Blessing in Giving - J.R. Darsi

Charity means sharing what you have earned lawfully and ethically with others. Charity is praised as one of the greatest virtues in Hindu Dharma.¹ If you are helping a charity that is based in the local community you are offering your time and services to the greater good of your community. Doing so helps build a stronger community and a better world! Charity work is not without benefits to those contributing, there is a blessing in giving. Give generously to them and do so with a cheerful heart; the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. Deuteronomy 15:10.² Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” LK 6: 38.³ The funds to charity is tax-deductible.

In my opinion charity is not merely by the rich for the poor but charity is by the rich and the poor for those who need it. In the Middle Ages, St Francis of Assis, a great rich man gave up a life of wealth to live a life of poverty. For around eight hundred years his followers have been serving billions of people all over the world. On the other hand, according to the statistics fewer income people give more charity than people who earn a higher income. Likewise, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Indonesia are all classified by the United Nations as lower-middle-income countries; however, they are all in the top ten most charitable countries in the world.⁴

Donors’ contributions to charity are influenced or motivated differently. According to a survey most of the donors give charity due to their personal values, desire to serve for a particular cause, faith and religious belief and influence of family, etc.⁵ There is no one around us who has no problems, everyone lacks something and struggles with one or more challenges.

Yet, it is beautiful to see that some people set aside their own pains and extend their kindness to relieve the pain of others. How gracious and generous they are! People who are inspired by their religious teachings and faith give prime value to the interest of others and help those in need. When they do the right things they believe they are doing God’s will, working for God, and bringing happiness and blessings to others. Several donors are very cheerful in giving and yet like to remain anonymous. Donors should not feel compelled to give and a charity organization should not manipulate the benefactors’ generosity.

By giving, I believe we can bring hope to others who would otherwise be helpless and without hope. Instead of sympathising with people who are suffering from anxiety, depression, family separation, poor parenting, and many other emotional, psychological relationship problems we want to empower them, reduce or eradicate their problems through professional counselling, mediation and various developmental programs. In my experience, a good education helps children excel; however, many teenagers lack the necessary skills or drop out of secondary school. We wish to be equipped to provide guidance and free tutorials to students with low incomes, and to give scholarships to students attending full-time universities.

The greatest contribution we can make to our community is by enhancing the lives of others. This is only possible through the generous contributions from kindhearted individuals and organizations and the efforts of our dedicated team. Please visit us if you would like more information about us, our works, and our inspiring experiences.