The Other Face of God: When the Stranger Calls Us Home

Mary Jo Leddy lives with refugees at Romero House, a temporary shelter in Toronto where extraordinary things happen. In this meditative reflection she invites readers to use the eyes of Christ to truly see those who have fled their homes and so come to know our true selves.

Here is Teresita, from Guatemala, who works in a cineplex, scrubbing floors, scraping gum off seats, and cleaning toilets to support her seven-year-old son. Teresita also sends $20 a month to World Vision to feed a little boy in Mexico because "Jesus says that we have to look after those who dont have as much as we do."

Here is Deequa, whose leg was torn to shreds in Somalia. She walked around in pain with a wooden stump. When Deequa at last receives an artificial leg, her happiness and gratitude are pure and total--even though the leg itself is white.

These are only two of the neighbors of Romero House who have performed and received a thousand acts of kindness, and learned to understand the meaning of compassion.

The Other Face of God inspires us to know our neighbor, and to better love our neighbor as ourselves.