Hello Mi Neighbour | Did you make a positive impact over the last 12 months?

Hello, mi neighbour! What positive impact has your life made on your neighbour over the last 12 months? Never thought of it? If you think about it and nothing comes to mind, in the mind of late American song writer, Mahalia Jackson, you would have wasted a whole year, even if all your personal dreams came true over that period.

Mahalia posited that "if I can help somebody as I pass along, my living shall not be in vain."

For her, those who do nothing to help people as they pass through this world are just taking up precious space, and may be better off elsewhere. Ours is a world where meaning to life is found in living for others.

Each has been called to help someone else each day. When that final day comes, there must be evidence that we positively impacted others, and mourners will not be hard-pressed to confirm this. Not saying that we should sound a trumpet for every act of kindness performed by us - those for whom it is performed will sound that trumpet.

People who love and live just for self-aggrandisement are committing a 'crime' against humanity. Unfortunately, crimes of this nature are neither reported nor investigated, even though many times they are the prime trigger behind other acts of criminality, a source of Jamaica's headache at this time. Check it!

 

A CRIME NOT TO HELP

 

In my line of business, every day I meet families who are trying to keep their heads above water and stay away from trouble, but it has been very trying for them. Young boys who are tired of going to bed hungry and seeing their mothers and grandmothers suffer the indignity of not being able to put food on the table become prime targets for recruitment to groups involved in illicit activities for survival and greed satisfaction.

Think of the difference it makes to an unemployed single mother of three hungry children when she receives food on a regular basis from a considerate neighbour. Think also of the peace and contentment which come to the heart of the neighbour who receives a few sheets of badly needed zinc and doors to secure her little room which houses her family. Yes, these are real situations facing many Jamaicans. Is it a crime not to help someone if you can, as you pass along? Yes!

Neighbours, let's catch the vision and help our dear brothers and sisters who need our help direly. Some have caught this vision and have made positive differences in the lives of 450 neighbours over the past twelve months through this column and the Hello Neighbour feature aired on LOVE 101 FM every Wednesday morning.

These neighbours received beds, stoves, sewing machines, refrigerators, clothing, dressers, mattresses, food, cash, and spiritual solutions through our seven prayer lines, etc. Awesome! This figure represents 0.0164835165 per cent of the Jamaican population. Imagine what more of us could accomplish!

Just think of the positive difference you can make to Jamaica if for the next twelve months you reach out and make a positive difference in the lives of twelve neighbours - one per month. Yes, we must - stop living in vain by helping "somebody as we pass along".

THANKS TO DONORS

- Pamela, St Catherine - for clothing

- Neighbour, St Andrew - for acts offering clothing to burnt-out victims

- Sister Nelson, St Catherine - for offering a crib to neighbour

- Neighbour offering a large piece settee to a neighbour

OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP

- Monique, Clarendon - Asking neighbours for sewing machine

- Brenda, St Thomas - Asking neighbours for mattress and a dresser - suffering with back pain

- Marblet, Clarendon - Mother of three asking for food

- Leonie, Kingston - Lost furniture and struggling to recover. Asking for chest of drawers and a stove

- Neighbour - Asking neighbours for a mattress and bed linen

- Neighbour - Desperately needs food

- Neighbour - Widow is asking for a second-hand bed. The one she sleeps on is not hers and the owner is asking for it.

- To help, please call Silton Townsend @ 334-8165, 884-3866, or deposit to acct # 351 044 276 NCB. (Bank routing #: JNCBJMKX) or send donations to HELLO NEIGHBOUR C/o 53 Half Way Tree Road, Kingston 10; Paypal/credit card: email: zicron22@yahoo.com. Or contact e-mail helloneighbour@yahoo.com