This is a very depressing story indeed. One that shatters a life long myth that I hold so close to my heart. Even though I am hard up financially since I could no longer actively work for a living, my house in our town has been some sort of a haven for people who have less in life. My friends who are in need would readily find a giving heart from me. I never consider it a loan but a love gift. I do it not for myself but to become a very small channel of God's blessings to others. Oh don't get me wrong, we are far from having an abundant and prosperous life, but whatever we have, we were willing to share them with our less fortunate brethren. Of course, there were occasional cases of abuses by others, but I immediately put a stop to any form of abuse.
There was a particular case of a little girl who would ask for plastic pet bottles from us to sell them to junk shops. There were times when we would have surpluses of bread which normally go to waste. When I asked her if she wanted bread, she said yes. And from that time on, she would be at our gate every morning to get her bread. There were times when we have a surplus of viands and I would be including them with the bread.
This morning, something happened that shattered my belief in an established norm of society. A little boy appeared at our gate very early in the morning. I asked him what he wanted. He did not say anything. I was about to ignore him when I remembered that the little girl used to have a younger brother with her in earlier times. I asked him if he was the brother of the little girl. And he said yes. I asked her where her sister was. He said she was still asleep. I gave him the usual share of bread for the day. Going back inside the house, I resumed my interrupted breakfast. After a little while, I heard the voice of the little girl who used to receive bread from us everyday and I realized I was gypped by that little boy. I explained to the little girl what happened. But I was crestfallen with what happened. That little boy shattered the myth that I long believed, that little innocent children never tell a lie. I was totally wrong. What poverty can do to the scruples of a young not so innocent boy.
ARE THESE THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES?
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
Tags: Poverty, Street Children, Hunger, Deprivation, Charity, Love
Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
