Earlier just now, as I was reversing my car, an indian guy came over to me. Looks like he is in mid or late 20s, carrying a black knapsack, wearing a dark coloured shirt and jeans. He approached to me asking if I speak and understand English. He speak fluently, uses bro a lot. He says that he isn’t from this area, he got into an accident (shows his grazed right elbow) and his motorcycle is in the mechanic’s place nearby and he doesn’t have enough money to pay for the repair. He says that he’s been begging people for 2 hours already, he got no friends or contacts around here. He says he only needs RM18 to pay for the remaining repair bill.
So, this puts me in a difficult situation. Difficult situation because on one hand, I wanted to help if he is genuinely in need of help. On the other hand, it is giving me scam alert. These 2 thoughts see-saw on the scale. I hesitated and say I don’t have much with me (I’ve like a few 1 dollar notes and 2 fifty notes)
There’s a car coming my direction, so i adjust my car so I don’t block the road. While I was doing that, the guy says nevermind lah bro, if you can’t help then it’s ok, and then walk off.
The scale suddenly goes in favor of helping him cause he looks somewhat desperate in getting help. I thought about it and then ask God, what must I do? Should I help him with the risk of possibly getting cheated? Maybe I could fetch him to the mechanic and pay for him. What if he have a weapon inside his bag? What if he guides me to a gang of his instead of mechanic? What if he really needs help and no one is there to help him? I saw him walking to a distance. I asked God for help again, and then I went after him.
I finally caught up to him (with my car) and I ask him where is he going and what about his parents or siblings. He says he’s just walking around, dunno wat to do. His mother is 70 years old and can’t walk. He’s from SP. He’s got no other siblings. He says the mechanic shop is near the Sg Nibong bus terminal traffic light. So I offered to fetch him to the mechanic. Then he say It’s ok lah bro, you don’t trust me, and then walks off again.
I was like, what is this. I was about to offer him RM18. Then the scale goes back to neutral and a little bit to the suspicious side. Wanting to know if he really is genuine or not, I drove to the 2 motorcycle mechanic shops in that area and asked them if there’s an indian guy who sent his bike here for repair. Both said no. That pretty much clears my conscience. Thank God for that and I didn’t foolishly give out my money to undeserving people.
Though, it makes me think, that we, the ‘normal’ people always think of criminals such as scammers, thieves, rapists, etc are so inhuman for doing the things that makes them to be less human. But on the flipside, in protecting oneself’s life or money or properties or belongings, we too have become less human our self by not offering help or money to people who needs it in fear of getting cheated or killed or raped. Of course there are people who really go out of their way to help people and strangers and I’m pretty sure there are occasions when they got cheated or taken advantage of. But they are the ones who make us have faith in humanity, that there’s still hope in this downward spiral path that humanity is taking. There’s still hope that we can get out of it. That hope rest upon Christ Himself. To God be the glory.
a.h.t.i.n's w.e.b.b.e.d.b.l.o.g 