The following is a submission for The Encouraging Times, handwritten and mailed to me from Eva in Spain.
It reads:
“I remember that some years ago, in Naples (Italy), the idea of the “caffè sospeso” (pending coffee) resumed. It consists of a customer paying the price of two coffees, but receiving and consuming only one. Later, when a poor person asks whether there is any pending coffee, he or she is served one for free. The idea spread around the world. In some places, there is a board where they announce the number of pending coffees they have (maybe also to encourage more people to participate, both paying or asking).
I have a friend who does the same at the motorway tolls: he pays his fee and the fee of the car right behind. It is not a great amount of money… but it always put a smile in the face of that unknown person.”
Thank you so much for sharing this story, Eva — and for being the first participant of The Encouraging Times!
I warmly invite you to share a story/moment/sighting from your life that made you feel encouraged/hopeful. I will share it here on the blog, such that its light can spread exponentially.