A Hungry Man

The guard called to my desk from the main gate at work yesterday.  "Sir", he said, "I am hungry and I have nothing to eat.  I have only 20,000 kwacha (Zmk) and need another 20,000 to get a bag of mealie meal" (a flour that mixes into nshima the staple for all Zambians).  Before this call I had never spoken to Leonard.  I always wave and smile to him as he salutes Jeannie and I when we arrive or depart the office.  I was shocked and didn't know quite what to say.  I told him I was sure there was something I could do.  I spoke to Muule my office partner to get some information about Leonard.  "He doesn't drink and he is a good man with a family.  He lives int he shanty compound", she said.  I had Muule call Leonard to get more information.  She told me he was out of money because it was getting to be the end of the month (it is only the middle of the month) and that he was able to borrow the 20,000 kwacha (about US$4.50)he had from his sister over the weekend.  Muule and I went to Shoprite and I collected a 25kg sack of mealie meal, a bottle of cooking oil (both good for a month of eating), a cooked piece of chicken and some fries and returned back to the office.  Leonard was beside himself with relief and showed great appreciation.  A working man (does this tell you something about the wages in Zambia?) in the middle of the month hadn't even enough borrowed money to feed himself or his family.  He was desperate enough to call someone he didn't even know for help.  There are a lot of sad things going on in this world but this one presented itself to me.  Not everyone is in their position because they don't care or are lazy; it is because they have no way out.  I learned a beautiful life lesson from Leonard yesterday that made me realize to sit back and do nothing is not an option.  I am a very lucky man.