It’s an amazing feeling you get when you give wholeheartedly. There is this inner joy it brings to our souls… seeing someone smile after receiving a portion from you. People usually say it’s better to give than to receive, and it’s true!

Even GOD our creator loves a cheerful giver; this demonstrates how vital it is to give. Giving is divine; its blessings are divine too. A Rwandan proverb says "ugira neza, ineza ukayisanga imbere” which simply means…the good you do, awaits you ahead.

From last week’s story, a man (Charles) who, at the time the story is told is a fifteen year old boy was known for his sole clothing; a red short and green t-shirt but also the zeal to study. He was born from a poor family, living with his grandmother and a drunkard father.

Charles was supported by a stranger who opted to pay for his secondary school fees, since he had failed to raise money from the baskets he sold which were weaved by his grandma.

This stranger was an "angel on earth” who had responsibilities too, but helped the poor boy immensely.

The strange man advised him to be a generous person in future, to give without remembering and to take without forgetting. He said this while leaving him at the secondary school after paying his school fees in full.

Charles started high school and for the first two years he was an exemplary student, performing well in class, shirts always tucked in like amoxicillin (Congo style). He never indulged in any misconduct because he still had in mind the situation at home and the advice he had received from the man who paid his school fees.

He was also entrusted with becoming the promotional prefect. This always encouraged him to focus only on his studies. Things begun to fall apart when he lost track of the man who had paid his school fees; this man who had shown him the direction of life, had shifted to an urban region where he had gone to settle.

Charles became alcoholic, selfish and also joined a gang which used to steal other students school materials. Luckily, his performance was still good so he finished high school with a governmental scholarship.

Years passed by and Charles became successful in his life; he even became rich. He had a black Audi and was constructing a beautiful house. He even had more than 27million francs in his bank account.

He was filthy rich!! He was a very hardworking person; he hustled to get money throughout the day and throughout the week, without resting.

He had, however, forgotten the fact that everything he possessed had stemmed from a small package of school fees that a stranger had given him a long time ago. He had one house helper that he paid once in two months.

Everyone knew him for his love for money and hardened heart that did not allow him to give freely. He only sent (a little) money to his father, his grandma having passed away. Eventually, the stranger who had paid his school fees heard of Charles’s notoriety and was shocked. He decided to test him so as to determine whether Charles had forgotten the act of kindness that had made him successful.

He put on some old rags that made him look more like a beggar, he made himself limp and changed his voice and went and sat besides Charles’s gate begging for one hundred francs.

As Charles arrived from work, he saw this man, and quickly ordered him away from his gate. The man stayed there until Charles ordered the gatekeeper to chase him away. The man who had pretended to be a beggar was extremely shocked.

He returned the following day wearing the same make up, and when Charles arrived, he got out of the car and slapped the ‘beggar’ who immediately removed his rags and said to Charles "Is this how you repay for your high school fees? What changed you? I now believe what they told me.” He departed at once and Charles remained in confusion, regretting his actions.

Remark: giving should always be an action of the heart. If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give it away but do it all with a loving heart. True generosity is when you give your all, and still feel as if it costs you nothing.

Fellow teens, lets learn to give as part of our personality. Remember, let not your left hand know that your right hand has given; God will bless our giving.

Ends