He was a small boy for his age.  Just five years old and without a father since age three.  Beti, his mother looked after Adamo, her most perfect treasure.  They had very little in the way of material possessions, but never wanted for much.  Beti worked in a canning factory from July to November each year canning, first yellow beans, then tomatoes later in the season.  With this job and her cleaning job at the church she was able to support Adamo and herself.  While she worked, Adamo stayed with Beti’s sister Paula.

     Although she was Jewish, she would often pray after cleaning the church.  In her heart she knew her prayers would be heard, no matter where  she prayed.

     One day after her praying, the parish priest approached her, knowing she was Jewish, he asked her why she was praying here.  She answered saying, “I suppose you’re right, I shouldn’t be praying in your church.”  There was a tone of remorse and guilt in her voice.

    Hearing this, the priest spoke gently, “There, there my child, it is alright to pray here, I was just wondering aloud.  Your prayers will be heard I’m sure.”  The two of them walked slowly to the church entrance.  Before Beti left, the priest gave her a small, yet beautiful picture of Jesus as a young man.

     When Beti picked up Adamo, she told him about the picture.  After looking at it, Beti asked her son, “Where do you think we should put it?”

     Without any hesitation, Adamo said he wanted it in his room.  At that moment Beti decided this would be the best place for it.  She would put it on the wall above his bed.

     Not having a brother, Adamo soon began to look at the picture of Jesus and think of him as his brother.

     When Adamo turned six, his mother enrolled him in school.  The school was six blocks from their house but there was a well worn path through the woods at the back of the house other children used to shorten their trip.  For the first few days of school, Adamo’s mother walked with Adamo to school.  When school finished, she was always there to meet him.