When Eruch brought Baba the drink, he found that Baba had overheard the shopkeeper’s story, too.

Now, one part of Meher Baba’s work in the New Life was to give help to people who were poor and needy. Baba especially tried to help people who were too proud to ask for help from others. He sometimes gave them money from a special fund. The money had been given to him by people who wanted to help in his work.

Meher Baba wanted to help the man who had lost everything. “Go back and find out who he is,” Baba gestured. So Eruch returned and asked the shopkeeper for the man’s name.

By this time Meher Baba had finished his drink. Even though the man lived miles away, Baba wanted to leave right then to find him. After a long train ride, he and his companions arrived in the man’s town at dusk.

Now as it happened, that night was Divali, the Festival of Lights in India. All the homes in the town would be lit with tiny oil lamps. Even the poorest homes would have a small light burning in the window.

Eruch went off to find the man’s home while Baba and the others waited at the train station. When Eruch came to the address, he was surprised to find a large, fancy house. A well-dressed man answered the door.

Eruch told him the name of the man he was looking for.

“I am that person,” the man at the door said. “What do you want?”

“Excuse me,” Eruch said. “I must be mistaken. I am looking for someone by that name who needs help.”

“Well, as you can see, I have everything I need,” the man replied. “You’ve made a mistake.”

Eruch was just about to leave when the man’s son came into the room. “I think I know who you are looking for,” the boy said. “The man you want used to own this house. His name is the same as ours. My father built this house for him. But then the man lost all of his money and had to give it up.”

The father looked at the boy sharply. “Be quiet,” he said. But the boy continued, “I’ll show you where he lives now.”

The boy led Eruch through the brightly lit streets until they came to the edge of town. Here there was a tiny house. No lights shone in its windows. After showing Eruch the house, the boy returned home.

Eruch peered through the open door. Inside he saw a bare room with one small lamp burning dimly in the corner. The only furniture in the room was a statue of Lord Krishna. Before the statue knelt a young woman. “Oh, Lord Krishna,” she was praying, “You are God. Please help us. You are our only hope.”

Eruch didn’t want to disturb her, but he knew Baba was waiting. “Excuse me, “ he said. Then he told her the name of the man he was looking for. “My elder brother would like to meet this gentleman,” Eruch said. “Does he live here?”

“Yes,” the young woman answered. She led Eruch over to the corner where a man and a woman were lying on the floor. “These are my parents. They are very ill. What do you want with my father?”

“My elder brother would like to help him,” Eruch replied.

“But how does he know my father?” she asked.

“Please don’t worry,” Eruch replied. “We are not strangers. My elder brother knows your father. He is waiting at the railway station. I will return in an hour with him. Please don’t leave before we return.”

The young woman promised not to leave, and Eruch went to get Baba. Soon the two men returned to the house. As usual, they brought with them a bucket of water, a basin, and a clean towel.

While the young woman watched in surprise, Baba began to wash her father’s feet and to dry them with the towel. (In India, washing someone’s feet is a sign of great respect. When he gave money away to someone, Baba would usually wash the person’s feet to show that God was within them).

Baba bowed down and placed his forehead on the man’s feet. Finally, on his chest Baba put an envelope containing a large amount of money.

“Please accept this money as a gift from God,” Eruch said, speaking for Baba, “and oblige Him.” (This meant that the man didn’t have to pay the money back. In fact, by accepting it, he was even doing God a favor).

As Meher Baba and Eruch left the house, they heard the young woman cry out. Her voice was choked with tears of joy.

“Oh, Lord Krishna,” she cried. “I never knew that you were so kind. No sooner do I ask you for help than you send it to me.”

Eruch thought to himself, “Little does she know that the real Lord Krishna has answered her prayers and come to her house today.”