Once again, the festive season is here. But as we feast and spend sums on unnecessary stuff, buying expensive gifts, partying from the most luxurious places and boozing—its also important that we consider our fellow brothers and sisters who are poor.

Those who will not afford to buy a bottle of soda which costs only Rwf250, the street kids, poor families who will sleep on an empty stomach and the sick in the hospital who do not have any one to attend to them.

Unlike Christmas, which is mainly celebrated by those who believe in God, the New Year’s Day is celebrated by all people, including the Muslims and pagans.

Those with money will drink, eat and party themselves-off, celebrating the end of year, and at the same time welcoming the New Year. But, unfortunately only a few will have the heart to celebrate with the poor.

Today, probably due to the influence of the capitalist world, even those who claim to be good Samaritans can’t hide their profit motives. Charity is now a business.

What is common now, is the practice of the adage "Everyone for himself, God for us all”, an expression named after Lord Castlereagh, during the Congress System. The principle was later implied as a "Give and take.”

As we celebrate, it will be a shame to eat and merry make when our fellow brothers and sisters are lamenting. We all ought to take that social responsibility of lightening the burden of the needy.

The sick, in hospitals and homes, who did not have access to go to hospitals, will need that comfort. It’s a pity that such people will not be able to differentiate these big days from their ordinary days, because for them, life will be just the same misery.

As we celebrate and probably go to Church, we should not be mean to our poor neighbours who hardly get enough for a meal. Behaving like Pharisees, who pretend to be good Christians in the eyes of man, yet before God, are stinking sinners!

Merry Christmas and happy New Year of 2009 to all of you!