Sister Faustina Kowalska: Her LIfe and MIssion

much gen tler with h e r th an with the other children. A special communion grew up between them, and he let h e r share his few "secrets". For example, she alone knew where he k ep t his double-barrelled shotgun or o ther personal possessions, and she knew his plans and h is ideas. Like all children, Helenka had he r favourite games, b u t they were different from the typical games of the children round about her. One should not call the childish activities of th is little girl "games", although the element of fiction, so characteristic of the child’s mentality , was clearly p resen t in them. I t was, however, secondary. The two fea tu res which constantly recur are: God, and alms for th e poor. We have already spoken of Helenka’s kindliness. Let us look a t the early manifestations of h e r fascination with God. She had an inna te tendency to contemplation, which developed over the years unrestric ted , mak ing use of what each day brought. All the daily happenings and the beau ty or power of n a tu re was, to her, a reflection of the living God, and spoke in His voice as an expression of His g rea tness and power, His love and protection. Helenka, unlike the o ther children, rare ly joined in games. R a the r did she ga the r them around he r when she organized a "service" or singing hymns, and even more frequently for h e r stories. She liked to tell them what she had read, adding he r own thoughts and wishes. She was possessed of a lively imagination, marvellous memory, and the gift of communication, so th a t she was listened to eagerly. W ha t were h e r stories about? Her fa ther, who liked to read , had a modest collection of books. She would tell, above all, w ha t she had heard from him . He read to them "from the Bible, or about missionaries teaching w ild tribes, or about herm its living on roots and totally absorbed in prayer". To he r fa th e r’s readings could be added the Sunday sermons, which she would repea t faithfully and convincingly when she came back from church. When she he rse lf 27