A lesson in giving

Christmas is definitely in the air. You can see it in homes and in the different establishments all over the metro. Unfortunately, however, the Christmas spirit has also caught up with street children and adults who use the children to beg for money.

We used to call them street carolers since they wait at the sidewalks and go near private cars and jeepneys when the stop sign is on and get off when the green light is on. But these people have changed their modus, they now ride the jeepneys, do their thing, and get off a few blocks after singing.

It was early October when I encountered a group of these new breed of carolers. I was on a 14D jeepney from Robinson’s on the way to The Freeman office when five able-bodied males boarded the jeepney. The men had improvised musical instruments and spread themselves out inside the jeepney. I got scared the moment I saw their faces and the seemingly strategic way they positioned themselves near other passengers. This is how snatchers and robbers act when inside the jeepney. But then one of them announced that they are carolers and then they started singing. At first I was amused and then the amusement turned to irritation when each of the five men started pestering the passengers. “Sige na gud mam, sir. Bisan piso lang. May na lang ni kaysa manulis,” they said. When no one heeded their pleas for a peso or two, they got off grumbling.

My second experience with street carolers was only last week. A little boy and an adult male got on a jeepney I was riding on bound for Talamban. The little boy sang while the adult male played an improvised castanet. The little boy’s song was an original. It was about a person who was arrested after getting caught stealing from other people. The little boy’s song said that we should not look down on people who steal because they are just hungry and that they have needs, too.

WHAT? Come again? I really wanted to react on the song but realized that it would be pointless to engage the little boy on an argument about stealing. Just because these people are hungry, just because these people have needs, is no justification that they can steal and rob. Their situation does not give them an excuse to steal other people’s hard earned money.

When no one listened to the little boy’s pleas, he said that what he and his companion are doing is a whole lot better than stealing and robbing. Then he and his companion got off the jeepney.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not a selfish person but I really am against giving money to beggars, kids and adults alike. And remember that street caroling is also a form of begging. We all know where the money given to them goes and the money is seldom used to buy food or other basic needs. And it is just so sad that these people have made begging or caroling a better alternative to stealing and robbing from other people. Does it mean that if no one really gives them anything they will resort to stealing?

Christmas is a time for giving but giving to beggars will not solve their problems. Giving to them will only make them more dependent and when no one gives to them, they will just return to their old ways. One of the teachings of Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu says that when you give a man fish, you feed him for a day, but when you teach the man how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. Think about this lesson in giving when you encounter these carolers on the street.

* * *

Email: [email protected]