Hoai Nguyen (Beh) was the 4th person I hired in 1992, the first year I started hiring caregivers to do a few hours of work for me in the evening and morning to get me off to work on time and to get me settled in for sleep at night. The first three, while doing very good work for me, left for other endeavors. Beh was sponsored by her sister-in-law, along with her father and five brothers, from Vietnam in June, 1992. She was put to work sewing in the house. When she grew anxious to learn more English and get out of the house, her brother found my ad in the local grocery store greensheet and brought Beh to me with only a block walk to my home. She stayed, gradually becoming my partner, my business partner and my full-time caregiver as my needs grew and took on more hours as I needed them.
I taught her to drive to take both of us to work when I quit driving. For a year, she went to college as a freshman with me at Texas Southern University where I worked and she had a work-study position taking care of me. But she wanted her own business instead and opened her dry cleaning and alterations shop in 2000. In 2012, her younger brother married Sean and brought her here to help Beh in her shop. They are dynamic pair making the shop very successful while many shops have failed over the years. Beh is contemplating retirement at 67. She is still very healthy, partly because she taught herself to swim about 20 years ago and regularly does laps at the gym as well as walking in the evenings with Sean when the weather is good.
Yesterday, Beh came home with a remarkable story. Over the years on the drive between our house and their shop on Westheimer, she and her sister-in-law, Sean, would stop and give money or food to homeless that seem to be growing in numbers in our streets in recent years. One man even slept in front of their shop at night out of the rain and wind until he was banished from the shopping center for urinating in front of the shops.
But this story was different. About a month ago, a young man came by their shop with a large pack on his back asking if he could charge his cell phone in English with a strong Spanish accent. Beh and Sean found out about him while he waited for the phone to charge. His name was Javier Hernandez and he was from Venezuela. Told them that he had walked to the border and then took a bus to Houston where he was supposed to meet his friend. But when he got here, he could not find his friend. And had been wandering, trying to find work, help and a place to live. Sleeping in a tent he carried on his back. He stunk from the heat and inability to find a place to bathe.
Like many others they had encountered at their shop, they gave Javier $10 and water. And he went on his way. But, stopped back again a couple of times to charge his phone, and then, disappeared. Two days ago, Beh saw him again walking back and forth in front of their shop but didn't come in. So she went outside and asked him what was going on. Javier came in, but he smelled very bad after several days on the street again. He explained that he had found someone that would take him in and he worked for the guy. But when the guy didn't pay anything, he left. He said that he was either an electrician or electrical engineer, but could do any kind of work.
Fortunately, after that Javier found his friend and stayed with him until his family came and he had to leave again. It had been a few days since he had been on the street again. Beh gave him $10 and some water, and he left. But the next morning, she saw him on the corner begging for money and got an idea. About 10 years ago she had the roof on her house replaced by a Mexican contractor who had a very good worker by the name of Ramon Lopez.
Ramon told her that he was a plumber from Honduras. She told him that she had some plumbing work to do, but Ramon told her that he didn't want to betray his boss who Beh didn't like for the way he treated his workers. Finally, he agreed to do her work. Then, he came and solved a leaking problem with the toilet upstairs in my house. Since then, we have hired him many times. He will often come late at night to fix a leaky faucet or whatever else. Like a friendly handyman or a major contractor. Last year, he replaced the dry rotted structural window wall in my living room and put in a laminate floor.
Thinking of Ramon, Beh called him and asked him if he could help Javier out. Ramon said he would talk to him about it. So, Beh went out on the corner where Javier was begging and asked him to come into the shop. She called Ramon and gave the phone to Javier and they talked. When Ramon told Javier that he could work for him, Javier lit up, happy, and then cried. Beh and Sean cried along with him.
While they waited for Ramon to come and pick him up, they found some clothes that had never been picked up and he tried them out to see what fit. Made a fresh juice drink for him to drink. When they had to leave the shop and Ramon had not shown up for the evening, Beh gave him $60 and he cried again as they left to come home.
Javier ended up walking down Westheimer to a restaurant to wait. And it wasn't until 9:30 pm Friday that Ramon was able to finish his workday, normal for him, and pick Javier up to take to his home not far from where we live just across Kirkwood. Saturday is like every other day of work for Ramon. So, when Javier called Beh last evening, he told her that he had worked on a roof all day in the 100°+ heat and was exhausted, but clean and happy. Had called his mother in Venezuela and talked to his 12-year-old daughter.
Beh just told me that she hates to see people in the street who can't find a place to live or a job when they have skills and the willingness to work long hours at low pay just to get ahead. She is my angel in the house. She's known for giving all workers in the house or her work big tips, having the lowest prices for her expert alteration work among other shops, giving freely to family and friends whenever they need money and still is one of the richest woman entrepreneurs that I know.
Interesting read Ron! Many of us have no idea how hard it is for people to find their way in the United States when they come from another country. Beh exemplifies kindness and charity, both beautiful human qualities.
some people, your Ben being one of them, have this hidden, hidden deeply in most people, the spark of goodness that forces them to be kindly and caring even to strangers, and due to her persistent, continuing act of kindness, Javier did find work... Very warm, well written story, Ron.
I used to work for the Garment Workers Union in New York City back in 1996 for several years. It was so sad to learn that immigrants had come to the City, got job offers, worked for several weeks and then were refused any compensation! They came to the union, we took it to court and were able to get them the pay they were offered originally.
It makes me angry when bosses exploit workers with low wages and then don't even give them a paycheck. Kind-hearted people help many to survive, but what we need is action to make sure that all working people can get training, jobs and a good paychecks. We can abolish such neglect and suffering! Thanks for sharing this story.
This morning, we learned from Ramone that Javier is staying with his nephew and other guys in his work crews. He is paying him $120 a day for a long hot hours. But already, Javier is asking Beh to help him send money to his mother and daughter in Venezuela.
These are no small acts of kindness. Not everyone would be so kind. Sure, I can give a homeless person some money and water. The most I have done for one was drive him around to a shelter and bring him to a friend who provided him with a backpack big enough to hold all his belongings. This friend is a homeless minister, Mama Lucy Bonsanta. She takes in the homeless, gives them a shower, clothes them, and provides them with meals. She has found work and apartments for a few. I love and support her ministry with finances and, of course, prayers. She is an angel. I don't need Lucy's services, but so many others do. I have never been homeless, but I have seen successful friends become homeless and down and out. Lucy's ministry and Love and Compassion Ministries, my wife and I support and help whenever possible. It's a blessing to be a blessing. You are a blessed man, Ron. Amen X 110! John Michael
I read this very well written story account with fascination. What a true to life experience, beautifully rendered. People were crying during the course of the story; I also cried while reading it. You are very lucky to have such a partner and caregiver. She certainly deserves every blessing that comes her way.
Indeed. Perhaps much more than a small act of kindness. Kindness has run through my mind lately, given the news gives us many reminders of the lack of moral principles. You are fortunate to have such a person in your life, which I know you are aware of. Take care of the angel in your house. They are rare.
GLIMPSE OF AN ANGEL IS NOW AVAILABLE. A PORTION OF ALL SALES WILL GO TO HOSPICE TO THUS ENABLE THEM TO HELP OTHERS WHO ARE SOON TO PASS TO THE OTHER SIDE. NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
