A Light in the Darkness
By Peter Ritdung Wakkias
In a quiet village nestled between mountains, there lived an old man named Amos. Amos was the village’s lamplighter, a job he had done for decades. Every evening, as the sun dipped behind the peaks, Amos would walk the cobblestone streets with his trusty lantern, lighting each street lamp one by one.
Amos was a kind man, but he kept mostly to himself. His wife, Eliza, had passed away many years ago, and they had no children. Despite his solitude, Amos found comfort in his routine, especially in lighting the lamps. To him, it wasn’t just about brightening the streets—it was about bringing a bit of warmth and safety to his neighbors.
One winter evening, as Amos made his rounds, he heard a faint cry coming from the shadow of an abandoned building. Curious and concerned, he followed the sound. Underneath a broken cart, he found a small boy huddled in rags, shivering from the cold.
“Are you lost, child?” Amos asked gently, kneeling beside him.
The boy, whose name was Daniel, nodded. He had run away from a cruel orphanage in the nearby town. His frail frame and tear-streaked face struck a chord in Amos’s heart.
Without hesitation, Amos wrapped Daniel in his coat and brought him home. He offered the boy warm soup and a blanket by the fire. As the days turned into weeks, Amos learned that Daniel was not just running from the orphanage—he was running toward a dream. The boy had a remarkable talent for drawing and wanted to become an artist.
Amos, who had little money, decided to sell some of his belongings to buy Daniel pencils and paper. He also encouraged Daniel to accompany him during his lamplighting rounds. “Each lamp we light,” Amos told him, “is like a little hope we send into the world. Never underestimate the power of a small light in the dark.”
As the years passed, Daniel flourished under Amos’s care. His drawings began to capture the essence of the village: the golden glow of the street lamps, the kindness in Amos’s eyes, the warmth of a small home filled with love.
One day, an art collector visiting the village saw Daniel’s work and was deeply moved. He offered to showcase the boy’s art in a city gallery. Though hesitant to leave Amos, Daniel knew this was his chance to fulfill his dream.
Before Daniel left, he painted a portrait of Amos holding his lantern, surrounded by glowing street lamps. He gave it to Amos, saying, “You’ve lit more than just the streets—you’ve lit my life.”
Years later, Daniel became a renowned artist, but he never forgot the man who gave him hope. He returned to the village often, bringing supplies and stories to Amos. When Amos grew too old to light the lamps, Daniel took over, carrying on the tradition and teaching the village children the same lesson Amos had taught him:
“Never underestimate the power of a small light in the dark.”