Whether rich or poor, one should always try to help the needy
@Professor2010 (20162)
India
July 2, 2010 11:42am CST
Friends, it was an unusual sight. A man in tattered clothes limping through school gates with a bundle of brand-new clothes to give away.
In an age of rapid technology and rising standards of living- a world where we are told to provide for ourselves before thinking of others. Mr Khimjibhai Prajapati sure knows how to let go. After the downfall of his tea business, he sought refuge as a beggar outside a Jain temple.
For the past ten years, he has lived on the alms of passerby, taking just enough for a bit of food and some money to send to his ailing wife. The rest go to the poor, like the instance last Saturday, where he spent his savings to buy clothes for 11 hearing and speech-impaired girls at a nearby school. Bharat Shah, a trustee of the school exclaims, "I have never seen such philanthropy in the 35 years of career." But for Khimjibhai, the principle is simple: "Whether rich or poor, one should always try to help the needy."
This reminds me the quote by, David Henry Thoreau; “As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness “
Well I always try to help poor’s, needy persons. Besides this I had deposited 50, 000 rupees in a fund some 20 years ago, while I was serving in a particular college, the interest from this goes to the three students, of that college, who secure highest mark in BSc (Hons) examination in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics each year.
But I never give alms to beggars. If somebody is really hungry, I buy food for him and he/she has to eat in my presence.
Do you help needy and poor; do you give money to beggars? Please comment on story of Mr Khimjibhai Prajapati
Professor
In an age of rapid technology and rising standards of living- a world where we are told to provide for ourselves before thinking of others. Mr Khimjibhai Prajapati sure knows how to let go. After the downfall of his tea business, he sought refuge as a beggar outside a Jain temple. For the past ten years, he has lived on the alms of passerby, taking just enough for a bit of food and some money to send to his ailing wife. The rest go to the poor, like the instance last Saturday, where he spent his savings to buy clothes for 11 hearing and speech-impaired girls at a nearby school. Bharat Shah, a trustee of the school exclaims, "I have never seen such philanthropy in the 35 years of career." But for Khimjibhai, the principle is simple: "Whether rich or poor, one should always try to help the needy."
This reminds me the quote by, David Henry Thoreau; “As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness “
Well I always try to help poor’s, needy persons. Besides this I had deposited 50, 000 rupees in a fund some 20 years ago, while I was serving in a particular college, the interest from this goes to the three students, of that college, who secure highest mark in BSc (Hons) examination in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics each year.
But I never give alms to beggars. If somebody is really hungry, I buy food for him and he/she has to eat in my presence.
Do you help needy and poor; do you give money to beggars? Please comment on story of Mr Khimjibhai Prajapati
Professor
4 people like this
16 responses
@yugasini (12836)
• Anantapur, India
3 Jul 10
hi bhuwanji,
hats of to Mr Khimjibhai Prajapati,i too thinking helping other,when i have money,but helping nature even does not have money means great,mostly one in million will do like that,neither you nor me cannot do now itself,i am thinking that i have heart to help other and does not have money,but Mr Khimjibhai have heart though he does not have money,his intention is to help the poor and needy,have a nice day
2 people like this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
12 Jul 10
One must have a BIG heart yugasini..
Thanks for response.
Professor. .
1 person likes this
@AjaySinghBaghel (5506)
• India
2 Jul 10
I try to help needy as per my capacity and if feel a genuine need for money or anything I can do. Once I was returning from my second year class and saw one of my school friend on the way to bus stop. I used to go collage by cycle and stopped my cycle near him, he was worried and asked me to help. He was not from a rich family same as me but I had no problems for study and other things, it was just about regular income. He had lands in village but agriculture was not producing money and only daily food was coming.
He asked me for 200 ruppes and promised to return that in next month. I knew that he may not be able to return the money and promised him to give money next day. I gave him required money and said that take your time to return this as I do not need this money urgently. He got his graduation degree and we last met after he got certificates, we had tea together. He did not return money and I am not worried or looking for money but to meet that lovely person. He was the only earning member for his family and used give tutions to hidh school students.
I wish he is doing good and will some some day.
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
12 Jul 10
Thanks for sharing in details. We need not expect some body returns the money, so give and forget..
God bless you , cheers.
Professor. .
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
3 Jul 10
He sounds like a very nice man and yes, even though one is poor, one can still help those who are less fortunate. Even if all one can give is a penny, if there are a lot of poor people who just give a penny each, all this adds up. One does not need to make oneself poor in order to help the ones that have less. On the other hand, a rich person shall not think because others give what little they can afford to help the poor, that he has no responsibility.
In fact, he has more. He could give money to an educational fund, he could hire some of the poor to work for his company, when a poor person asks to cut his lawn, or to wash his windows, he should let them and pay them. So for a rich man, he can do more and is not limited to giving the few coins that a poor person may have need of.
But giving has to be voluntarily and not forced.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
12 Jul 10
You are right, it has to be voluntary, never compelling lol
Thanks for response.
Professor. .
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
3 Jul 10
What a touching story!
Well helping the poor is a must. God would bless us more if we consider the poor. However this crooked and evil world have used the term poor to take advantage of those who have good hearts. The beggars on the street are more often than not, members of a syndicate so this discourages me from helping them. I help yes to those who are really needy and helpless and not those who are only fooling people around.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
5 Jul 10
You see! Easy money in just few minutes! There are goodhearted people who easily feels compassion toward beggars. I know they mean nothing but good and for sure God will bless their good hearts just the same, but in a way they are already encouraging these deceivers to go on with their easy money job. So we must be very careful before we help beggars.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
12 Jul 10
Hi salonga
How are you , how are your grandkids?
