Just One Way To Make SA Better

2-45pm

After the SONA last week, an article appeared which got shared many times on social media. Tony van Niekerk (good name but no relation) wrote the article “Build My Beloved Country” and in the second half outlined 10 things we could do to improve South Africa.

One of the challenging ideas was to befriend a “Big Issue” seller and join him/her one day to find out just how hard it is to sell the Big Issue.

Photo from capetown.travel

It wasn’t that long ago that I got an idea of how difficult it is…not that I joined the Big Issue seller. I wasn’t brave enough to do that, but I did sit for a while and watch while he tried to sell.

I was sitting in my car. Mike was buying something and I was waiting for him. There was a Big Issue seller on the street, not far from where I was parked. A steady flow of shoppers came out of the centre walking towards the parking lot. They had to pass this smiling chap with his bounty of magazines. I watched the responses to him. There were three types of response.

1. Those that stopped, fished in their wallets for money and bought a magazine. If they didn’t do that, they gave him an offering, but didn’t take a mag. Obviously this category is the best. They acknowledged his presence and brightened his day by buying his wares. They are making SA better. They are helping. They are being kind.

2. The second group of people did not buy a magazine and neither did they part with any cash. What made them stand out as different was that they acknowledged the seller. They made eye contact, greeted him and maybe then turned him down. They may have said, ‘not today,’ or ‘ I’ve got one already’ or simply ‘no thank you’. Whatever they said, they, at the very least acknowledged him. It didn’t cost anything except a few moments in time, a smile and a greeting. These people also are helping make SA better. They are being kind.

3. The third group of people were the ones that made me cringe. You see I’ve been in all three of the groups before. I was a fly on the wall watching me approach the Big Issue seller. I saw me buy one, smiling and generous. I saw me greet, make eye contact, but turn him down. And then I saw me in the third response as well. I’ve done this and it’s horrible. When I was watching, I willed everyone coming out to acknowledge this Big Issue seller. I winced as I saw some of the responses. Some completely ignored him. They pretended he wasn’t there. I’ve done that before – 🙁  They walked straight past him, turning a blind ear to his offer. If they did hear him say something, the most they could get out was a curt shake of the head…it was loaded innuendo-  ‘leave me alone – I’m not interested’. There was no smile. There was no eye contact. There was no interest.

It hurt.

Because I’ve done that.

I squirmed uncomfortably.

And then I waited to see what my husband would do when he came out….

As I saw him come out, I wanted to jump out the car and wave and shout and say ‘buy a Big Issue!’

But I didn’t have to.

He bought one. 😀  He greeted the seller. He smiled at him and enthusiastically paid the price. Mike made the Big Issue seem like a prized purchase!

I nearly cried!

It’s so hard to do the right thing every time.

Even when I don’t give, let me, Lord, just remember to smile and wave. Help me to make eye contact and give significance.

In doing that, I will make SA a better place, for that person, for that moment in time. I can’t make a difference to everyone, but I can make a difference to some.

Ephesians 4:2

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Shew!

Good reminder.

Keep the smile going. Spread it liberally.

God bless you!

In His Grip,

Helga xx 🙂