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Because
Nicolosa Donlucas had 50 cents, hands for work, and a heart
for love, 103 poor Mexicans celebrated Christmas back in 1959
when this story took place.
Nicolosa, a tiny, work-worn
cleaning lady at the Plaza Community Center in Los Angeles,
earned $90 a month. She spoke no English, but one summer day
the Rev. Nicolas Davila, minister at the Center, told her,
in Spanish, the parable of the talents—how from a little,
much good could come. And the minister dropped a half dollar
into the woman's hand.
"This is a talent,"
he said. "Use it wisely, and it will increase."
Nicolosa looked at the coin
in her work-worn hand and considered the parable. Surely it
was more than a story. …
Some days later, Nicolosa timidly
approached the minister and handed him $17.50.
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"This is for the Center," she said. And she explained
how she'd taken the 50 cents and bought cheese and tortillas.
She had then made enchiladas and sold them to the neighbors,
and continued the operation until she had $35. Half was for
the Center and the other half she could use for making more
enchiladas after work.
"This is what the story meant,
is it not so?" she asked and returned to her work.
One day later, Nicolosa showed
the minister a bankbook—she had earned $100 making enchiladas.
The money she earned was not
for herself. She knew only too well how many poor there are
in Mexico and so she had written to
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her
brother there for the names of 33 orphans in the town of
Nochistalin and 33 in the town of San Luis. She also wrote
another brother in Mexico for the names of 33 elderly people
who were alone or hungry.
And so when Christmas morning
arrived, 66 orphans and 33 old people received a gift from
the tiny janitress. There was even a little money left to
help brighten the day for four prisoners in Mexican jails.
When Nicolosa told the minister
of her plans he had asked, "But why 33 orphans in each
of two towns and 33 old people?"
"Because that is the
number of years Jesus lived," Nicolosa explained. "I
want to say ‘Happy Birthday' to Baby Jesus."
*
* *
The
joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others' burdens,
easing others' loads, and supplanting empty hearts and lives
with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas.
—W.
C. Jones
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Peace
on earth will come to stay,
When we live Christmas
every day.
—Helen
Steiner Rice
If
there is no way to give a festive gift, give love away.
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