I was in Causeway on the first day of Chinese New Year and I saw these two well dressed gentlemen playing beautiful beautiful music from a guitar, a flute, and an amp.
They had gathered quite a crowd who had stopped to look and drop money into their guitar case as well as read the big note they had written on the ground.
...what did shock me was within one feet of this massive crowd was an old lady kneeling on the ground with her head smacked on to the ground. The first question that came to my mind was: "....is she still alive?" and then what crossed my mind next was "why does no one seem to care....what can I do?"
I'm watching this huge crowd stopping outside times square to watch and throw money to these two young well dressed gentlemen but no one paid even an ounce of attention to this lady who obviously seems to be in need.
I rushed over to 7-11 to buy a hot vitasoy drink, a bottle of water, and a few packs of bread and went back to the old lady and asked her if she was okay. To my joy I found out she was still alive no matter how silly it sounds.
She lifted her head slowly to look at me like I was crazy to touch her and talk to her. Her eyes changed dramatically as I just said "por por, wo song gei ni" (here this is for you).
I'm actually not annoyed at those two singers at all as I don't know where they are coming from or what that note said but what I AM annoyed at is just....humanity really.
We are so obsessed with pleasing ourself that we would only stop for something we like. Marketing is SO important to us that we wouldn't receive anything into our lives if it's not marketed well.
People walk past and throw money down from at least a meter in the air and the loud "chinng" sound of the coins just makes me cringe....
Something a lot of my friends have said to me is that "but in reality we can't care for
everyone...there are just so many!" but my reply is....
"so
what? we just do what we can when we can"I write this post NOT to show off with "hey look what I've done!" but rather I write it as a quick example of how little it takes to
"go". I'm still so unexperienced with caring for others but I'm learning how easy it is when you're willing to just do it.
I really give you a challenge to just randomly reach out past your own comfort zone this Chinese New Year if you've never done so before to help someone in need.
Treat someone who is spending chinese new year cold and alone on the streets to just a meal. Heck, my personal favorite is to buy a "gai dan jai" (some form of egg pastry) which costs only $10 fresh and hot from the stove and just give it to someone who looks cold and hungry. Hot Vitasoy from 7-11 costing only $5.5 is too cheap to not use as a conversation starter. Ask what they want and even though they might say out of modesty "oh, just a water is enough" get them that and more.
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A song that's been stuck on my mind for the past few weeks...
Tim Hughes - God of Justice (We Must Go)God of Justice, Saviour to all
Came to rescue the weak and the poor
Chose to serve and not be served
Jesus, You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give
We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go
To act justly everyday
Loving mercy in everyway
Walking humbly before You God
You have shown us, what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out Lord
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"When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her.It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed."and
"You and I, we are the Church, no? We have to share with our people. Suffering today is because people are hoarding, not giving, not sharing. Jesus made it very clear. Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do it to me. Give a glass of water, you give it to me. Receive a little"- Mother Teresa of Calcutta 1910-1997
She's got it. It's THAT simple.
It's cool to sing worship songs and all but you need to MEAN what you sing!
"Stepping forward keep us from just singing"....so just "go".
It's cool to learn more and more about our God but you need to USE what you learn!
"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."- James 2:14-17
Stop what you're doing right now and just go.
People try to limit "church" and "god" to just the 4 walls...but it is just SO much more than that. PEOPLE are the church....and God chose to train his people using "church" by gathering his people together in one place.
Just like school....if you never decide to step into the working world then all that preparation was for nothing. One working world may be very different from another but still...we go through it to prepare us for something "more".
Serving at church is NOT what it means to care for other people. Serving in church just means you want to give back to the hand that fed you.
Doing chores at home will just make the house cleaner and tidier....but it'd be crazy to always stay at home all day cleaning it.
You should not be doing the things you do because you want to get into heaven....that's still thinking just about yourself. Freely we've received so freely we should give.
Comments (4)
You are so brave! I couldnt do that if i were to you buy those things for the poor old women. I think i was embedded with the concept and the news media that people actually act like a bagger to get money. The thing is, the government should take care of those who cant work. Thats their work right - care for the community. How can the government allow such things to happen? I always believe in work hard to get what you want. For me I only gave to people who play music on the street. First, I am a musician and that I have study music history and I appreciate what they do on the street, even real bagger play music for money, not as a street show, I will still give them money. its not about entertainment, its about they are "working" to make money.
O_oa
how was that brave? I feel bad for how little I did because I knew I could do so much more....yet even that little is better than nothing.
We always try to put the responsibility on other people or the government but we forget that we could be the ones to just deal with problems we see without saying "oh, someone else will take care of it."
The work environment of "I do this much work I get this much reward" is so deep in our hearts that rewarding people who "work" is so natural. People who don't "work" and "beg" are considered lazy ass bastards....yet the reason they are on the street could be SO much deeper. Yet it's not for us to judge or know....we just do what we can right?
There is so much I can do but I can't stop thinking about "myself" to just go and help others all the time...dang. God is teaching me slowly.
I agree to what you say, but is giving food to the poor lady is what she need? she need a home to stay! and with your ability I dont think you could support her for a comforting home. May be you should ask for her name and contact the community service staff.
you see, sometime we want to help but leads those into the wrong way. I am proud of you helping those who is needed, but thinking more closely, what happen after to the lady after 6 hours? cold and hunger, just waiting for another kind man to give her food again? will that really helps her to get better?
you have solved the short-term problem, but the long-term problem still exist, not just to one old lady you have met, but for all of those who are in a similar situation.
Haha I agree...yet it doesn't mean it would stop me from doing what I can at that moment. It's not as easy as it sounds to let her be in a comforting home....been learning about the number of complications along with it.
Who knows..maybe one day I'll be able to contribute to the "real" solution but for now I just hope people would extend a "little" love at least...
giving "money" isn't really love....money is never love. food is also only material but instead of just giving a person one extra meal the smile that goes along with it is much more than just feeding the hungry. I am so inadequate and selfish still but I do believe things will get done in due time.
If 10 people stopped to help even 1 person....the possibilities are endless.