Would you help a stranger?

Today is June 27, year 2011. This is a day to remember because something meaningful happened to me. Just want to share this with you...

Naka mind set ako to be domesticated and to do some errands...I finished cleaning the house (with the help of Diana) and finished cooking our lunch before 12:00 noon. So, after us nag lunch, I and Gizelle, my daughter, went to SM Pampanga.

Our first destination is to pay our Internet Bill...hmmm....daming nagbabayad, so nakipila ako. It took me about 30 minutes bago ako nakapagbayad. After that, told Gizelle na punta us ng National Book Store, as expected, a bookworm would always want to hang out in the book store.

So papunta na kami ni Gizelle, we were walking towards National Book Store na, when all of a sudden a lady approached me. The lady is about 5 feet tall, me dalang bag at some papers. Sa tingin ko she is on her late 30's. She approached me and asked me if I can help her.

Sabi n'ya, "Ma'am, puede pong humingi ng tulong?" I thought she will just ask for a direction or ask something, but to my surprise...waaahh...sabi n'ya..."Kasi po Ma'am I will have my Medical Exam today at 2:30. I applied here in SM kaso di naman po kami na inform na dapat naka dress kami. Kung puede po sana, hihiram ako ng damit." waahhh....laking gulat ko! Sabi ko, "Anong damit? I do not have any dress except what I am wearing." I was talking to her in English and Filipino. Tapos sabi nya, "Nakakahiya man po Ma'am, kung puede lang po sana, makikipalit ako ng damit ko sa dress n'yo. Kasi po kung uuwi pa ako, di ko na aabutin yung time ko for the Physical Exam." Sabi ko, "Bakit di ka nalang bumili? Me mga mura namang damit dyan?" Of course, I was hesitant...waahhh...I will wear her dress? Kalokaa...sabi ko sa sa kanya..."I can't wear your dress..." and she said, " Ma'am wala po kasi akong pambili. Meron po akong P1,500 pesos lang sa wallet ko, budget ko na po kasi yun." This time, I looked at Gizelle, sabi ko, "Kawawa naman Seng, teka lang tulungan muna natin." Sabi ko sa kanya, "Ok, me extra naman akong damit dito,(I brought with me extra cycling and blouse kasi nga umuulan ulan)pahiram ko nalang tong dress ko and ito nalang suot ko tong dala ko."

So we went to the Restroom. Ano pa nga ba, so hinubad ko yung black dress ko, and handed it to her. Then, sya naman nagbihis...waaah...paglabas nya, suot nya na dress ko. Then sabi nya, "Iiwan ko po sa inyo tong bag ko, kasama po tong wallet ko, eto po yung pera Ma'am P1,500 po laman ng wallet ko." I checked on her purse at sabi ko, "Dalhin mo nalang yung P500.00 pesos kasi baka you need to be in shoes. So bili ka nalang ng mura." Nakinig naman s'ya kasi naka tsinelas nga lang dahil sa me mga baha. So nagpalitan kami ng phone numbers, Gizelle gave her number and got her number. He name is Regina(not her real name). I told her that we will just be at Mc Donalds and that she can text us pag tapos na s'ya. She sai, "Ma'am, thank you po talaga, kakahiya man po." Sabi ko, "I understand, Good luck!"

Naghiwalay na us after that, when suddenly, sabi ni Gizelle, "Ma, sabihan mo nalang din s'ya na manghiram ng shoes sa mga saleslady kung talagang wala syang pera." So I got Gizelle's point, kaya hinabol ko na naman s'ya to tell her what to do. Sabi ko, "Puede ka nalang din manghiram ng shoes sa mga employees, kung sandali lang naman." and she said, "Oo nga po, Ma'am. Sige po, salamat po ulit. Text nalang po ako." and then we parted.

Kami ni Gizelle pumunta na sa National Book Store, nag Mcdo, then, nag ikot ikot sa SM. We were there for more almost two hours. Tapos, Gizelle went to the Restroom, ako naman naiwan kasi nakita ako ng former student ko. Nagkumustahan us, the usual. Tapos, after few minutes, Gizelle sent me a text message na punta na daw ako sa National ulit. So I went to see her. Laking gulat ko at andun na si Regina, the lady.

