Miles and miles away there is a little girl crying. She has lost her parents to the aids virus and is now the head of her family at the age of twelve. Fear and uncertainty engulf her as she tries to make it day by day under cruel conditions. Every night she is stricken with terror by the constant threat of her shack being broken into by gangs around the area. Her eyes are filled with wisdom far beyond her years as she has to grow up early in order for her younger siblings to survive. One day she was gathering some water from the local well when a group of people came to her. They asked where her parents were and all she could do was shake her head tears rolling from those large haunted eyes. The group looked at one another with sympathetic eyes. They slowly nodded their heads at one another and said to the girl, “Don’t be afraid, we’ve come to help you.” The group was actually part of a nonprofit organization dedicated to building homes and supplying food for orphans in Africa. That one fateful day was one the little girl of twelve years old would never forget. For after that day, things began to change. Her little termite infested shack was soon a cement home that protected from invaders. Her daily handful of rice turned into a good supply of food that would be enough for her and her younger siblings.
I believe that this is our purpose here on earth: to give hope to those less fortunate. Selfless acts of love not only turn a little girl’s life upside down, but it changes the giver from within as well. It’s almost an addiction really. Words can’t describe the deep feeling that awakens the soul when you’ve given your all to another. I’ve seen philanthropy such as this in my life as well as in the world around me. Famous figures such as Mother Theresa are a prime example of the good in humanity. I could try to explain the feeling such giving does to me, but it would be useless. The feeling is indescribable.
In my life I have had the blessing of being surrounded by many inspiring individuals. A majority of them have been on missions to Africa, including my father. He actually has delivered teddy bears to the children in the region of Darfur. He told me when he got back giving the teddy bears to the children of that war torn area changed him dramatically. He described how as each child received the bear; they almost did not know what to do with it, for they had never seen one before. Their eyes sparkled however because the bear represented more than just a toy. The bear represented hope. Hope that there was love out there. In the violent wasteland that they had learned to call home, they had received a message that someone cared enough for them to send them a token of love. Some people may say that going to Darfur is too dangerous, and that the situation is a hopeless one. My view, however, is that it’s only one life, might as well do the most you can with it. Also, someone has to be the hope for the people there. If someone like my Dad doesn’t help out, then who will?
“Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.” These are the wise words spoken by Mother Teresa about helping others. She has been my hero recently because she lived her life to the fullest. She gave up everything to help others and I believe that is where her joy truly came from. In my research of her I came across a story about how she met an old man who was never visited. She made an effort to clean his home and had sisters visit him daily. His life was truly changed. A lonely man without a person in the world would never be the same. His heart was warmed by the love of others and true happiness was found.
In my short life I have come to several realizations. One, that I don’t know much of anything. Two, in the long run my selfish desires don’t matter, and third, showing love for other people is truly the only way to find happiness. This is what I believe with all my heart and what is going to lead me throughout my life.