summary of a letter to god

 

Synopsis

A farmer named Lencho, whose entire corn crop was destroyed by a hailstorm, had a strong faith in God. Believing that God would help him, he wrote a letter asking for 100 pesos to survive and replant his fields. He mailed the letter simply addressed to "God."

The postmaster who received the letter was moved by Lencho's faith. Not wanting to disappoint him, the postmaster collected money from his employees and friends to help. However, he could only gather a little more than half the amount, 70 pesos. He put the money in an envelope and signed it "God."

When Lencho came to collect the reply, he was not surprised to get the money, but he was angry because it was less than he asked for. He immediately wrote another letter to God, complaining that he only received 70 pesos. He accused the post office employees of being crooks who must have stolen the rest, and he asked God to send the remaining money, but not through the mail.

Detailed summary

The story revolves around Lencho, a hardworking farmer who lives with his family in a solitary house on a hill in a fertile valley. From this height, one can see his fields of ripe corn, brightened with flowers that promise a good harvest. The only thing missing was rain. Lencho, who knows his fields intimately, spends the morning watching the sky toward the northeast, predicting a downpour. His wife, busy preparing supper, responds with quiet faith, “Yes, God willing.” While the older children work in the fields, the younger ones play near the house until called for dinner.

As predicted by Lencho, rain begins during the meal. The sky darkens with enormous clouds, and the air becomes fresh and sweet. Lencho goes out to enjoy the rain on his body, marveling at the drops, which he compares to coins, delighted at the thought of the blessing the rain will bring to his crops. Suddenly, however, the gentle rain turns into a destructive hailstorm. Large hailstones fall like silver coins, pounding the house, garden, and valley for an hour. By the time the storm ends, the cornfield is destroyed; trees are stripped of leaves, flowers obliterated. Lencho, surveying the ruined field, feels immense sadness. He tells his sons that even a plague of locusts would have left more than the hailstorm. His heart fills with despair as he contemplates the coming hunger: “All our work, for nothing. There’s no one who can help us.” Yet, amid this hopelessness, a single hope remains: divine assistance. Lencho firmly believes that God, who sees all and knows what is in people’s hearts, will help him.

Despite being a man who works like an ox in the fields, Lencho knows how to write. On the following Sunday, at daybreak, he begins writing a letter to God. In it, he requests one hundred pesos to sow his fields again and to support his family until the next harvest. He explains the damage caused by the hailstorm. After finishing the letter, he writes “To God” on the envelope, places the letter inside, and takes it to town himself. At the post office, he affixes a stamp and drops the letter into the mailbox.

The post office employees notice Lencho’s unusual letter and are amused. One postman shows it to his boss, laughing at the address. The postmaster, a friendly and jovial man, also laughs but soon grows serious. Touched by Lencho’s unwavering faith in God, he remarks, “What faith! I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter. Starting up a correspondence with God!” Determined not to shake Lencho’s belief, the postmaster decides to respond. Realizing that fulfilling the request requires more than goodwill, he collects contributions from his employees, donates part of his own salary, and convinces friends to contribute. Although he cannot raise the full hundred pesos, he manages to gather a little over half the requested amount. He places the money in an envelope addressed to Lencho and includes a note signed simply, “God.”

The following Sunday, Lencho arrives early at the post office, eagerly looking for his letter. The postman hands it to him while the postmaster watches, experiencing quiet satisfaction at having helped someone in need. Lencho is not surprised to see the money, showing his absolute faith that God has answered his request. However, as he counts the money, he becomes angry. Lencho cannot fathom that God would make a mistake or send only part of what he asked for. Convinced that something went wrong, he immediately begins to write another letter.

Using the public writing table, he carefully composes his message, struggling to express himself. Once finished, he buys a stamp, affixes it, and sends the letter back. The note, addressed to God, reads: “Of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much. But don’t send it through the mail because the post office employees are a bunch of crooks.” Lencho’s unwavering faith remains intact, but he blames human intermediaries for the perceived shortfall, completely unaware that the money had been collected and sent by the very post office employees he distrusts.

The story humorously yet poignantly captures the themes of faith, human generosity, innocence, and irony. Lencho’s trust in God is absolute, reflecting a deep belief that divine help will come even in the face of total disaster. The postmaster and the post office employees, moved by Lencho’s faith, act with selfless kindness, illustrating human compassion. Yet, the irony lies in Lencho’s misattribution of the shortfall, blaming the very people who acted charitably, underscoring both the purity and naivety of his faith. Through this narrative, the author highlights the power of hope, the innocence of simple faith, and the unexpected ways in which human generosity can manifest.