A Breeze of Good Deeds # 4: A Holy Deed on Holy Week

I felt it was just an ordinary day. Aside from the fact that it is a Black Saturday and that heavy traffic is not a thing in Manila, everything seems to be in place. I haven’t been writing anything and I never really had a plan of doing so. But I never thought that I would bump into an extraordinary person today. This day has given me a glimpse of how different people can react on a same difficult situation.

My dad planned last night that we would wake up early today to jog along Baywalk. But plans changed at the last minute when my mom insisted to wake me up a little later because yesterday was a “plantsa day” for me. We finished jogging around 9:30 am. We opted to stop by the Malate Church to pray before heading to the mall to have our early lunch. When we were in Remedios, we noticed that the stop light was not functioning. So we literally waited for all the cars to go out of sight before crossing the street. As soon as we were about to, my dad spotted a commotion on the other side of the road. I saw a red motorcycle toppled under a car. We initially thought that a car hit a motorcycle causing the cars to pile up. My mom noticed that my dad was missing. There he was prying along with approximately 5 other people. I saw someone moving the motorcycle as the car left. And as I approached, I saw an old lady lying on the sidewalk. Her nose was bleeding. There was a splatter of blood in her legs. But nobody would really notice it because her whole body was covered with dirt. The lady was wearing sheared dirty clothes. She was probably homeless. She was apparently hit by the motorcycle. A bystander narrated that it wasn’t the fault of the driver because the beggar suddenly crossed the street. I could see the panic on the driver’s eyes. One by one, the people started to leave. Nobody dared to move. Nobody knew what to do. Even my presence of mind escaped. Good thing there was someone…

TAO RIN NAMAN YAN! TEKA KUKUNIN KO YUNG SIDECAR KO!

The man started to run. Then two policemen came to the picture. They just asked what happened and asked for the driver’s license. They even asked who should bring her to the hospital. My mom said that someone volunteered to do the deed. THAT WAS IT! There wasn’t an effort on their part to call an ambulance or radio for a car. There was no compassion. Now I know where my taxes go! And every time I look at the deductions on my paycheck, I would remember those two inconsiderate men. I can feel the blood flowing up to my cheeks as of this moment as I think of those two rascals!

My dad was paying the tricycle driver for bringing the lady to the hospital. He refused.

OK LANG YAN BOSS! SALAMAT NA LANG HO!

The motorcycle driver did not run away even if it really wasn’t his fault. The tricycle driver stood out of the crowd to help a stranger. What would he benefit from helping out a vagrant? She is practically a nobody. Odds are high that she cannot repay the tricycle driver. Odds are also high that even he has nothing. After helping the lady, she would not even have the sanity to thank the man. And the policemen? They are simply disgusting. Yet I pity them. Every day, God gives us a chance to do noble things, to show kindness to other people and to let His love be felt even by those people who think that God has forsaken them. Those two policemen wasted that opportunity.

Grab every opportunity to let the unloved feel God’s love. Extend a helping hand even if the person in need cannot pay you back.

So make a choice!