"A Letter to God" Summary

Overview of "A Letter to God"

• The story revolves around faith, particularly the unwavering belief of a farmer named Lencho.
• Lencho is a farmer who has immense faith in God

Lencho's Initial Situation and Hopes

• Lencho cultivates his field with the hope of a bountiful harvest.
• He anticipates good rains that will lead to a profitable yield.
• His joy at the sight of rain turns to despair when the rainfall transforms into a hailstorm.
• The hailstorm devastates his entire crop, covering his field like a blanket of salt.
• This loss puts Lencho and his family in a precarious situation, threatening their survival.

Lencho's Letter to God

• Despite his despair, Lencho's faith in God remains unshaken.
• He decides to write a letter to God, seeking financial assistance.
• He requests 100 pesos to sow his fields again and sustain his family.
• Lencho fears that without this help, he and his family will starve.
• After writing the letter, he goes to the mail box to submit it

The Postmaster's Reaction and Decision

• The postman is surprised to see a letter addressed to God.
• The postmaster initially laughs at the unusual letter but then becomes serious upon understanding Lencho's plight
• The postmaster is first amused by the letter but then deeply moved by Lencho's unwavering faith.
• He decides to help Lencho to preserve his faith in God.
• The postmaster contributes a part of his salary and encourages his colleagues to donate.
• Despite their efforts, they only manage to collect 70 pesos.

The Response and Lencho's Reaction

• The postmaster sends the 70 pesos to Lencho in an envelope, making it appear as if it's a reply from God.
• Lencho is not surprised to receive the letter, as he expects God's help.
• Lencho becomes angry upon counting the money and discovering only 70 pesos.
• He writes another letter to God, expressing his disappointment that 30 pesos are missing.
• Lencho suspects that the post office employees are dishonest and have stolen the remaining amount.
• He asks God to send the remaining amount directly to him, bypassing the post office.

Key Vocabulary

• Peasant/Farmer: A person who cultivates the land.
• Harvest: The process or period of gathering crops.
• Drizzle: A light rain.
• Hailstones: Pellets of ice falling in a shower.
• Plague: To cause continual trouble or distress to.
• Famished: Extremely hungry.

Important points

• Lencho was a hard working farmer
• He has a strong belief in God
• His crop gets destroyed by the hailstorm
• He writes a letter to God asking for a hundred pesos
• The postmaster reads the letter and decides to help Lencho to not break his faith
• The postmaster, with the help of everyone, managed to collect 70 pesos
• He was not surprised when he got the letter as his faith was strong, but he was angry when he counted only 70 pesos
• He again, writes a letter to God asking to send the rest of the money directly and not through the post office as he suspects them of stealing

Post Reading Comprehension and Analysis

• The postmaster sends money because he doesn't want Lencho's faith in God to be shaken.
• Lencho doesn't find out who sent the money as his faith in God is strong.
• It is not common to find people like Lencho in the world
• He was a faithful and innocent man, but he did not show stupidity or greed.
• Lencho believes the post office stole the money
• He calls them a "bunch of crooks"

Summary of "A Letter to God", about Lencho's unwavering faith in God. After a hailstorm destroys his crops, Lencho writes a letter to God asking for 100 pesos to replant his fields and provide for his family.