In 2012, we went to a remote and poor village on the borders of Bangladesh with India … I will not hide from you the difficulty of reaching it.
Our goal was to distribute mosquito nets and some food items after the flood season.
* Mosquito netting: A piece of chiffon fabric that protects against insect and animal bites during sleep.
And after we reached the village and distributed the materials, and before we set out to other villages, I took the initiative to ask the mayor of the village, “Has everyone received aid?” He said, “Yes.”
So I asked him again “Sure?” He said, “Yes, except for a house with a single old woman. We do not think it is appropriate to give her enough materials for an entire family, so we did not give her.”
I told him to take me to her house, as he had a lot of remnants of wood, zinc and pieces of plastic.
As I went to visit her, an old lady with a hunched back came out, surprised to see us.
I gave her the mosquito net, and the translator told her that we are her children, from the volunteering campaign. We loved visiting and giving her the materials.
I burst into tears, lifting her palm up to the sky, and her tongue stuttering with words, she told us she was praying for us.
Then she said “I live here, on the leftovers of people’s food and for years no one has knocked on my door to ask about me. My husband died and I have no offspring. By Allah, I am more happy about your visit than the donations you gave me.”
To my surprise I was taken aback to see her bend down to kiss my feet, but prevented it.
She was moved and said, “Let me accept the feet that brought you here for us.”
This taught me a lesson that the psychological impact is greater than the material impact. That is why our teacher, peace and blessings be upon him, told us, “Smiling in the face of your Brother is charity,”
And God commanded us, as he said, “As for the questioner, do not rebuke”
The kindness and generosity with giving feelings of love is better than giving money.
Bringing pleasure into a person’s heart is one of the greatest feelings of love. So leave a beautiful impact wherever you go, with a smile, or with morals, in your dealings, and do not despise anything of the deed.
“Life journey”
Notes from the Land of Bengal “touching position” 💛📝
Abdul Aziz Omar
#HAYAT Organization-UK