by Wina Velasco Javier
Charity begins at home and next door…
I admire those selfless charitable groups who are not afraid to use their own food supplies, cook a meal and pack them to be distributed to front liners or struggling families. I realized that I too could have those good qualities and start my own Charity Home! A non-commercialized idea, but still can be patented. No tangible product except love️.
If we can’t afford to give tons of goods, then let’s start small. Here are some Organic Home Charitable Works we can start with:
- Wake up early and surprise your elderly neighbor by cleaning his/her yard.
- Show appreciation to your garbage collectors by handing them snacks, bottled water, new masks or small hand sanitizer.
- Drop your gadgets and check on your mom. Maybe she needs help taking out the trash, washing dishes or folding the laundry. A surprise breakfast for her would be great too!
- Share your extra bowl of hot soup to your next-door neighbor. Every time I send away food, or any gift, I tape an inspirational quote or scripture verse on the package. I tell you; you can lift up discouraged spirits with these words.
- Had a petty fight at home? Humble yourself, even when you think and feel it was not your fault. Make the first move by slipping a note if you can’t say SORRY. Perhaps give a HUG. NO WORDS NECESSARY.
- Do you order from online stores? A P20 tip, bottled water, a packed meal or kind words like, “Ingat ka sa byahe”, will bless your hard-working delivery guy.
- Prepare several pots of seedlings to give away. I made some for my neighbors who do not have many things to do while at home. It gave them something to do during this quarantine and encouraged them to clean out spaces around their homes so they could plant.
- “Just a little something” from the excess in your refrigerator or closet will surely make the recipient happy. So, start clearing out your ref and closet!
- Call a friend and send an inspirational message – not fake or scary news about COVID-19. Some people are already scared of the virus and feel alone because of quarantine. They will thank you for giving them assurance of having someone around to hear them out.
- Have you got books that you are ready to get rid of? Give them to people you know who like to read and share the experience and adventure of reading. You’ll be surprised how your friends will appreciate those.
Be kind. It is priceless! As the saying goes: “Be kind to everyone, because everyone you meet is fighting a battle”. We are all facing crisis now! Sometimes we tend to be reckless with our words within our homes, especially when we’re all stuck together for a long time. Charity should begin at home and it starts with kindness, sensitivity and a gentle spirit.
I grew up watching my mom leave our house with bags of goodies to give away. Her guiding principle was, “never leave the house empty handed”. She would randomly give goodies to a beggar on the street, an elevator lady, a janitor, a security guard, or anyone else she would bump into. I tear up every time I see faces of these people beaming after a stranger, like me, talks to them and quietly say, “ Ingat kayo lagi, God bless!”
So, I hope we all realize that despite this trying season we are in, we have plenty to give. It can begin at home and it could be in words like, “ GOOD JOB”, “I’M SORRY”, or “NEED HELP?” or a small packed meal, a saucer of pancit or a book.
