are ruined, asking for a hundred pesos. Does Lencho’s letter reach

Before You Read

This introductory section sets the stage for the story "A Letter to God" by G.L. Fuentes. It poses a philosophical question about faith — what should we put our faith in? The story revolves around Lencho, a farmer whose crops are destroyed by a hailstorm. In desperation, he writes a letter to God asking for a hundred pesos to help him sow his fields again. The section encourages readers to think about whether Lencho's letter reaches God and whether God sends him the money, inviting students to predict the story's continuation. This approach stimulates curiosity and critical thinking before reading. Additionally, the section introduces a practical activity related to the story's theme — sending money through a post office using a Money Order (MO). It explains the steps involved in sending money by post, including buying an MO form, filling it out correctly, paying the amount plus charges, and receiving an acknowledgment counterfoil. This activity familiarizes students with a real-world process that connects directly to the story's plot, making the reading experience more engaging and relatable. The section also highlights vocabulary words such as counter, counter clerk, appropriate, acknowledgment, counterfoil, and record, encouraging students to discuss their meanings and find equivalents in their own languages. This builds language skills and cultural connections.

• The story explores the theme of faith and belief.
• Lencho, a farmer, writes a letter to God asking for help after his crops are ruined.
• Students are encouraged to predict the story's outcome before reading.
• The Money Order process is explained as a practical activity related to the story.
• Key postal vocabulary is introduced for classroom discussion.
• The activity connects real-life experience with the story's context.
• 📌 Faith: complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
• 📌 Money Order (MO): a financial instrument used to send money through the post office.
• 📌 Counterfoil: the part of a form kept as a receipt or record.

Money Order Form Activity

This section provides a practical exercise where students fill out a Money Order form using clues. The form has three parts: the Money Order form itself, the official use section, and the Acknowledgement. Students are guided to think about who they would send money to and how much, encouraging them to relate the activity to their own lives, such as sending money for a magazine subscription or to a relative. The activity suggests that students may fill out the form with themselves as sender and a partner as receiver, using part of their pocket money to experience the process firsthand. This experiential learning helps students understand the postal money transfer system, which is central to the story's plot where Lencho sends a letter and later receives money. The section also includes comprehension questions about the form, such as who signs it besides the sender, the purpose of the Acknowledgement, and the use of the 'Space for Communication'. This deepens understanding of the form's structure and function.

• The Money Order form has three parts: sender's form, official use, and Acknowledgement.
• Students practice filling out the form with real or hypothetical details.
• The 'Space for Communication' is used to write messages to the receiver.
• The form requires signatures from both sender and receiver (acknowledgment).
• The activity simulates sending money through the post office.
• Encourages peer interaction by involving partners as senders and receivers.
• 📌 Acknowledgement: confirmation sent back to the sender after the receiver signs for the money.
• 📌 Counter clerk: the postal employee who processes the Money Order.
• 📌 Appropriate: suitable or proper in the circumstances.