Simple giving

I always find giving difficult; there are the beggars whom I might give a few taka because it puts a quick end to the encounter, but I know that I have given them no lasting help; there are the friends who need a little money to get out of a sticky situation, and for whom I will go from being a friend to a benefactor if I help; and there are the habitual beggars who think it is always worth a try to see if they can get something and so ask.
On Tuesday I had the privilege of being able to help without any of these issues. A family of four; Ratan aged six in a white 'dhoti' with his sisters Ratna in class five and Shampa who was barely two years old and finally their mother whose name and age I don't know.
Ratan was the one doing the begging, wearing just a white cloth around his waist and a white thread over his right shoulder it wasn't difficult to see that this was a family in mourning - and being that he was the only male, and thereby the most senior member of the family - it was he who stated the facts; They were begging for food and money because his father had died seven days ago.
They were happy to share their names and what class they were in at school, and also that they were from Kalibari not too far from LAMB. The father had suddenly died - my guess would be a heart attack, but I don't think they know. I even got a smile from Shampa who was obvious too little to understand, and from Ratan who with a hole where his two front teeth were missing was clearly too young for the responsibility that had now become his let alone to comprehend it.
It was easy and a joy to be able to give - not that they will have been greatly helped - but they were obviously in a situation where they needed help, they weren't abusing a relationship to get something they didn't deserve and this wasn't a bad habit.
Please take a minute to pray for this family.