An eyewitness recollection of good deeds done in silence.
The Drunken Bum
Danao, Cebu, Philippines, 1959- In the late 1950s, work that pays was hard to find in the sleepy town of Danao.
Two poor kids found luck in being hired to haul sacks of rice and salt to the marketplace on weekends. They used a borrowed decrepit push cart with wooden wheels to transport the goods from suppliers to the retailers in the market.
On one unfortunate occasion, due to heavy load, the wheels of their cart were dislodged from their axle. The kids’ combined strength was not enough to lift cart’s body to latch back the wheels on to the axle. Several able bodied townspeople passed by but did nothing to help.
The man was unmarried and only few townspeople knew his real name. His eyes were always blood shot and his face red, typical after-effects of heavily drinking locally brewed liquor. The townspeople address him only as the “Drunken Bum”, a kind of trademark name that he seemed delighted to accept.
The kids were becoming desperate, their strength drained out. The retailers of the goods they were hauling were anxiously waiting for their delivery. Then, out of the blue, the Drunken Bum appeared and lifted the body of the cart enabling the kids re-attach the dislodged wheels. He came and left without a word spoken. The kids did not even have the opportunity to thank him.
The bum may be already very old by now or may have probably passed on but he left a silent wellspring of kindness in the hearts of the men who were once the kids he helped.
The Soldier
Manila, Philippines, 1985- A woman carrying a little boy and clutching a torn paper bag staggered across a busy sidewalk. The bag contains the duo’s only possession, a mix of dirty clothes. The child wore only an oversized T-shirt reeking of urine, his private parts exposed.
Obviously in pain, the woman collapsed a few steps later. Pedestrians gathered around her.
A passing soldier squeezed through the crowd circling the fallen woman. What he saw stirred his conscience. He requested an onlooker to hail a taxi cab and lifted the woman, the child, and their torn paper bag into his arms and carried them to the waiting cab.
At the army hospital where the two were brought, the doctors, with deliberate haste, tended the sick woman. A hospital visitor went to a nearby apparel store and bought back a new bag and few T-shirts for the child. The nurses bathed the child, changed his dirty clothes and placed him in a crib. Crying loudly, the refreshed little boy stood at the edge of his crib looking at his sick mother.
A devil among the hospital employees muttered to her colleagues, “That soldier who brought the woman is just showing off by bringing a civilian to this hospital which is built exclusively for soldiers”.
The sick woman smiled at his child, bowed to the soldier, scanned the faces of the medical staff attending her, raised her hands in a gesture of gratitude and passed out.
Having done what they could humanly do, the Samaritans placed the duo in God’s hands.
The Tough Guy
Cebu City, Philippines, 1967- TP taught Physics and Mathematics at an Institute famous for producing topnotch and even world-class engineers.
In the Institute’s male faculty common room, conversations mainly revolve around topics like: who among the Institute’s recent graduates topped the board; who was able to solve the latest math problem tossed around by one of the instructors; who are the potential “King of Engineers”.
TP was different. Although he had completed two Engineering degrees and frequented the male faculty common room, he seldom talked about subjects related to his fields. He talked about fights; like how an underdog street fighter beat his opponent, how his neighborhood protects itself from criminal elements, who obtained judo black belts among his friends and how they trained their children in martial arts. And he never talked about himself.
JS graduated at the Institute. Although of small build, he grew up unscathed in his tough neighborhood, where courage, particularly in facing adversaries, was considered the most supreme of virtues. He was without fear and he worked hard to reach his goal. Entering the Institute as just an above average student, he worked his way to the top of his class, placed second in a national board examination and became an electrical engineering instructor. As an instructor JS applied firm passing standards in his courses, the same way he subjected himself into when he was a student.
While the Institute had a good reputation, it had its share of misguided students. A group of them organized a kind of extortion gang, approaching students and telling them that, for a fee, they can convince an instructor to change a failing to passing grade. Once paid, they politely convince or threaten the concerned instructor to pass a failing student. They tried this way with JS but were firmly refused.
The gang wanted to demonstrate their mettle and decided to humiliate JS before a crowd of students. Headed by a muscular big bully, the gang waited in ambush for JS at the gate of the Institute. They were all armed with knives.
When JS passed by the gate one gang member slashed his hips with a knife. The intention was to scare him and slow him down, but not kill him
Bleeding, JS walked slowly away from the gate into the street. The big bully followed JS and challenged him to a fist fight. Never one to decline a challenge, JS faced the bully. A large crowd of students and instructors gathered around to witness the encounter.
The fist fight was David-versus-Goliath one. JS was clobbered mercilessly but kept fighting back.
TP witnessed the uneven fight and noticed the bully’s minions preparing to encircle JS. Without hesitation, he walked calmly towards the fighting duo, posted himself between them, faced the bully and muttered a few words to him. The bully retreated and his minions faded away into the crowd,
Like a big brother to a younger sibling, TP placed his arms over JS’s shoulder and casually guided him out of harms way.
The crowd that witnessed the scene dispersed in awe. For most of them, it was the first time they witnessed a demonstration of raw courage, a scene that will remain in their memories for a lifetime.
This was an inspiring message for several reasons, but especially for me being a physics person that God placed here to enlighten others and to lighten others with the words he has bgiven me to speak.
A good samaritian indeed, just like in the gospel story. Well told!
"Silent Samaritans, a Recollection"
What wonderful narratives of good deeds.
It is always a blessings when one is given a good samritan when they most need it.
Great I enjoyed reading these heart touching deeds done from kindness of individuals heart. Often times it is a brave heart that has the Godly given courage to step up and take charge.
These superb offerings are wonderful examples of good samaritans in our times.
Blessings and take care,
From the Heart...
I think sometimes, that people that are labeled "drucken bums" drink so much because they are so senstive to the needs of others that it overwhelms them. God Bless the drunken bums.
Thank you for sharing these stories.
He Keeps Me is a devotional journey of revelation and insight birthed out of prayer.Searching the Word of God revealed the many ways that He has kept me and continues to keep me. Each day is an opportunity to recognize that God is mindful of you, eve
