No one has ever become poor by giving

 
By Faith Ha
As emailed for posting by Carlos A. Arnaldo
Manila
January 5, 2020
 


Introduction:

I found this note on Facebook and it has been making the rounds. It tells the story of an Aeta selling bamboo coin banks just outside the Divisoria mall. Actually, these are beautiful pieces in softly sanded bamboo with a silken finish. The story is very fitting for this Christmas and New Year season because it shows how people of the poorest and most excluded economic class of our country seek to bootstrap themselves and become an earner like the rest of us. The story also illustrates the Aeta culture of honesty and the seriousness of keeping one's word. He does not accept pay for the bamboo bank he offered as a present, 'Otherwise hindi na po regalo yan! To me, that's real Christmas!

                                                            – Carlos A. Arnaldo



He is an old Aeta selling bamboo coin banks outside the Divisoria mall.  Please, people, pag makita niyo siya, bilhan niyo po siya. Wala namang masama,  tumutulong ka pa. Sa akin, masakit makita ang mga taong tulad niya.  He can  hardly speak Tagalog. Though he tried his best to sell his bamboo coin bank, wala talagang pumapansin sa kanya.

“Magkano po ito tay?

“120 pesos, Ma'am,  pero 100 nalang bigay ko. Kasi  kanina pa walang bumibili sa akin. Bibigyan pa kita isa pang bamboo,  kasi ikaw ang unang bumibili sakin.”

Binigyan ko siya ng 200 at . . .

 

Hindi ko na tinanggap ang offer nyang bigyan pa ako ng isa pa. Lulugi siya! And so hindi ko  kinuha ang sukli ko.

Not because he is an Aeta, may katwirang mamaliitin na natin siya  o hindi na natin papansinin. Naghahanap buhay din siya, tulad ng lahat ng mga ibang vendors.  Dapat siguro change our mindset, huh  people?

 

He thanked me two times with a smiling face. When you work really hard and you help others, God helps you get what you want. You will find the smiles of those whom you’ve helped. Their gratefulness and prayers for blessings are worth more than a million gems. You will realize that helpings others is the most amazing feeling in the world. 

Just wanna share!

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Faith Ha, the author and photog gives her permission for publication.(c.a.)

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