How a single act of kindness changed lives: The Story of a Widower and a Street Beggar
‘I sat down inside the Keke, thinking about what my kids were going to eat when they returned from school.
After their mum died, the sole responsibility of taking care of the kids was on me, and it didn’t bother me at first. I was doing relatively well until I was sacked from my place of work because they needed to reduce the number of staff as they could no longer pay everyone.
I couldn’t tell my kids the bad news; I mean, they have been used to a life of luxury and enjoyment, and I didn’t want to ruin it.
The money I saved, I invested in a business that turned out to be a scam, and it left me devastated.
I had to sell my car to pay for their fees, and I told them that the car was bad and needed repairs.
I sat down in the keke with just #150 in my pocket, thinking of my next step until a woman carrying a sick child on her back approached me.
I turned my face to another corner, hoping that the Keke driver would just forget about filling the Keke and drive away with me and the young lady inside.
The woman came to me and began with the usual begging skills
“Oga helps me, my pikin no well, we never Chop since morning.”
READ ALSO: Love and kindness are never wasted, they bless the giver and the receiver – Barbara De Angelis
If only this woman knows that I have not eaten anything myself and that after paying this keke man, the only thing I will have in this pocket will be just #100.
She turned to the other lady, and she immediately shouted at her.
“Commo,n get out from here with this smelling child of yours. Una nonsense skills wey una de use beg money. Idiots!! ”
She throws a spit at them, and the woman walks away crying.
I felt a tingle in my stomach as she walked away; my spirit man just won’t let me be.
I tried to take my eyes off her, but I just couldn’t.
I came down from the keke and gave her the #150 with me, and she thanked me so much and cried again.
She went as far as praying for me, much to my delight.
Since I had no money to pay for the Keke anymore, I decided to trek home. I was about to start moving when the Keke driver called me and asked me to enter.
“Oga, I see u as u give dat woman money, and I know say money no de ur pocket again, no worry, I go carry you for free.”
I was shocked. I looked at the Keke driver again; he reeked of alcohol and wore a very distasteful look, but underneath all that was a kind Man.
“Oga, this World na human beings do make am hard. U see that woman wey u help so; she bins de work for post office one time. When she born dat her bikini, de finds out say d pikin’ get one kain yeye sickness like dat. She dons spend money tire; even the husband sef come to die join for where e de mould blocks, d building fall on top his body. Her work people come sack am say she too be late. Na our neighbour before oh, na landlord drive am comot to say she no pay rent. Only say I never hustle today own, na me de give am food every day”.
The other lady inside the keke with me suddenly felt bad and started to cry; she instantly regretted all the words she had said to the woman.
“I didn’t know; I just thought she was one of those scammers”, she said.
“Aunty, if a person gets money, e no go beg, if u no wan tot help person no de abuse dem, nobody goes beat u if u no give.”
I almost passed my house listening to the Keke driver, such a nice guy.
I learnt something valuable from him, and I felt so good that I gave the woman that money.
As I was about to enter my house, I got a call that Jude, m, son, had been involved in an accident and had been rushed to the hospital.
Since I didn’t have transport, I ran to the hospital, and I met my daughter crying.
“Where is my son? where is he? ” I barked at the nurse.
The Doctor, a tall, handsome young man, came out.
“Mr Mike, your son is in good condition. He lost a lot of blood, though, but a good Samaritan woman helped donate hers.”
As he was still talking, the Woman I gave #150 came out, crying and massaging her hands with cotton wool.
“She brought her child here for treatment, but the child died. She was crying when your son was brought on a stretcher and had lost so much blood. We had run out of blood in the bank, and so when I asked the nurse to call you, it was because we needed blood. She overheard our discourse and offered to help even when she was mourning her daughter who just died; I have never seen such kindness in my entire life; this just restored my faith in Go.”
I held the woman close to me and hugged her tightly; I hugged her and wouldn’t let go; both of us were crying as we were the only ones that understood the whole scenario.
The Doctor didn’t collect a dime from us as he tagged what happened as a “Miracle”, and it would be unfair to take money from us, money I didn’t even have.
My son was discharged two weeks later, and the Woman is now living with me and the kids; at least they need a mother, na?.
I have been called back at my place of work, this time with an ever bigger pay packet.
Susan is the Angel God sent to me to change my situation, and I almost lost that chance because of my predicament.
She has so far been excellent with the kids, and everything in my life has turned around for good!!
Help people when you can; there is a reason it’s called help.
If you can’t help someone, then don’t abuse them.
Be sensitive in your spirit and listen to God always; only then will you get the peace that comes with obedience.
Pick up your calls, and stop ignoring/being indifferent to people who call you on the phone.
Source: Unknown
