A revitalized expression took over Caridad’s face. “You know how to set bones?” she asked. Doña Felicia laughed and placed a cup of raíz de Valeriana in front of Caridad to drink. “Of course I do! That was what I did during the Revolución! I put more soladados back together and sent them back to work in their fields than I can remember! I set bones, I removed bullets, and more importantly, I gave them courage!

“Women endure the labor of childbirth and men send themselves to war! But I gave birth to eight children and never once did I cry like I saw some of those men out there before they even fired their first shot! I think it has something to do with the unnaturalness of killing compared to the naturalness of giving birth. What do you think, cheri? But then, you’ve never given birth yet! No importa. You endured a tremendous battle and just look at you! By God’s grace you’re like new! Which brings me to tell you something I’ve been thinking a lot about since you came to live here. How can I say this? I believe you are meant to help people a lot more than just wiping their behinds as they make you do in the hospital. Don’t think I am degrading your work. It’s honest work and necessary work, ma cheri, and I more than anybody know about hard work. But you are destined to help people as even those trained doctors and nurses down there can’t do. Look what you did for yourself! All they did at the hospital was patch you up and send you home, more dead than alive. It was with the help of God, heaven knows how He watches over that house where you come from … but you healed yourself by pure will. And yes, I will show you all I know. It will be my pleasure and it is el Señor’s wish.”

“How do you know?” Caridad asked.

“¡Mira! Look at how the pelitos on my arms are standing up!” doña Felicia responded, putting out her goosefleshed arms as proof of God’s approval of her plan. “That’s a sign that I always get when He wants me to do something!”

Caridad stared at the old woman who was to become her mentor. How she wished already that she knew how to listen to the Lord, had her own surefire signs that came directly from Him, and knew even some of the wondrous healing secrets that doña Felicia had at the tip of her fingers. Caridad had always been charitable. She had faith and hope. Soon, she would have wisdom from which she had sprung, and sooner still her own healing gifts would be revealed.