In the US, the little girl who, perhaps without knowing it, prefers Bergoglio to Susanita
Story of a little African American girl who gives up her six-year birthday gifts just to celebrate with Chicago's homeless.
Chicago. Armani Crews' birthday was approaching, but as days went by little Armani, soon to turn six, kept insisting with her parents to be allowed that day to feed the homeless in her neighborhood. Ms. Artesha, her mother, thinking she was joking, one day said: "All right Armani, but this will mean that you will have no gifts for your birthday ...."
Only when her daughter replied, "of course, we will use that money to have a party also with the homeless," she realized that her daughter was serious. And so, with great surprise, that day she told her, "All right, we will make them some sandwiches." But even that wasn’t enough for Armani: "Mom, but why shouldn’t they also eat what we eat on my birthday?".
When the Crews family spread the news on social media and in the family church about their decision to spend $ 300 initially intended for Armani’s party, in the purchase of food to help the homeless instead, that little ad became a city event in a very short time. Armani's friends were enthusiastic and decided to join in the Crews’ initiative. And when the day of Armani’s sixth birthday arrived, a herd of children gathered in the 'East Garfield Park in Chicago with cakes, drinks and many more goodies. That day, 125 homeless celebrated Armani’s 6-year birthday. For them were also collected necessities, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors.
African-American daughter, little Armani found herself photographed behind the counter with fruit, sweets and much more. A picture that appeared not only on CNN, but also in many US and British newspapers, several of which recalled the official figures of 2015 indicating that there are 500 thousand homeless people in the United States.
The most striking thing of this American story is the touching parallel with what then Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio wrote in "The sky and the earth", about a certain kind of "charity", by citing Susanita, the character of comic strip Mafalda: "For me I’ll buy some nice refreshments, snacks, sweets and all the good things, but I’ll get cornmeal, beans and all the rubbish that the poor eat." Like Bergoglio, also little Armani doesn’t like this kind of charity and to whom interviewed her she just kindly said, "I'm so happy, it was beautiful."
