I vividly remember that October in 2008, in Valladolid. Perhaps it was that experience that left the deepest impression in my history as a member of the St John of God family, my first begging basket, when I really came to recognise John of God in the faces of other people. 

In most cases I did not know any of these people, but they opened up their hearts to me and welcomed me in as one of their own. Then it was that I realised what the fruit of hospitality means, and I paid particular attention to becoming acquainted with the Saint of Granada.

I had heard about him in my homeland, Peru, when the people spoke about the children’s hospital, and I was always curious to find out who he really was. Then time passed, and some dreams come true… was it possible that John of God knew about me, and attracted me to his house? I believe he did, and that he guided my steps into his institution to enable me to become better acquainted with it. And so it was in Valladolid that my senses were opened up and I came to know him. Knowing him was the key to my question: How did John manage to love people like this?

Sometimes I think that people can find the key to love, the divine essence that lives in each one of us, that essence called God-Love, which enables men and women to continue to follow his example to this very day, in their work and in their free time, in devoting themselves the way we see them beside us, giving us a smile. Men men and women who I saw that day in the begging basket, and gave me the smile of John of God that day in October.