Pocket Money in Tanzania

--by Puffin, posted Nov 21, 2011

I was doing a year of voluntary service in a residential home for people with learning disabilities. It was set in an English village, deep in the countryside, quite different from my home in Sweden.

One of my fellow volunteers, a girl from from Tanzania, seemed a bit desperate, so I asked what the problem was. She told me she had a friend back home who was really struggling with her university studies. It was beginning to look like finacial difficulties would make it impossible for her to complete her course.

So this friend of mine had done something incredible: she had sent all her pocket money for the month to Tanzania to support her friend! This meant that she didn't have much food to eat, no money to go anywhere outside the village, no money to buy any clothes, and so on.

We lived in our workplace so not being able to leave the village tended to make you go a little bit nuts after a while. Now her only chance to go anywhere was to take a bicycle, or ask for a ride. We got lunch at work during weekdays and food at other times when we worked, but everyone knew this wasn't enough.

I was so touched that she did this for her friend and I felt I had to do something. So, during my next trip to one of the nearby towns I walked into the fair trade shop to buy some food. I didn't have much money left myself but I thought I'd buy her an extra box of the muesli we both liked and some rice. I started talking to the woman working in the shop (who was also a volunteer) and eventually told her about my friend.

The woman looked at me, amazed. "Does she eat pasta?" she asked. "Yes," I replied.

She immediately started loading a bag with pasta, cookies, more muesli, sweets and other things until the bag was full. "Give her this for me. It's my treat!" I couldn't believe it but cried with happiness.

As I left the shop and to go home with my unexpected bag of food I asked the woman her name. "Just Gloria," she said. "God bless both of you!"

Imagine my friend's face when I arranged the gifts on my kitchen table and fetched her from her room to see! I have never seen her so happy! She told me that only that morning she had been praying for God to help her get through the month. A few weeks later she found Gloria in the shop and thanked her in person.

These two extraordinary women really showed me what true kindness and compassion is, and the impression will stay with me for the rest of my life!

7315 Reads

Posted by Puffin
Nov 21, 2011
Comments (20)

Readers Comments

Glowworm wrote: Wow, your friend is a wonderful example to us all! I wonder if I would make the same sacrifice, if given the opportunity. I pray I would. God bless you, your wonderful friend and that wonderful woman Gloria!

~Gilgenbach

(P.S. Your English is outstanding.)

Bluxess wrote: This is joy double-dose for you :-D I can totally imagine the cloud 9 you probably were ... One deserving soul got love from another deserving soul through the channel, who is a deserving soul as well ... Happy partying with each other Puffin. God bless, Bluxess. As Gilgenbach says, your English is just perfect.

Puffin wrote: Thank you for lovely comments- (this is where my English lets me down- flippin' language) have no idea what the English expression is but in Sweden we would say that it warmed my heart? I'm hoping that this friend of mine will find a scholarship to come to Sweden and study, because this country needs more people like her... Wish I could import Gloria as well!

RMB333 wrote: Wonderful story Puffin, millions of thanks for sharing. Untold Blessings will follow on You, Your friend & Gloria!

MakeSomeoneSmile wrote: I love when kind acts like the one you were doing attract others who want to help out! I think there is a kindness hero in us all just looking for a chance to come out. Thanks for sharing! :)

Earthymom33 wrote: :) what a wonderful circle of kindness and giving. I love being connected (even if just via internet story-sharing) to folks who make it a point to live a life of consideration beyond themselves their needs.

wooka85257 wrote: What a beautiful story. And yes, the expression is the same in english. How it warmed your heart. Isn't it amazing how a single act of kindness (hers) touches others (you) and pretty soon it spreads to others (gloria). And who knows how many people it will touch here, just reading your story. Thank you for sharing it. You are all angels of compassion and kindness.

moral12 wrote: It was absolutely wonderful of you to spread the word about your friend's need; telling others can often pave the way for others to help, too. Bless you for taking the time to care about your friend and to actually do something to help. And, bless gloria, too, obviously another angel here on earth.

barbara wrote: This is what i mean. Just talk to people-let them know whats happening and they will rise to the occassion. There is more good out there than what we realize.

whitby98 wrote: What an incredibly sweet thing all of you did for each other! Kindness upon kindness. How beautiful!

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