Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Some years back when I was growing up, we had a young couple who were our neighbours.  They had five children and were a fairly established couple, with a car and other amenities.  Since we were neighbours, their children were like my brothers and sisters.  I must say they lived a good life; their parents took them to better schools than us.

In 1988, though, their father passed away.  Two years later, their mother died too.  All of a sudden, the children became orphans.  Some greedy relatives husttled the car and other valuables and the children became destitutes.  They moved out of the neighbourhood and went to stay with their grandmother in the village.

Fifteen years later (early this year), I ran into one of the boys. I couldn't believe what I was seeing!

Somehow the boy remembered me and then we remembered the "good old days" as neighbors.  By the time I had heard his full story, I was in tears -- his elder brother and siter had died of aids and since there was nobody to look after them, they got wrapped up in illicit sex and drugs.  I asked the boy what he was doing now and he said that although was married with one kid, he wasn't doing anything meaningful.  Fighting back tears, I asked him if he needed some help getting back on his feet.   He said he wanted to start a small bussiness of his own.  And so, I then gave him some money which I must say, he has wisely used.

Last week he came to see me. He was a changed man!  He looked much cleaner than the time I met him, and he thanked me profusely for the little help I had provided.  He said from the amount that I had given him,he had made a significant profit which he has reinvested in his business.  The young man is now happy, is able to take his son to school and pay for his rent.  Next term he is enrolling his younger brother into some agricultural course, too.  He was truly happy.

And I am happy, too.  Happy that my little help has made a difference in another person's life.  Indeed these little acts when put together make a bundle -- a bundle of happiness, a bundle of love, a bundle of excitement, a bundle of joy!