Anyone who came to the municipal cemetery in Bolesławiec to tidy and decorate the graves of loved ones before November 1 may have seen this man. Dark-haired and seemingly around thirty. He greeted people entering the cemetery, wishing them good health. His slight accent suggested that he was not Polish. A little girl sat in the stroller beside him. Probably his daughter.
The man was asking for support. Not for himself and not for the child. He had the following information written on a piece of paper:
I sincerely ask for help. Ladies and Gentlemen, my father is seriously ill after a stroke; he has damaged kidneys and diabetes. I am collecting money for my father’s medicines, which are very expensive, and for the upkeep of the family. Thank you for your help. God bless you.
People either passed him by indifferently or approached him and made a donation. The man treated everyone with great respect. He wished everyone good health and thanked them very warmly.
However, when another man—strongly built and taller—approached the man asking for donations, it was impossible to predict how it would end. The men began talking to each other. The Pole who had approached him asked questions and listened, until he finally reacted in an unexpected way.
After a short conversation, he was moved and embraced the foreigner like a brother, showing him warmth and understanding for his difficult situation in life. It was a deeply moving scene. It was heartening to see that empathy, love for our fellow human beings and understanding for the difficult fate of others still exist in us.
