Giving Back

Today I met an elderly man who shared stories about "giving back to society".

As an Indian, he believes that when he sleeps, he enters "mini dead". Each morning, he is reborn to do his best and to do good.

Many years ago he and a group of friends decided to team up and aid the poor and the hapless. Once a month they'd purchase food and distribute to the orang asli in kampungs. It was agreed among them that they would not donate money. Based on their collective experience, they realized that money given to a family may not be used wisely. Money in a drunkard's hand will be used to fuel his intoxication. In the hands of a drug addict ...

He and his friends are professionals - doctors, lawyers, etc. Occassionally, during the course of their work, one of them will encounter someone who is down on his luck or someone in need of financial aid. The person's plight would be brought to the attention of the others and collectively they would agree on method to aid the person. The doctor friend would offer to provide free medical treatment. A lawyer friend may offer to provide free legal counsel or arbitration work.

You would think that their efforts would be appreciated and lauded. However in recent time they had been told not to provide direct assistance to the orang asli because a department's or party's fear of proselytising, etc. He and his friends are not willing to provide indirect assistance because they worry that their aid will not reach the intended people.

He had volunteered his expertise and time, free of charge, to humanitarian society such as Red Cross.

I admire his passion to help and to do good. I am ashamed that I have not taken much initiatives except to sponsor a child through world vision and donate the occasional dollar for relief funds. Each day God gives me 24-hour to do good; to show others the glory of my God. And how have I filled the hours and days? How have you filled you hours and days? No doubt we must prioritise our work and family but what of our community? If our community fails will it not affect our family?