Having hope is one of the most important things in life. Whether in personal conflict, or with large international conflicts, holding out hope for peace and human connection is absolutely vital.
There are many heartwarming stories of two people finding a connection in spite of large differences, like the woman protesting a mosque who received a hug from one of its members.
And when I spotted this story of what one soldier did for a little girl from the enemy side, I was certainly filled with hope.
Evyatar Ofri is an Israeli soldier who has been right in the midst of escalating violence in the Middle East. However, when he was faced with the opportunity to make a difference in one child's life, he made an incredible decision.
Evyatar posted this story on Facebook, and it has since been shared nearly 15,000 times. He tells of his encounter in his own simple words, but his message of humanity and hope comes through loud and clear.
Read Evyatar's touching words below, and let us know what you think of his small act of kindness in the comments.
Evyatar posted this story on his Facebook page:
"Today I met one of the most beautiful little girls I've ever seen, an Arab girl about 10 years old. She was looking for some food in a trash can about 500 meters away from where I serve in the desert. I noticed her while I was cleaning our site and took the trash out. She was standing there with her two donkeys, looking for food in the garbage, and having no success. She was wearing rags and a smile, barefoot with wild hair, yet at the same time very cute. I asked her what her name was in Arabic: Ranin."
"Then I asked her to wait a minute (stanna shwayeh), and I went as fast as I could to my room, took a box of my favorite cereal with me, and brought it back to her. The smile that she had on her face made my day, and even with the language barrier we understood each other."
"In that moment, this little girl reminded me that behind every religion, race or gender there are people, and human beings that just want to be happy and live peacefully, and we should never forget that being human comes before every conflict."
This soldier's heartwarming story truly does prove that human connection can transcend even the most serious of conflicts.
Please SHARE this soldier's beautiful and inspirational words with friends and family!
