ʺAre you okay ?ʺ,I asked as I moved closer to the sobing lady.Tears kept streaming down her eyes as she responded,ʺI don’t have money,my daughter is seriously illʺ. She grasped the doctor’s report firmly and seemed to be re-reading it over and over again.For a moment, I even forgot that I had a few errands to take care of ;I just felt the lady needed a listening ear.
I then went on to ask what seemed to be the problem with the 2 year old girl who looked bubbly,lovely and healthy,neatly tacked at the mother’s back.The mother then hesistantly explained how the baby had been passing out black coloured stool ;which were a indication of how they could have been blood in the child’s stomach.
The level of worry and despair on her face,just made me start encouraging her that all would be well.But the lady seemed miles away from me,in deep thought ? She suddenly started walking away. She was a stranger I met on the way but she left me with soo many unanswered questions.What had caused the baby’s illness,how would she eventually get medication for her sick child ?
As I continued with my own journey,I kept hoping the stranger I met on the way would get a permanent solution for her child’s illness.The lady had moved me,I felt shaken and learnt that we meet many strangers and we are called to encourage them but sometimes we get so busy and never get enough time for others.If everyone could have a listening ear for any stranger in need,our country would be a better place.