So I asked her, how was it. Sabi nya okay naman daw. Tapos sabi nya, nanghiram nga sya ng shoes dun sa mga sales lady. She also told me na kailangan daw nya ng certificate from a doctor about her operation. She was asked to submit it.

So habang papunta us na naman sa restroom, tinanong tanong ko s'ya. A friendly query lang naman about herself. Nalaman ko na she is working in Clark sa Call Center, she is 33, and she lives in Cerhil Subdivision in San Fernando, Pampanga. That her family name is Santos(not her real family name). The family name sounds familiar. So I asked her how is she related to Ma'am Santos, a former colleague in my former school. She told me that her husband is her uncle. What a small world indeed. In addition to that, she told me that she is applying for a sales supervisor for the new SM in San Fernado market.

Hmmm...umabot na kami sa restrooms at nagpalit na sya. Sinoli n'ya yung damit ko na maayos ang pagkatupi. Sabi n'ya gusto nya daw sanang iuwi yung damit para labhan at soli nalang n'ya sa akin. Sabi ko, no worries, ako nalang maglaba. Tapos, I asked her kung saan pa s'ya punta. Sabi n'ya pauwi na sya. Sabi ko naman, me bilhin pa kami at we need to drop by sa Betty's to buy cassava cake. Sabi n'ya, "Sige po Ma'am, dito nalang po ako, maraming salamat po, ulit. Eto nga po pala para sa inyo." Sabi ko, "Ano yan, nag abala ka pa." Sabi n'ya, "Ako nga po ang nahihiya sa inyo, passensya na po sa abala." Sabi ko, Okay lang yun iha, naiintindihan ko ang situation mo." Then, I said thank you sa binigay nya, nag beso beso usat naghiwalay na.

Wala na si Regina...pero hindi pa rin maalis sa isip ko ang pangyayari. I need to process the whole situation and so I started asking myself. These are some of the questions that came to my mind.

Unang tanong ko sa sarili ko was, paano kung I rushed at tinalikuran ko s'ya. I coud have said..."Sorry, ha, nagmamadali kami." Just to avoid her because I do not totally know her....KASO HINDI AKO ITO...THIS IS NOT ME...

What if, tinulungan ko nga s'ya at peke pala s'ya at me maitim na balak like pinaamoy ako ng kung ano just to get what I have in my bag? waaahhh...HMMM...WALA NAMAN SA ITSURA N'YA...I WAS TALKING TO HER AND ASKING HER IN ENGLISH, MATINO NAMAN. I TOOK THE RISK...BASTA I WANTED TO HELP WITH AN OPEN HEART....

Bakit ako ang nilapitan sa dami ng mga babaeng naka dress sa SM? Why me? Inisip ko, am I being tested as to my consistency on my passion to help? DAHIL SIGURO AKO ANG NAKATAKDANG TUMULONG. DAHIL SIGURO ANG OPPORTUNITY PARA MAKATULONG AY DI KO PAPALAMPASIN.

THIS IS A DEEP INSIGHT...NAISIP KO LANG...ITO AY ISANG KAISIPAN...

What if the stranger was Jesus in disguise trying to see if I would help a complete stranger in need? THIS IS A SPIRITUAL INSIGHT...YES, FOR THE LORD'S PRESENCE IS IN OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE IN NEED OF HELP. I wanted to cry...right now, I have this feeling...I thank the LORD for my faith, my principles, my wisdom and my values in life.

I know in my heart that I will forever be a woman of Faith...I thank the Lord because I responded to the call to help the lady...ayaw ko din namang mangyari sa akin yun someday...I helped her because one day I may be the stranger who needs help. Salamat at meron akong feeling of RESPONSIBILITY and SYMPATHY sa aking kapwa.

Indeed, to help a stranger is the best experience for me...kasi di ko s'ya kilala. Madaling tumulong sa taong kilala mo, but to help somebody you do not really know is a RISK. Buti nalang I did not hesitate, buti nalang bukas ang puso kong tulungan s'ya....Now I have JOY in my heart because I know that I was able to help.

In life, we are given opportunities to help and I believe that God has in store for us wonderful opportunities and ways to serve Him. Indeed, the experience I had was an opportunity for me to serve the Lord and to fulfill my purpose and bring greater glory and honor for Him. And with the incident I have experienced, my heart says, THANK YOU LORD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY!

(unedited)