Lessons in giving: The banker and nun

On the deck of a luxury ocean liner bound for the Philippines, amid the glow of an orange sunset, Sister Cecilia, a Filipino Carmelite nun, and Lloyd, a Swiss banker, were conversing over tea.

Lloyd — Sister, I want you to teach me how to give. I have so much but I have never given because I don't know how and what to give. I'm not talking of handouts to beggars or donations to large charity foundations. I mean, really giving from the heart.

Sr. Cecilia — You sound so naïve for a banker. They are everywhere, the people you can give to.

Lloyd — Let me see. I see a waiter giving coffee to a lady. I see a child playing with her doll. They don't need help.

Sr. Cecilia — I see what you mean. You want to give to those in real dire need. Okay, let me walk you through. Hold my hand. (He hesitates). Oh, come on, Lloyd. (He holds her hand.) Close your eyes. Repeat after me. Dearest Lord, may we ask you a small favor, please. Give me and Lloyd the opportunity to give to people who are really in need. Rend our hearts that we may do this to serve you. Amen.

Lloyd — That's it? So short a prayer.

Sr. Cecilia —The length does not matter. Do you believe in God and in praying to him?

Lloyd — I am a devout Catholic, sister.

Sr. Cecilia — Did you mean what you prayed? Do you believe God will help us.

Lloyd — Yes, to both.

Sr. Cecilia — Then let's see what happens. Stay close to me when we arrive at the Cebu City harbor. Remember, God will help us if we believe he will. Let's see what God has in store for us.

Lloyd —I believe he will help us.

The orange glow persisted as they hit the harbor. Sister pointed to a six-year-old boy with no shirt and no slippers, rowing a makeshift six-foot boat with a single outrigger. He had a four-foot three-inch diameter bamboo basket full of giant mussels stuck to it, glistening black as a limousine.

Boy — Tahong, tahong kayo diyan. (Mussels, mussels for sale.)

He moved on, rowing fast along the length of the ocean liner and vanished quickly. In 20 minutes, as they waited for the long line to disembark, he was back.

Sr. Cecilia — Magkano? (How much?)

Boy — 300 pesos. Walang gustong bumili. Masyado daw mabigat.

Sr. Cecilia — (To Lloyd) About six dollars. No one wants to buy because it is so heavy.

Lloyd — Thank you, Lord. Sister, tell him I will buy it. Bring it to the disembarkation area.

Lloyd gave the boy a thousand pesos. Sr. Cecilia did a quick interview of the boy so she could fill Lloyd in.

Lloyd — Is a thousand pesos enough?

Sr. Cecilia — I don't know. Ask your heart how much it wants to help people in need. He is the seventh son in a family of 10 kids. His father abandoned them. His mother washes clothes to feed the 10 kids.

Lloyd gave the boy another 5,000 pesos. The boy quickly pocketed the money so no one would see the big amount.

Lloyd — Another thing, Sister. Tell the boy I want to see the mussel farm, if he could accompany us. I'm curious how they grow mussels in bamboo underwater.

Will you come along as my translator, Sister?

Sr. Cecilia — Yes. See, the Lord works wonders for us, Lloyd, beyond our expectations.

To cut the story short, Lloyd ended up buying the mussel farm and made the boy's family the caretakers. Sr. Cecilia ended up selling the mussels to eight religious congregations in Cebu on a regular basis. This time, they removed the mussels from the bamboo. The boy was happy he did not have to hit the ocean liners.

Lloyd — You see, Sister, there are many ways of helping the needy. You can give a fish, like 6,000 pesos, or a rod, like a mussel farm. By the way, what were you doing on a luxury ocean liner?

Sr. Cecilia — I work with the workers, serving their religious needs like masses, evening rosaries, and counseling for the lonely. Eighty percent of them are Filipinos.

Lloyd — Thank you, Sister, for teaching me how to give. I realize how giving is its own reward. I am so happy.

Sr. Cecilia — Don't thank me. Thank Him. (Pointing a finger to the sky).

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