Thanks for response and sharing your views.
Professor. .
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
3 Jul 10
That sounds like a nice story and very admirable too! I believe in this myself! I think that it's important to help others when we can whether we be rich or poor! I think that this helps the world go round as they say! Sadly not everyone believes in this philosophy and as a consequence of this there is a lot of pain and confusion in the world.
I wouldn't say that I give money to beggers but I am a member of two charitable institutions and my work involves helping partially sighted people or those that are totally blind! I help them with their computers when they have problems and things of that nature. I also help with refurbishing old computers and these are then donated to the poorest countries in the world so that an education can be given in terms of learning about computers and technology.
I think that if everyone played a small part in trying to help others then this would make a huge difference in the world and I'm pretty confident that we would all notice a big change in the world! Andrew
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
12 Jul 10
Hi Andrew, you are certainly doing a nice job.
Thanks for response.
GOD BLESS YOU FRIEND
Professor. .
@nangisha (3496)
• Indonesia
14 Jul 10
This is really nice and encouraging discussion professor.
We tend to put ourself and our family as first priority. As long our family had the food on table and safe, we don't really care about others.
Helping others will made your life valuable because its will made you more love by yourself and others. I will try to more giving with what I can.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
9 Aug 10
Thanks for response. I am happy you liked this discussion.
God bless you friend, cheers.
@veejay19 (3589)
• India
3 Jul 10
professor saheb, namaskar.Khimjibhai is indeed a great and noble soul. May God bless him and take care of him forever. A true philanthropist is one who, no matter what his situation in life is ,quietly performs his duties without any fanfare or publicity.It is very rare to find someone of the caliber of Khimjibhai who has selflessly devoted himself to helping the poor and the needy even though he has to beg to make a living himself.There are billionaires in the world like Bill Gates,the Ambani brothers etc who have put aside millions for charity but their philanthrophy, though commendable is nothing in front of Khimjibhai`s sacrifice.Thanks for writing about him.
1 person likes this
@tulipstrader (1467)
• India
3 Jul 10
NGO's should learn from Shree Khimjibhai Prajapati as to what service to needy means. He is NOT a beggar, although he begs for a living. He is one of the greatest GIVER living today. He has a mind and heart that is overflowing with compassion for the needy. His donation has another significance as it goes to educate the youth, who is the future of our nation. His motto of sharing everything left over with the needy after one's needs is something which the NGO community needs to learn and practice. Instead they conduct week long seminars on how to serve the poor eventually resulting in wasteful expenses.
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
12 Jul 10
Sure, he is doing the noblest thing..
Thanks for response.
Professor. .
@angelajoy (1825)
• Philippines
3 Jul 10
I give food to beggars, but I don't give them money. There are lots of gangs here that use children to beg and then take the money. If we would continue giving beggars money then these gangs would never run out of business. And that guy you just talked about is really unusual. If I'm so needy that I have to beg I wouldn't give what I have to others unless it becomes an emergency or something.
1 person likes this
Thanks for sharing your views.
Professor. .
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
2 Jul 10
No matter what our lot in life, we should aspire to help someone less fortunate than us. It is the most rewarding task we can perform. You may see yourself as a needy person at times. There will always be someone who is needier than you. It is a good feeling to lend a helping hand and know that is was needed and taken. What a wonderful world it would be if we all helped one another when the need was there.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
12 Jul 10
Yes helping should be mutual i agree..
Thanks for response.
God bless you friend, cheers.
Professor. .
@nina_khan (749)
• Pakistan
2 Jul 10
i never give them money. i do the same what you did.
i mean i give them food and clothes and watch them if they eat or not?
because now days there is a community of beggars those who have business about all these things
they do it on purpose and they are not really poor too.
some of them do have good houses better than a normal man.
take care
1 person likes this
@lys1280023 (108)
• China
3 Jul 10
Wonderful passage!I always help beggars though they may be cheating others.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
12 Jul 10
They cheat, but not all!!
Thanks for response.
Professor. .
@jacoo999 (69)
• India
3 Jul 10
Each man in this world have the duty to help others. Helping others is man's responsibility. Every human in this world needs someones help. Some beggars see begging as their profession. I don't give any money to such beggars because they are able do many other good jobs.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
12 Jul 10
Welcome to mylot
We should never encourage these professional beggers..
Thanks for response.
Professor. .
@Joshuael (109)
• China
3 Jul 10
In our country,beggar is a profession,95% of them get more money than usual workers.But I agree with "whether rich or poor,one should always try to help the needy."The best way to help is developing the needy people's ability to work.If we havenot material wealth to help,spirit support is also important help.We should respect those misfortunate people.This is also a big help to let them feel happy in the society.
1 person likes this
@bretski_kimie (153)
• Philippines
2 Jul 10
Helping the needy ones is an act that transcends boundaries, gender, and status. We all need a helping hand whether we are poor or rich. I admire the well off or the more fortune ones who helped the needy without thinking of self interest out of the act they made. The ones who remained anonymous. They are to be lauded. That is the principle of pay it forward.
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
12 Jul 10
We read in newspapers about some unknown persons leaving heavy cash, gold in boxes in temples with no tags attached..
Thanks for response.
God bless you friend, cheers.
Professor. .
@rastogisw (445)
• India
2 Jul 10
NOt generally I give money to beggars but when they just start chasing me then I give them but if they come at home then I try to give them the food .We had maid at home and for their kids full school responsibility we have taken because she does not want her kids to study.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
12 Jul 10
Taking of schooling responsibility of maids kids is certaily good..
Thanks for response.
God bless you friend, cheers.
Professor. .
