The Miracle

 This is the true story of an eight-year-old girl who knew that love can work wonders. Her little brother was destined to die from a brain tumor. Her parents were poor, but they did everything they could to save him, spending all their savings.

One evening, the father said to the mother in tears: "We can't take it anymore, dear. I think it's over. Only a miracle could save him."

The little girl, breathless, had heard in a corner of the room.

She ran to her room, broke the piggy bank, and quietly headed to the nearest pharmacy. She waited patiently for her turn. She approached the counter, stood on tiptoe, and in front of the amazed pharmacist, put all the coins on the counter.

"What is it for? What do you want, little one?"

"It's for my little brother, Mr. Pharmacist. He's very sick and I've come to buy a miracle."

"What are you talking about?" muttered the Pharmacist.

"His name is Andrea, and he has something growing inside his head, and Dad told Mom that it's over, there's nothing more to be done and that it would take a miracle to save him. You see, I love my little brother so much, that's why I took all my money and came to buy a miracle."

The pharmacist smiled sadly.

"My little one, we don't sell miracles here."

"But if this money isn't enough, I can work hard to find more. How much does a miracle cost?"

There was a tall, elegant man in the pharmacy, with a very serious air, who seemed interested in the strange conversation.

The pharmacist spread his arms in shame. The little girl, with tears in her eyes, began to collect her coins. The man approached her.

"Why are you crying, little one? What's wrong with you?"

"The pharmacist doesn't want to sell me a miracle or even tell me how much it costs... It's for my little brother Andrea who is very sick. Mom says he needs an operation, but Dad says it costs too much and we can't afford it and that it would take a miracle to save him. That's why I brought everything I have."

"How much do you have?"

"A dollar and eleven cents…. But, you know…." He added in a thin voice, "I can still find something….".

The man smiled. “Look, I don’t think that’s necessary. One dollar and eleven cents is exactly the price of a miracle for your little brother!” He picked up the small sum with one hand and gently took the little girl’s hand with the other.

"Take me to your house, little one. I want to see your little brother and also your dad and mommy and see with them if we can find the little miracle you need."

The tall, elegant gentleman and the little girl walked out holding hands.

That man was Professor Carlton Armstrong, one of the world's greatest neurosurgeons. He operated on little Andrea, who was able to return home a few weeks later completely healed.

"This operation," murmured the mother, "is a real miracle. I wonder how much it cost…"

The little sister smiled without saying anything. She knew how much the miracle had cost: one dollar and eleven cents…. plus, of course, the love and faith of a little girl.

If you had faith as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there, and it will move.' Nothing will be impossible for you (Matthew 17:20).

Don Bruno Ferrero, from the book: There's still someone who dances - Elledici editions