If a beggar asked help from you, would you willingly lend a hand or will you push him away?
On some streets in the Philippines, there are beggars who will approach you and will ask for either food or money.
While some people would be so harsh as to push them away, there are still those who are kind-hearted, and will consider giving in to their request for food, or will pull out some coins from their pockets.
An act of kindness was this experience of Faye Ares shared on her Facebook account. According to her, she was strolling in the mall one day, when she felt hungry; so she started to head towards either Jollibee or Chowking to eat.
On her way, there was this man who approached her and begged for food. It was not the usual sight of a beggar, because she was amused that this man has been speaking in English fluently.
Photo: Faye Ares/Facebook
“Miss, I am sorry but I have to tell you something. Please don’t get mad. And sorry to bother you but I’m not gonna ask for money, I’ll be asking for food to eat ‘coz I’m hungry”, the beggar said.
Still wondering who this man was, Faye agreed to give this man food so they head towards the fast food store. Faye instructed him to look for a seat as she will be ordering their food.
As soon as the food was served, Faye engaged the man into a conversation and dig on some details to establish the man’s identity. She was surprised to know that the man was, Jansen Locson, 70 years of age, a graduate of Ateneo de Manila and was a former professor in UP and Ateneo.
No wonder that this man has a good command of the English language!
He said he should be in Cebu for a business but it didn’t turn out positively which led to financial failure.
Photo: Faye Ares/Facebook
After their meal, Faye handed Sir Jansen a hundred pesos which he first refused, but Faye insisted. He got the one hundred pesos which Faye said he can make use to buy food when he felt hungry again and a bottle of water.
Faye said, he even asked for her number so he can thank her again.
This story kept me wondering about the value of the teachers and professors in our society.
One day, a former student and a teacher can bumped each other in one place where the former student is now a professional, might be a doctor or a business man per se, but the teacher is still in his profession.
For this old man, a former professor who did not make it in living a luxurious life, can his former student go back to him and shed a little help for someone who helped him to be who he might be today?
Just a thought…. But I hope one of his former students will be able to read this and return the gesture in helping him.
