Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Having Faith in the Power of Doing Good


--by makethemsmile, posted Aug 24, 2009

Two of my friends and I were coming back from a youth meeting when a woman with three children, who were looking unclean and unkept started speaking to us.  She said she and her kids needed money to eat, as they had not eaten since morning and it was already evening. 

I had three hundred naira with me and I wanted to use it to buy credit to recharge my phone.  I was tempted to ignore her and tell her I had no money to spare -- even my two friends told me that we should go and I should not give her anything, that she is a fake, pretentious fellow. 

But, I decided not to listen to my friends and gave her all the money that I was planning to use to recharge my phone without any hopes of getting more money to top-up my phone for a few days.  I was so shocked when I saw the woman burst into tears and kneel down in front of me.  I told her to get up, that this was just a small amount of money and that I wish I could do more for her.  She said I was the only person that day who believed her and gave her something.  She was seriously weeping and I felt very embarassed.  I wished her goodluck, smiled at her children and me and my friends were on our way home.

When I got home, I took out my phone to check if I had any missed calls and as I held my phone in my hands, a message came in from one of my church members saying, "I have been meaning to send this credit to you for the past two weeks but I kept forgeting.  I remembered a few minutes ago, so I decided to send it now."

I was so happy and my happiness turned to full blown joy.  I loaded the numbers on my phone to recharge it and I was so amazed when I received a message from the network that I just received 1000 naira credit!  In my wildest dreams, I have never imagined that I could get that as a gift from someone! 

Just by giving 300 hundred naira to someone in need I got back threefolds.  If I had taken my friends' advice and never gave that woman anything, I am 100% sure that I would not have gotten the phone credit.  Whatever you sow you will reap, it doesn't have to be immediate like mine, but never be tired of doing good if you have it in your power to do good.

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Readers Comments

pluto178 wrote: You gave without expectation.......that's the key. What a lovely person you are x
spoonerism wrote: It can be hard to tell who is for real and who is really needs money in those situations! Good for you for seeing someone in such need! You expecte no reward, but the universe provided some anyway! :-)
sethi wrote: Lots of abundance in your soul. Tanks for sharing.
Bluebell wrote: Lovely story. Sorry my ignorance and curiosity naira is the coin of which country? Love and light and a thousand smiles
mahnoor asif wrote: What a good story i surely liked it very nice.

Mahnoor asif
DL wrote: "whatever you sow you will reap". Indeed. Great account. Sow well. Sow often.
Norman wrote: Wonderful example of the benefit in giving. Thanks for sharing and the wonderful story in giving.
Veena wrote: Great testimony. Lord is always with us,watching us. Well done my friend!
emurei wrote: Wow very inspiring god blesses a cheerful giver you r one out a thousand who didn't listen to your friends for if you would have listened to them may be god would have shut the doors of heaven and would have missed the blessings. May god strengthen you and give u more.
helpinghand wrote: You have a big human heart which is full of love and kindness.

God bless you.

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