Tweet
Published: Wednesday | January 11, 20120 Comments
HELLO MI neighbour! Two mornings ago, a gentleman came to me for a loan to collect his shoes from the shoemaker. He needed them for a job interview the following day. One hour later, another gentleman stopped by for bus fare to go on a 'little hustling' job.
Shortly thereafter, another gentleman, who rode a two-mile distance to see me, took a hundred-dollar bill from his pocket and asked me to match it so that he could buy something to eat. The last person to show up that morning brought a sketch of his son's feet. He badly needed a pair of shoes for school. It would be disastrous for the boy to stay away from school. For the four who came, I did what I could, inclusive of giving advice.
As I reflected on the needs of those neighbours, I remembered my childhood. In my district, many persons got by on the generosity of the shopkeeper, and the neighbours. Parents who went to 'truss a half a bread, 11/2lb rice, 1/4lb salt fish and 21/2lbs of mixed flour' were never turned away. Whenever food ran out for some families, a neighbour was always there to give a helping hand - a hand of bananas, a head of yam, a bundle of callaloo, a little coconut oil etc. Even though these people were considered poor, they never knew hunger. The rich spirit of neighbourliness ensured that everyone was fed - people understood that they were their brothers' keepers.
Our country is a very small one where almost everyone knows everyone. As a matter of fact, if you do the research, you will discover that most of us are related. We are first, second and third cousins, uncles, nieces, nephews, aunts and so on. You will find a Mr, Mrs or Ms Brown almost everywhere - never mind what they say about not being related ... . Anyway, here is the point: we are one family despite our diversity of opinions, beliefs, ambitions, cultures and needs etc. Let us use our differences as those cords that help to bind us together as we grow together. Bottom line: we are here to see to the welfare of one another.
Meeting the needs of another individual is one of the best ways to attract blessings. Here is a quote from the book of Isaiah: "If you spend yourself on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will come as the noonday" - something to think about. No one was placed here to live in isolation. We were not all given the same set of opportunities and talents. Some may have a little more than others. All of this is for a particular reason - we must share with one another to create the kind of balance that the creator intended for us as earthlings.
If we seek to balance our books without helping to balance the lives of others we will always be out of balance.
Until next week, will you help to bring balance to a life from the list below?
Opportunities to help
Ms Owen , St Andrew, cancer patient - single mother of three asking for a gas stove.
Ms Johnson, St Andrew, 74 years old - needs a bed ... not well.
Marcia, St Catherine, 72 years old - diabetic and in need of food.
Sister Pauline, St Catherine, senior citizen - needs a blender.
Michelle, St Andrew, asking neighbours for stroller for a pair of twins.
Jasmine, St Andrew, unemployed - trying to start her own business, asking neighbours for a used container.
To help us, please call 906-3167, 884-3866, 299-3412, deposit to account # 351 044 276 - NCB (Bank routing #: JNCBJMKX) or send donations to Hello Neighbour c/o 53 Half-Way Tree Road, Kingston 10. Email: helloneighbourtoo@yahoo.com.
Thanks to neighbours
1. Ms Bailey, St Andrew, for donating a mattress to her needy neighbour.
2. Roxanne, St James, for offering clothing to a needy neighbour.
3. Ms Robinson, St Andrew, for offering clothing for babies.
4. Neighbour, for offering a pram to Charmaine.
5. Neighbour, St Andrew, for donating a pair of crutches to a Manchester neighbour.
HELLO MI neighbour! Two mornings ago, a gentleman came to me for a loan to collect his shoes from the shoemaker. He needed them for a job interview the following day. One hour later, another gentleman stopped by for bus fare to go on a 'little hustling' job.
Shortly thereafter, another gentleman, who rode a two-mile distance to see me, took a hundred-dollar bill from his pocket and asked me to match it so that he could buy something to eat. The last person to show up that morning brought a sketch of his son's feet. He badly needed a pair of shoes for school. It would be disastrous for the boy to stay away from school. For the four who came, I did what I could, inclusive of giving advice.
As I reflected on the needs of those neighbours, I remembered my childhood. In my district, many persons got by on the generosity of the shopkeeper, and the neighbours. Parents who went to 'truss a half a bread, 11/2lb rice, 1/4lb salt fish and 21/2lbs of mixed flour' were never turned away. Whenever food ran out for some families, a neighbour was always there to give a helping hand - a hand of bananas, a head of yam, a bundle of callaloo, a little coconut oil etc. Even though these people were considered poor, they never knew hunger. The rich spirit of neighbourliness ensured that everyone was fed - people understood that they were their brothers' keepers.
Our country is a very small one where almost everyone knows everyone. As a matter of fact, if you do the research, you will discover that most of us are related. We are first, second and third cousins, uncles, nieces, nephews, aunts and so on. You will find a Mr, Mrs or Ms Brown almost everywhere - never mind what they say about not being related ... . Anyway, here is the point: we are one family despite our diversity of opinions, beliefs, ambitions, cultures and needs etc. Let us use our differences as those cords that help to bind us together as we grow together. Bottom line: we are here to see to the welfare of one another.
Meeting the needs of another individual is one of the best ways to attract blessings. Here is a quote from the book of Isaiah: "If you spend yourself on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will come as the noonday" - something to think about. No one was placed here to live in isolation. We were not all given the same set of opportunities and talents. Some may have a little more than others. All of this is for a particular reason - we must share with one another to create the kind of balance that the creator intended for us as earthlings.
If we seek to balance our books without helping to balance the lives of others we will always be out of balance.
Until next week, will you help to bring balance to a life from the list below?
Opportunities to help
Ms Owen , St Andrew, cancer patient - single mother of three asking for a gas stove.
Ms Johnson, St Andrew, 74 years old - needs a bed ... not well.
Marcia, St Catherine, 72 years old - diabetic and in need of food.
Sister Pauline, St Catherine, senior citizen - needs a blender.
Michelle, St Andrew, asking neighbours for stroller for a pair of twins.
Jasmine, St Andrew, unemployed - trying to start her own business, asking neighbours for a used container.
To help us, please call 906-3167, 884-3866, 299-3412, deposit to account # 351 044 276 - NCB (Bank routing #: JNCBJMKX) or send donations to Hello Neighbour c/o 53 Half-Way Tree Road, Kingston 10. Email: helloneighbourtoo@yahoo.com.
Thanks to neighbours
1. Ms Bailey, St Andrew, for donating a mattress to her needy neighbour.
2. Roxanne, St James, for offering clothing to a needy neighbour.
3. Ms Robinson, St Andrew, for offering clothing for babies.
4. Neighbour, for offering a pram to Charmaine.
5. Neighbour, St Andrew, for donating a pair of crutches to a Manchester neighbour.