A Missing Button

This is an excerpt, entitled “A Missing Button,” from Simple Faith: Stories from Guatemala by Fr. Phil Schotzko.

I had come to Guatemala with a pair of pants that somehow was missing the button above the zipper. It simply disappeared in the wash one day and now, for several months, I had been making do by locking the zipper securely and tightening my belt over the buttonhole and the adjacent flap. It worked, more or less, but I just couldn’t get over the uncomfortable feeling that, when I least expected it, the zipper would sneak down as I stopped to pick up something. This would not be a catastrophe in itself but, unnoticed, it could be rather embarrassing.

One day I was walking through the kitchen wearing these pants which, in spite of this slight flaw, were one of my favorites. As usual, old Martha was there, and a group of young, giggly Mayan girls who helped with the meals. Now Martha is an interesting woman. The daughter of a “healer,” she has hundreds of natural medicinal cures and black hair and two braids that fall over her shoulders. She generally wears a slightly tattered cardigan that is unbuttoned most of the time. She had worked as a cook with the sisters and priests for many years and considered them her family. However, knowing this did not prepare me for what she was about to do.

As I bent to capture a carrot that had escaped from the cutting board I remembered the pants that I was wearing. Self-consciously I took a quick look to make sure all was well. But somewhat tired of the charade, I mentioned to Martha my little problem because sometimes she would do some mending for me. I asked, “Martha, would you happen to know if there is an old button laying around that would work to fix my pants?” Then I indicated the size I might need. I thought every house had a button box, as we did at home, but I’ve since learned that here buttons, like rags, are a rare and precious commodity.

Martha’s response was so quick and I was so startled that I didn’t have time to stop her. She whisked a scissors off the table and, without hesitation, snipped off the button and gave it to me. “Here,” she said, “You can use the bottom button from my sweater. I never use it.”

I could do nothing but thank her sheepishly, turn and walk out, staring at the button in my hand. What was it in her life experience and cultural values that made such a generous response possible? What had shaped me so differently that I was startled?

Suddenly the lines between rich and poor, developed and undeveloped blurred within me as I saw more clearly than before my attachment to things. And I felt connected to Martha as never before.

This week, as we raise funds for the Mission Charity Program, we invite you to follow Martha’s example of generosity and make a donation. Your support will create a ripple effect of generosity, enabling the Mission to provide essential food, mattresses, and financial assistance to community members in poverty.

This week only, your donation will be doubled. Please, give generously. Your gift will bring hope to those who need it most.