole valley looked white, as if covered with salt. Lencho, who had lived for his crop, stood in the middle of the field and said, 'It's all over. The hail has left nothing. This year we will have no corn. We will all go hungry.'

All through the night Lencho thought only of one hope: help from God. The next morning he wrote a letter to God asking for a hundred pesos so that he could sow his field again and live until the next crop. He addressed it simply 'To God', put a stamp on it, and dropped it into the mailbox.

All night Lencho thought of only one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, he said, see everything: even what is deep in one's conscience. In the morning he went to town, asked for paper and ink, and began to write. He needed a hundred pesos to sow the field again and to live until the new crop. He wrote 'To God', placed a stamp on the envelope, and dropped it into the mailbox. A worker at the post office laughed at the address, but the postmaster took the letter seriously.

All night Lencho thought of only one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, he said, see everything: even what is deep in one's conscience. In the morning he went to town, asked for paper and ink, and began to write. He needed a hundred pesos to sow the field again and to live until the new crop. He wrote 'To God', placed a stamp on the envelope, and dropped it into the mailbox. A worker at the post office laughed at the address, but the postmaster took the letter seriously.

The postmaster, a fat, amiable man, was moved by Lencho's faith. He did not want to shake that belief. He collected money from his employees, friends, and even gave part of his own salary. He put the money in an envelope addressed to Lencho and signed it 'God'.

The postmaster was a fat, amiable fellow. When he read Lencho's letter to God, he was struck by the writer's deep faith. He did not want the sender's faith to be broken. To keep Lencho's trust in God and in the honesty of the post office alive, he asked his employees and friends to help. He himself gave part of his salary. He put all the collected money in an envelope addressed to Lencho and wrote a single word as signature: 'God'.

The postmaster was a fat, amiable fellow. When he read Lencho's letter to God, he was struck by the writer's deep faith. He did not want the sender's faith to be broken. To keep Lencho's trust in God and in the honesty of the post office alive, he asked his employees and friends to help. He himself gave part of his salary. He put all the collected money in an envelope addressed to Lencho and wrote a single word as signature: 'God'.

When Lencho came to the post office the following Sunday, the postman handed him the letter. Lencho was not at all surprised to find money inside. He had firm faith in God. But when he counted the money, he became angry: there were only seventy pesos, not a hundred.

The following Sunday Lencho arrived a little earlier than usual and asked if there was a letter for him. The postmaster himself handed him the envelope. Lencho showed no surprise; his faith was too strong for that. But his smile slowly disappeared as he counted the money. He had asked God for a hundred pesos, yet he found only seventy. He could not believe that God had made a mistake, nor that God could deny him what he had asked for.

The following Sunday Lencho arrived a little earlier than usual and asked if there was a letter for him. The postmaster himself handed him the envelope. Lencho showed no surprise; his faith was too strong for that. But his smile slowly disappeared as he counted the money. He had asked God for a hundred pesos, yet he found only seventy. He could not believe that God had made a mistake, nor that God could deny him what he had asked for.

Lencho went immediately to the writing desk and asked for paper and ink. He wrote another letter to God. He thanked God for the money, but asked for the rest of the thirty pesos. He said he needed a hundred pesos urgently and did not want God to send it through the mail.

Without wasting time, Lencho went up to the desk and asked for paper, ink, and a pen. He began another letter to God. He wrote that he had received only seventy pesos, though he had asked for a hundred. God must have made a mistake. He requested the remaining thirty pesos and added that he needed the money very badly. He also asked God not to send it through the mail, because he believed the post office employees were a bunch of crooks who might have stolen the missing money.

Without wasting time, Lencho went up to the desk and asked for paper, ink, and a pen. He began another letter to God. He wrote that he had received only seventy pesos, though he had asked for a hundred. God must have made a mistake. He requested the remaining thirty pesos and added that he needed the money very badly. He also asked God not to send it through the mail, because he believed the post office employees were a bunch of crooks who might have stolen the missing money.

The story ends on a note of sharp irony. The very people who showed kindness and gave their own money to help Lencho are the ones he calls crooks. He trusts God completely but refuses to trust human beings: even those who acted out of goodwill and conscience.

The ending is deeply ironic. Lencho's faith in God is absolute, yet his faith in his fellow human beings is zero. The postmaster and his employees collected money out of genuine sympathy, yet Lencho assumes they stole thirty pesos. He thanks God for the help that actually came from ordinary people. The story thus contrasts blind faith, human charity, and the comic-tragic gap between what Lencho believes and what really happened.

The ending is deeply ironic. Lencho's faith in God is absolute, yet his faith in his fellow human beings is zero. The postmaster and his employees collected money out of genuine sympathy, yet Lencho assumes they stole thirty pesos. He thanks God for the help that actually came from ordinary people. The story thus contrasts blind faith, human charity, and the comic-tragic gap between what Lencho believes and what really happened.