— “She might be sad because she knows you were hurting. Но she won’t be sad *at* you. She’ll be sad *for* you.”
Chloe was quiet for a few minutes. Then, very slowly, she began to talk about the night she witnessed a violent incident in her neighborhood. She’d seen things no child should have to see. Sam let her talk without interrupting, just applying the clay with soft, rhythmic strokes. When she finished, he said:
— “Chloe, you were so brave to tell us that. And you know what? None of that was your fault, and none of it defines who you are.”
— “It doesn’t?”
— “No. You aren’t the bad things you saw. You’re Chloe—a smart, brave girl who deserves to see all the beautiful things the world has to offer.”
The day Sam removed the clay from Chloe’s face for the last time, something incredible happened. She opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Matthew’s smile.
— “You have blue eyes!” she exclaimed.
Matthew laughed.
— “And you have beautiful brown eyes!”
Chloe looked around and saw her mother, who was weeping with joy.
— “Mom! I can see you again!”
Chloe’s mother ran over and hugged her tight.
— “Thank you!” she told Sam through her tears. “Thank you so much!”
Sam smiled.
— “Don’t thank me. Chloe did the work. I just reminded her she was brave.”
By the end of the two weeks, all fifteen children showed significant signs of improvement. Some, like Chloe, had fully recovered. Others still needed more time, but they were all on the path to healing.
— “Sam!” Andrew said one afternoon after the last family had left. “Do you realize what’s happening here?”
— “What do you mean, Dad?”
— “You’re giving hope back to entire families. You’re changing hundreds of lives.”
Sam looked at Matthew, who was organizing the clay jars for the next week.
— “We’re doing it, Dad. Me, Matthew, you, and Mom. It’s a family business.”
Karen walked over.
— “Sam, a letter came today. It’s from a major hospital in the city. They want you to come and give a presentation to their doctors and psychologists about your methods.”
Sam made a face.
— “I don’t really like talking in front of doctors. They always want scientific explanations I can’t give.”
— “But it might be important,” Matthew suggested. “If you teach the doctors, they can help kids in places we can’t reach.”
Andrew nodded.
— “Matthew’s right. Imagine how many kids we could help if Grandma Rose’s methods were known by doctors all over the country.”
Sam thought about it.
— “Alright. But only if Matthew comes with me. And if we make it clear that this isn’t just about medicine—it’s about care and connection.”
A week later, Sam and Matthew stood in an auditorium at a major medical center in front of about two hundred doctors, psychologists, and health specialists. Sam was visibly nervous.
— “Friends,” he began, his voice slightly shaky. “I’m not a doctor. I haven’t even finished high school yet. I just learned some things from my grandmother that work.”
Matthew stepped up to the microphone.
— “My name is Matthew, and I was blind. Sam helped me see again using the techniques you’re going to learn about today.”
A murmur went through the crowd. Seeing Matthew, clearly able to see perfectly, made a strong impression. Sam gained confidence and continued.
— “The first thing my grandmother taught me was that not every illness starts in the body. Sometimes, when the soul is wounded, the body stops working right.”
One of the doctors raised a hand.
