The Beggar Reminded Me That Charity Is Unconditional

When you give do not expect favors in return

I was walking on the street and a beggar approached me. “Madam, I want some money,” he said. Walking ahead, I was startled and wondered what the person had said to me.

When I looked back at him he smiled and spread his hand out at me. He looked with his head slanted and neck on one side and smiled. I turned around and went right back and gave him some money.

He looked at the money and almost returned it to me. He asked for more, this was too little he said for his needs. Seeing him in this pitiable style I gave him some more money. Even that was not enough for him.

He looked hungry and thirsty too and his old clothes looked ripped. I asked him where he lived. He turned his body and pointed one finger showing me the far right corner. Then he turned the other side and showed me the far left corner with his wing. East and west covered, he turned toward north and south.

This fellow is making a fool of me I thought. I asked him what he was trying to tell me. He looked directly at me and then said that he lived here and there and when he was tired, he shifted his abode.

He lived in the streets and had nowhere to go. If the police threw him out he would shift his abode. He would go to the free kitchens and eat every day. This was so sad I thought.

I got interested in listening to his story. He said that he had enough money and his business was doing quite well. Then his wife fell sick with a stroke and he spent a lot of money trying to help her and bring her out of the coma but unfortunately, she did not survive.

The long break from work had taken a toll on his printing press as there was no one to guide the workers. The product could not be marketed or advertised properly. The orders were not ready timely.

His business began to sink and slowly the orders began to decline. He lost everything and had to sell his home.

He closed his eyes and it looked as if he was praying or had remembered something. He was not coherent. I could not understand what he was going through. He opened his eyes and opened his hand and began to ask for money again.

I asked the beggar why he wanted the money and he said he wanted to have a drink and he did not have enough money for it. He wanted to drink a glass of good wine and wanted to celebrate but he did not say what he wanted to celebrate.

Looking at his pitiable state, I told him that drinking alcohol is not a good habit and so I could offer him to eat something instead of having alcohol. At first, he kept bargaining with me but in the end, he got cajoled into eating and celebrating because he said he was hungry as well.

“There you are! Wine would have attacked your stomach lining if you would have it empty stomach and I am glad you are ready to have a decent meal.” I said.

I found that he was hesitant to go to a proper eating place and requested that I should get a burger and a cold drink from Mc. Donald. I saw that there were offers with burgers as well as some french fries and a small snack as well. I went for that option and bought it for him.

Listening to his story and spending so much time with him actually drained me of my energy. There were so many poor people suffering I thought to myself.

Anyhow, thinking that I was doing a good deed by feeding him and not having acceded to his request for drinking was perhaps the best thing that I had done I thought I would just give him the food and leave.

I said goodbye to him and I told him that I was glad that he had accepted food instead of wine money.

What he said stunned me. “Thanks, mam for your kindness. I will never forget you. However, you have done charity today and charity never comes with conditions.”

Instantly my mind had a flashback. Many years ago I had heard of the same words. I remember, that I was working in the prestigious Jesus and Mary College which was normally funded by communities abroad and by several industrialists much before the government put an embargo on foreign funds coming in.

A very kind and big Indian industrialist came to the college and offered a huge sum of money as part of his corporate social responsibility obligations to build the new wing of the college. He wanted in return that the college should write his name on the new wing at three places.

The principal of the college thanked the person for his kindness but refused to take the money and she said “My Jesus And Mary have their names fixed everywhere on this property. They will support me in constructing the building I do not want your charity”. She refused and returned the check.

There are no conditions in charity. You give willingly without looking for benefits in return. This was a good lesson.

Who was I to judge what the beggar was going through? He agreed to accept the food that I served him, yet I felt guilty that I should have not questioned him.

Maybe it was his wife’s birthday or his wedding anniversary and he wanted to celebrate with a glass of good wine because that is how they would celebrate together when she was alive. I had spoiled his little wish on a day that was auspicious for him.

I will never know the reason why he wanted to drink but it is a good lesson that I learned and hopefully, I will never forget it again.