By Brian and Arthie Moore - November 27, 2006

We wish you a warm, safe and happy holiday season and thank you all for a wonderful year.

Although you may be expecting another team-build or diversity newsletter, we begin this month’s newsletter, with a few short and true stories, in the hope that they will wake up a wonderful and powerful giving spirit, amongst the people of our world.

Christmas is a time of giving, but should not be the only time of giving. If we were to step back and look for those people, more in need than ourselves and share a little of what we have to give, we will create a better world.

1) Granny M and the outfit.

2) Sharing simple skills

3) Our pensioners

4) An unemployed lady feeds thousands.

5) What can you do?

===============================================

1) Granny M and the outfit.

Our nephew’s grandmother, is a delightful and independent 76 year old widow. She battles to survive on her pension and is not supported any longer, by family members.

She always wears old, or second-hand clothes, and speaks of "making ends meet." When our nephew was selected for the disabled Olympics, she asked if we could help to kit him out. We agreed.

My wonderful wife Arthie, sat and chatted to granny M. As they spoke she worked out that nobody had ever taken this cute lady shopping. So she offered to take her out to buy a new outfit. M answered, "No, why? You don’t have to. It is not for me that we need things - it is for Tyrone."

Arthie replied, "Because you deserve it." The little old lady became very embarrassed and started blushing.

Arthie set the date for shopping trip and M became excited, because she knew then that Arthie was not making false promises.

Arthie takes up the story...

"When we reached the shopping mall, Granny M became very uncertain and withdrawn again.

To our right, was Mr Price and to our left, Milady’s. As Brian took Tyrone towards Mr Price, for his clothes, Granny M began to follow. She was gently guided, in the opposite direction, to Milady’s. Her first and immediate reaction was that Milady’s was too expensive, and that she was quite happy to choose something "cheaper" from Mr Price to suit our budget.

I immediately put her mind to rest and insisted that she buy anything of her choice, regardless of price, from Milady’s. After all, she deserved it and was worth it. Her face suddenly became serene and youthful again and full of joy and excitement. She was practically glowing.

After leaving her alone with the salesperson - for about half an hour - we returned to pay for the clothes. She was beetroot red and embarrassed again, because of the cost of the clothes. The salesperson had added a camisole, to suit the outfit and showed it to me.

Granny M nearly died on the spot, waiting for the sales lady to be rebuked, for adding things to her pile.

Well, nobody was scolded, in fact, we decided to add all the accessories that we could find that matched the outfit, like a beautiful handbag, snazzy sandals, earrings and necklace.

Granny M was overwhelmed and tears welled up in her eyes. Amidst her cries of "I don't need it, don't worry, just the skirt and shirt are okay!", I continuously repeated, "You deserve it, you are worthy and loved!" She slowly began to accept her self-worth and her gift.

We will never forget the experience. The true gift of love was allowing someone to feel worthy of being loved again. Not buying clothes and accessories, but our ability through that giving, to show another person that they are indeed beautiful human beings, who still deserve to be loved."

====================================================

2) Sharing simple skills

Although our company specialises in Transformational Teambuilding "www.africa-dreams.com", I have recently qualified as an EFT therapist "www.emotional-freedom-now.com". I am delighted in the way that a simple acupressure technique, can so simply relieve emotional and physical challenges.

At a recent Celebrating Humanity© "www.celebrating-humanity-projects.com"training course, I was asked by a young lady for help. She had a very stiff neck and had seen me working with another member of her team.

She looked very stressed and carried a sadness in her eyes. This seemingly chronic condition had existed, ever since she had a neck operation.

I worked with her, without thought of compensation. Her condition was completely cleared within 15 minutes. When I saw her a week later, she looked so much younger and happier.

She e-mailed me a few weeks later, "Thanks for forwarding the e-mail about (Skills Portal) training awards "http://www.skillsportal.co.za/awards/". Of course I voted for your company. It was really THE best training programme I ever attended. It enriched my life at a stage where I needed it. Thanks so much.

I am also "chuffed" to let you know that I have not had any neck stiffness or pain since you showed me the EFT technique "www.emotional-freedom-now.com". Now I am doing it every now and again, purely for relaxation and to sustain my new inner peace."

For me, that was a great gift, to know that I was able to share a little bit of knowledge and initiate such wonderful relief and personal peace.

When we give, it does not have to be in cash. It can be something as simple as our time, our skills or our caring. Though a little bit of financial sharing, can make a huge difference.

