Lilly had just finished high school and was living in a small town along a railway line. The noise of the arriving, departing, passing trains was part of what was happening in the little town. Her parents had long ago died in a car accident and she had been raised by the family of her aunt, who sometimes almost managed to be her mother. She had a boyfriend, who had a wonderful large house and wanted to marry her. They had already been together for several years. His dream was for them to have many children and to make a small business for repairs of trains. This seemed to him a business that would always have customers.

Most of Lilly’s girl friends had left for the big cities and for other countries with their parents. Some of them had not managed by themselves. She heard that a close friend of hers had become... she did not even want to say it or think it, but it frightened her. She was alone and if something happened most likely no one would be very worried or would try to help her. Sometimes she went to the station, sat down on a bench and dreamed. No one could forbid her this. She went out with her boyfriend, but apart from the few taverns and the two cafés, there was not much in the little town.

The summer advanced and she did not know what she wanted to do. With the death of her parents she had a small bank account from the state, which she now had the right to use. Should she enroll in some university? There maybe she would meet someone, would fall in love... she shook her head. Her thoughts had taken her too far. She returned to the earth and remembered that everyone expected from her to get married and to begin her own life.

One evening she was going home a little later. A dark shadow was following her at about a hundred steps. She quickened, and so did the shadow. She put her hand in her bag where the protective spray was and continued along the most well-lit possible path. She got home without incidents. This however made her think whether there was security for her even here in the little town among her own people, who knew her.

One week later a young girl was abducted in her part of the town. Day after day no one could find her. Lilly knew the little child and her heart contracted from sorrow. She had no unusual connections with the authorities or much money, in order to hire a private detective to help. For this reason, she decided that at least she could go to a church and pray.

Then, setting out toward the local Orthodox church, passing in front of the small front, from the side of the street, little yard in front of the house, she saw a booklet left hanging on the door. It was about Jesus.

She began reading. The author of the booklet was convincing her that the god is everywhere and that he would hear you if you pray wherever you are at the moment, with no interest whether you are in a church or not. According to him, if you ask for forgiveness for yourself in the name of Jesus you will be heard for whatever else you might pray for after that. She started thinkin. Is it possible that the god is so close to her?

In the evening she showed the booklet to her aunt and her children, who were younger than herself. Her aunt looked at her sternly and said:

– This is surely some sectarian literature. Quickly throw it away. I do not want such a thing in my house.

Lilly thought for a little and then it seemed to her that she did not have the strength to oppose her aunt. After all she lived in her home. She reluctantly crumpled the booklet and threw it in the bin. Her aunt was not pleased. She took it out, tore it into pieces and only then calmed down. She said:

– If you want to know something about the god go to the priest, every morning he is in the church. He knows our family, do not be afraid of him.

Lilly could not fall asleep until morning. The memory of the abducted little girl, which could have been herself, did not give her peace. Toward four in the morning, without having dozed at all, Lilly knelt by her bed and prayed as the booklet taught her. Absolutely nothing happened at first glance, but she calmed down and fell asleep. After a week it became known that they had found the little child in another country and had returned her to her parents. When she heard, she first rejoiced, then even more until at one moment she remembered that she had prayed for this. Was it coincidence or had the god heard her? In the evening she again knelt in prayer and asked the god whether there was something also for her, to advise her what to do with her life. Then she wondered at her own words and could not understand how they had occurred to her.

After she agreed with herself that this was a good prayer, she began reading a book she had bought from the bookshop. The book told the story of a young man who had set out to seek his luck in the world.

Two weeks later, her boyfriend pressured her. He wanted to know whether she would marry him or not. She indeed did not know. They parted angry at one another and a little offended.

She did not stop thinking all night what she wanted to do. She had received no answer from the sky and had no ideas what to do. She realized that marriage is for life and that her future man thought only of his own things. She wondered whether this was enough in life. During the day she went to a friend of hers and told her her sufferings. While they were talking, she got to the booklet. Her friend remembered that she too had seen the booklet in question and still had it somewhere in her desk. She found it. There was a telephone number. They called and a young man on the other side of the line picked up and introduced himself. The conversation with him was extremely interesting for Lilly. Her friend understood the feeling to some extent, but not enough to call a second time. These conversations continued for several months. During this time, she advanced in faith in the god not a little. The young man invited her to go to the big city even at his expense. She did not know why. She asked him:

– Why are you inviting me, what do you have in mind?

He answered:

– Because it seems to me that you are seeking the truth, but you live in an environment that hinders you and this drags you back every day. A strange answer, she thought, who answers like that? How she bought a ticket for the train, how secretly early in the morning she gathered her luggage, how she left a letter with which to thank her aunt for the cares, how she got on the train even for herself was astonishing. She looked from the last wagon and saw her boyfriend that he was running after the train trying to convince her to return. She waved to him goodbye. She had no strength neither to say goodbye nor even to explain what was happening. Her strength barely sufficed to not turn back. But an invisible hand supported her in everything.