Chapter 1: A Letter to God

Introduction

'A Letter to God' is a touching story written by G.L. Fuentes that depicts the unshakeable faith of a farmer named Lencho in God. The story shows how, after a natural calamity, Lencho, despite losing his entire crop, hoped for help from God and wrote a letter directly to Him.

Story Summary

Lencho was a farmer whose house was situated on the crest of a low hill. His entire crop was destroyed by a hailstorm, leaving him and his family on the verge of starvation. Lencho had only one hope left – help from God. He wrote a letter to God, asking for 100 pesos so he could sow his field again and support his family.

He went to the town's post office and dropped the letter into the mailbox. The postmaster, who read the letter, was deeply impressed by Lencho's unwavering faith. He decided to help Lencho and collected money from his employees and friends to keep Lencho's faith in God alive. However, they could only collect 70 pesos. The postmaster put the money in an envelope and signed it 'God' before sending it to Lencho.

When Lencho received the money, he became angry because he thought God had sent him less money. He didn't doubt God at all; instead, he believed that the post office employees had stolen the remaining money. He immediately wrote another letter to God, requesting the rest of the money and explicitly asking God not to send it through the mail this time, as he considered the post office employees to be a 'bunch of crooks'.

Illustration of a farmer writing a letter.

Main Characters

Key Themes

Textbook Questions and Answers

I. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.

  1. Where was Lencho's house situated?

    Lencho's house was situated on the crest of a low hill, from where his field of ripe corn and the river were clearly visible.

  2. What did Lencho hope for his crop?

    Lencho hoped for a good rain or at least a shower for his crop.

  3. Why did Lencho write his first letter to God?

    Lencho's crop was completely destroyed by hailstones, and he needed money to feed his family, so he asked God for help.

  4. How many pesos did Lencho ask for in the letter?

    Lencho asked God for 100 pesos.

  5. What did Lencho think about the post office employees?

    Lencho thought that the post office employees were a 'bunch of crooks' and believed they had stolen his money.

II. Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words.

  1. Why did the postmaster decide to help Lencho?

    The postmaster was deeply impressed by Lencho's unwavering faith in God. He didn't want to shake Lencho's faith, so he decided to help him by collecting money from himself, his employees, and his friends.

  2. Why was Lencho not happy when he received the money?

    Lencho was not happy because he expected God to send him the full 100 pesos, but he only received 70 pesos. He felt that the post office employees had stolen the rest of the money, and he had no doubt about God's ability or willingness to send the full amount.

  3. What is the irony in the story?

    The irony in the story is that the very people, the post office employees, who helped Lencho by collecting money for him, were called a 'bunch of crooks' by Lencho. Lencho's unwavering faith in God made him suspect the honesty of human beings instead of questioning God.

III. Answer the following question in about 100-150 words.

  1. How does the story 'A Letter to God' depict Lencho's unwavering faith in God?

    The story 'A Letter to God' brilliantly portrays Lencho's incredibly strong faith in God. When his entire crop is destroyed by hailstones and he has no other hope left, Lencho turns solely to God for help. His act of deciding to write a letter directly to God, detailing his needs and requesting 100 pesos, is itself a testament to his unwavering belief. This action is extraordinary, as in normal circumstances, no one would think of writing a letter directly to the Almighty.

    Furthermore, when he receives 70 pesos, he isn't surprised that God responded; instead, he becomes angry that the amount is less than what he requested. This demonstrates that he had absolutely no doubt about God's existence or His readiness to help. His faith is so profound that he attributes the discrepancy not to God but to the post office employees, whom he misunderstands and believes to be dishonest. This story teaches us how unshakeable faith can provide hope in desperate situations, even if reality might manifest a little differently than expected.



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