=====================================================

3) Our pensioners

The elderly lady shuffled her bent body through the supermarket, pushing her little trolley basket.

She stopped at each carefully selected shelf, picking up each desired item in turn, and peering closely to see the price. She then put the item back on the shelf, took out a little note book and calculated the cost, versus what was left in her meager budget. I watched her, lifting the different half dozen packs of eggs, one by one, to see which was the cheapest.

As I chose a pack of eggs, she smiled at me.

She had the most beautiful smile, and one of the most expressive and lovely little face that I had seen. I asked how she was, and she answered breezily, "Very well thank you." Yet again that, 80+ year-old, smile shone like the brilliance of the sun on a mid-summers day.

As I worked my way through the supermarket, selecting what I needed, I saw her stopping, looking and calculating. When I passed her at the frozen food department, and she smiled once more and said, "Just checking what I can have."

I stopped and asked her if she would do me the honour of allowing me, to pay for her groceries. She asked me why.

I answered, "Because you have the most beautiful smile that I have seen in a long time." and she answered again, "Thank you, but why do you want to pay for my groceries?"

I answered, perhaps incorrectly, to this proud and self-sufficient person, "Because I can afford it." She peered into her budget book, looked up to me and answered, "I can also afford it."

I again pleaded for her indulgence, in allowing me to pay. She answered, doubtfully, "We will see."

I had long since completed my shopping, and prepared to wait for her. As she arrived at the cash-out, I pushed my trolley in behind her and told the cashier that I would pay for her groceries. The lady was surprised and still offered her money to pay. The cashier said gently, "Don’t worry - he is paying."

As I walked out the supermarket, she was waiting. "Do you know - I was very embarrassed by what you did. I am very grateful but why did you do it?"

I explained, that I was really touched by her smile and, as my mother was about her age, I decided to treat her as if she were my mother. In Arthie’s culture, all people, as old as your own parents, are treated as if they were your parents. And I said, "Just let you and I for this moment, believe that I am your son, and this is my duty to my mother."

She smiled, as she answered, "I have 4 sons. They are all in Canada."

I responded, "And today I am your fifth son. And I am here." She smiled and relented, and thanked me, as I wished her goodbye.

Her gift, in receiving my small offering, filled me with joy for days. The depth of my happiness and inner peace surprised me. Our elderly have given their lives for us, it is always time to give back to them.

=======================================================

4) An unemployed lady feeds thousands.

Each year, around about this time, my unemployed mother-in-law gathers her energies, a few helpers and donations to feed thousands of people.

This year will be no different. She will feed the people of Challenge, in Durban. All of them are mentally-disabled to some degree. These wonderfully happy people will make this day their Christmas party and my mum-in-law helps to make it possible.

She will feed many more of the elderly and homeless, on separate days and in two events, in December. And she begins only with her heart, her spirit and her commitment.

We, as members of the family, willingly pile in to help - as veggie peelers and servers. Some of us donate cooking oil, meat, vegetables and salads. And the local business community contributes the rest.

She then prepares and cooks, pots of food that will feed 300 people each. The pots are delivered to the venue and served by volunteers.

The joy and gratitude of the people, some of the latter group are living from hand-to-mouth is tangible. They are treated with all the respect and love that each one of us deserves.

None of them will know that this giving person, labours with severe health challenges. No-one will know, the joy that these days give her.

No-one but her.

And this is all started by one person - one person who actively wants to give.

================================================================

If you wish to make contribution, assist or offer some words of support call Bhanu on 0762382510 or 27 31 2060551. Or email brian@africa-dreams.com

The first event at Challenge, in Durban - South Africa, is on 19th December, 2007.

Aids Orphans in Hillcrest - near Durban on 19th December 2007.

Senior Citizens at the Caneside Library, on 22nd December 2007.

===========================================================

5) What can you do?

• Place giving at the centre of your being. Set aside some time, some gifts, some money, some skills, some resources.

• Get your children to share some of who they are, or what they have with others.

• Get your family/ies involved.

• Send some pizzas to the holiday/ night shifts at your local emergency service/ hospital/ police station, with some caring words.

• Look for someone, who needs help and reach out a hand.

• Expect nothing in return.

=================================================================

E-mail us for ">more information on our Celebrating Humanity programmes. "mailto:brian@africa-dreams.com

For more free diversity stories and articles. "http://www.celebrating-humanity-projects.com/Celebrate/"