A LETTER TO GOD

A LETTER TO GOD 

SUMMARY

Lencho, a poor farmer, lived with his family on a low hill. His fields of ripe corn promised a good harvest, but he prayed for a little rain. The rain came, but soon turned into a hailstorm that destroyed the entire crop. The family was heartbroken. Lencho, however, had unshakeable faith in God and believed that God would help them.

He wrote a letter to God asking for 100 pesos to sow the field again and survive until the next harvest. The postman laughed on seeing the address, but the postmaster, touched by Lencho’s faith, decided to help. He and his colleagues collected money and managed 70 pesos, which they sent to Lencho in an envelope signed “God”.

When Lencho received the money, he wasn’t surprised—his faith was that deep. But when he counted it, he grew angry, convinced that some of the money was missing. He wrote another letter to God, asking for the rest of the money but requesting that it not be sent “through the mail”, as the post office employees were “a bunch of crooks”.

The story ends with gentle irony — Lencho’s innocent faith leads him to misjudge the kind people who actually helped him.

CHARACTER SKETCHES

Lencho

·         A simple, hardworking farmer.

·         Deeply devoted to his family and his land.

·         His faith in God is absolute and unquestioning.

·         Innocent and naive — he believes God can receive letters.

·         His honesty and trust make him admirable, though his suspicion of the post office adds irony to the story.

The Postmaster

·         Kind, generous, and compassionate.

·         Deeply moved by Lencho’s faith.

·         He collects money to help Lencho, wanting to preserve his belief in God.

·         Though anonymous in his kindness, he is ironically accused of theft.

Q. Who was Lencho?

ANSWER: Lencho was a poor but hard-working farmer who lived on the crest of a low hill. He was simple, honest, and had deep faith in God.

Q. What were Lencho’s fields like?

ANSWER: Lencho’s fields were full of ripe corn with flowers that promised a good harvest.

Q. What did Lencho hope for?

ANSWER: Lencho hoped for rain to ensure a good harvest.

Q. What did Lencho compare the raindrops to?

ANSWER: Lencho compared the raindrops to new coins — the big drops to ten-cent pieces and the small ones to five-cent pieces.

Q. What happened to Lencho’s crops after the hailstorm?

ANSWER: The hailstorm destroyed his entire crop. Not a leaf remained, and the field looked white, as if covered with salt.

Q. How did Lencho feel after the hailstorm?

ANSWER: After the hailstorm, Lencho was filled with sadness and hopelessness, thinking that his family would go hungry that year.

Q. What was Lencho’s only hope?

ANSWER: Lencho’s only hope was help from God.

Q. What did Lencho write in his letter to God?

ANSWER: Lencho, in his letter, requested God to send him 100 pesos to sow his fields again and survive until the next harvest.

Q. Who read Lencho’s letter?

ANSWER: The postmaster read Lencho’s letter.

Q. What did the postmaster do after reading the letter?

ANSWER: The postmaster was deeply moved by Lencho’s faith and decided to collect money to help him.

Q. How much money did Lencho receive?

ANSWER: Lencho received 70 pesos instead of 100.

Q. Why did Lencho become angry after opening the letter?

ANSWER: Lencho became angry after opening the letter because he thought God had sent the full amount, but the post office employees had stolen 30 pesos.

Q. What did Lencho write in his second letter to God?

ANSWER: In his second letter, Lencho asked God to send him the remaining 30 pesos but not through the post office, as he believed the employees were “a bunch of crooks”.

Q. Describe Lencho’s faith in God.

ANSWER: Lencho’s faith in God was firm and innocent. Even after losing everything in the hailstorm, he believed God would help him. He wrote directly to God, asking for money, and never doubted that the money he received came from Him. His faith was so strong that he even blamed the post office employees instead of doubting God.

Q. How did the postmaster and his employees help Lencho?

ANSWER: The postmaster collected money from his staff and friends and added part of his own salary. They managed to collect 70 pesos and sent it to Lencho, signing the letter as “God” to preserve his faith.

Q. What is the irony in the story?

ANSWER: The irony in the story lies in the fact that Lencho blamed the very people who helped him. He thought the post office employees had stolen part of the money sent by God, while they were the ones who collected and sent it.

Q. What lessons does the story teach us?

ANSWER: The story teaches us the value of faith, kindness, and charity. It also shows how blind faith can sometimes lead to misunderstanding, yet innocence and belief in goodness remain touching human qualities.

Q. Discuss the two conflicts in the story.

ANSWER: The story shows two conflicts:

·         Between humans and nature: Lencho’s crops are destroyed by a hailstorm.

·        Between humans themselves: Lencho’s distrust of the post office employees despite their good deed.

Q. Match the storms with their meanings:

·         Cyclone – A violent tropical storm with strong winds in a circle.

·         Gale – An extremely strong wind.

·         Typhoon – A violent tropical storm with very strong winds.

·         Tornado – A storm whose centre is a funnel-shaped cloud.

·         Hurricane – A violent storm in the western Atlantic Ocean.

·         Whirlwind – A strong spinning wind that causes damage.

Q. Find metaphors used in the story:

Object	Metaphor	Quality Compared
Clouds	Huge mountains	Their mass and size
Raindrops	New coins	Value and prosperity
Hailstones	Silver coins	Appearance and shape
Lencho	An ox of a man	Strength and hard work