FROM THE CREVICES OF MY HEART

My eyes opened as I saw light filter through the curtain, was so irritable when I woke up. My twin brother who sleeps like a bear in hibernation had taken more than a fair share of the blanket to himself. My Normal early morning sickness had started to take hold. I should just have said that I had a cold because pastors always say, profess good things. Things couldn't get any worse I assumed. It didn't take a minute as Sandra just burst into the room without knocking. I was so infuriated that I shouted what?! She had no compassion on my nerves and simply said, "Tayo, you have to go buy bread and feed the turkeys." Angered, I slammed the door she left open and staggered downstairs, took my allergy pills and grumbled to the poultry house.

Although I'm a preacher of "conquer your fears" but this proved difficult to surmount. The Turkey is just one terrifying creature. This particular one had red like tomato throat; I could see the colours of the rainbow when I looked at its head. It puffed its feathers and was looking at me in a way that made me lose confidence in the cutlass I was holding. I managed to feed it but couldn't get close enough to give it water. ”It will survive” was what played in my head. I was relieved as I went out of the house to get bread.

It was a very cold and breezy morning. As I worked down the street, I saw two jolly looking children, happy they were but awful they looked. They wore two dissimilar shades of blue that ought to look like their school uniform. The uniforms designed with lots of patches and amendment. I being so susceptible to cold I dressed like I was going to the moon. These kids didn’t even have socks talk less of sweaters. Their dark skin as pale and white as ever, yet they beamed with smiles. One must wonder why they were so happy, so I eavesdropped on their conversation. It was hard to filter words through their not so fluent English and in-concurrent native dialect. Miraculously I did. These kids were so elated they had picked N50 on the ground and they were debating on which junks to get at school because breakfast was always absent at home and lunch was not exactly certain. My heart wept. I had to give them N100 from my pocket and instructed them to drop the N50 where they had seen it. Reluctantly they adhered to my instruction because they found the kindness strange. I was fulfilled as I watched them run along. I had brought more smiles to two people’s faces. It then struck my heart, what happens tomorrow?!

It breaks my heart to see hungry children, ill-dressed people, physically challenged people and parents maltreating their kids (usually born out of financial frustration). When I can’t help, my heart sends them sincere prayers. It’s just so bad that I don’t possess the power of healing but with the little I can do I try my best. They say poverty can’t be eradicated in any government system, so also people have said nothing is impossible. If we could just show kindness, care and give to the needy, the world will be a better place.

An act of charity benefits you as much or even more than it benefits those to whom you give. That reason alone should be sufficient to justify starting now. By raising the standard of living for the least able among us, we raise our own standard of living in turn.

When passers-by notice your act of giving, they are reminded that we are all interdependent on one another for our care and well-being and that may motivate countless others to follow your example. Many religious beliefs have it that when you give, you tend to get more in tenfold and more but the only way to find out if this is true is to START!!!.

Any gift to the needy is better than no gift. Start at a level you’re comfortable with now then increase if, or more likely when, you feel able and willing to. Look at what your generosity does for others and also observe the good it does for you.

Remember the poor, it costs nothing.
By Temitayo Bamgbose and Thomas Oluwapelumi