Home Is More Than a Building
A few months ago, Pedro Ramirez, 45, lost his job in a grocery store. To pay the bills, he got a part-time job at night. Several days later, Pedro's wife, Luisa, gave him a big surprise. She was pregnant with their sixth child. Pedro was happy but worried. "How am I going to support another child without a full-time job?" he wondered.
That evening, Pedro and Luisa got some more news. A fire was coming near their home. By the next morning, the fire was very close. The police ordered every family in the neighborhood to evacuate. The Ramirez family moved quickly. While Pedro was gathering their legal documents, Luisa grabbed the family photographs, and the children put their pets - a cat and a bird - in the family's van. Then, the family drove to the home of Luisa's sister, one hour away.
About 24 hours later, Pedro and Luisa got very bad news. The fire destroyed their home. They lost almost everything. With no home, only part-time work, and a baby coming, Pedro was even more worried about the future.
For the next three months, the Ramirez family stayed with Luisa's sister while workers were rebuilding their home. Many generous people helped them during that difficult time. Friends took them shopping for clothes. Strangers left gifts at their door. A group of children collected $500 to buy bicycles for the Ramirez children.
Because of all the help from friends and neighbors, the Ramirez family was able to rebuild their lives. Two months after the fire, Luisa mailed out holiday cards with this message: "Home is more than a building. Home is wherever there is love." (291 words)
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