The Best Trade I Ever Made

I found this story today while looking for ideas about what to put in care packages for Manila street children. I was touched by how the sweet little boy gave his best bottle cap and was so quick to share his package with another child. Sometimes I forget how blessed we really are. It also made me think about how much we spoil our girls. Yesterday our sweet Torah turned one! Since we're getting rid of toys as we prepare to move, I decided to do a music themed party and buy her just a few small instruments. (she loves making music with our pots and pans) While wrapping the gifts I thought how we didn't buy her much for her first birthday. This story reminded me that even if we bought her nothing at all for her birthday, she would still be spoiled with what she already has! I'm grateful that we can afford to live so comfortably and that we can spoil our girls if we want, but I hope they never take things for granted or grow up too spoiled and ungrateful. (This story is about street children in Cairo) If you take the time to read it, I hope that you enjoy. :) I will post Torah's birthday pictures soon.


The Best Trade I Ever Made
Author: Atira, Seattle, WA.



Mary Ellen and I have been friends for many years.

I ask her to save the small hotel shampoos and soaps when she travels on her book tours.

I put the shampoos and soaps in care packages that I make for the street children when I travel to Egypt on business once a year.

The packages are small baggies filled with a sparkly pencil, a small toy, and some candy.

Before my last trip I had discovered a great buy on small toy cars, so 22 bags each had one.

Each day, in Cairo, I carry some of these gift baggies with me and look for children in need.

One day, in the streets of Cairo's teeming humanity, I went down a small and narrow street (about the width of 2 door jambs).

The temperature sucked your breath away at 105 degrees, and I moved slower than usual as I watched the people around me.

My eyes where drawn to three small boys ranging from 6-8 years old.

The three poor, tattered and dirty children sat barefoot in the street ... their heads bent down...concentrating on a piece of cardboard with many lines drawn on it.

I watched the youngsters and tried to figure out what game they played.

Obviously, it is their own homemade version with bottle caps, resembling a cross between checkers and backgammon.

I thought how ingenious, that even with so little, they had created something out of toss-a-way things to give them so much joy.

I slowly walked up to the children, reached my hand out, palm up, and pointed to their game.

I requested in my street Arabic "Give me that," meaning, hand me one of your bottle caps.

A small head looked up, then at the cap, and then at my outstretched hand and then slowly... reluctantly... picked up a bottle cap and put it in my palm.

I turned it over, looked at it carefully, as if to examine it as a priceless gem.

I nodded my head approvingly and smiled, put the bottle cap in my pocket, reached into my tote bag and drew out the carefully made gift package and handed it to him.

His eyes grew wide as he accepted the bag.

I then reached my hand out, palm out, to the next child who quickly drew up the closest bottle cap to him and popped it with great speed into my palm.

I then repeated looking at it, accepted it, and gave him a bag of his own.

I then extended my hand to the third child.

This child had sat very quiet as he looked on, seeing his friends benefit from giving up something from their game.

This child carefully looked over his cherished bottle caps.

Some in very poor condition, they had seen better days, and others were newer and shiny.

This child chose carefully, selecting his very best bottle cap, and handed it to me, turning his big brown eyes up as if to say, "I am giving you my best."

It took all my strength to hold back tears at his gesture.

Up until now I had been enjoying the game....of giving.

But this child showed me what giving truly meant.

I once again carefully examined his cap, placing it in my pocket beside the other two.

I gave him his bag and slowly moved across the street in the stifling heat to collect myself.

He touched me deeply.

I turned and looked back at the three small boys playing in the street... as small boys around the world play with toy cars.

As I watched, an Arab man attending his shop said, "Madam, these are good boys. Poor, but good.

"There is not enough work and they are too young so there are too few ways for them to earn money, even for basic needs.

This is a kind thing you have done."

Four days later, I again had to walk down the same street for my business connections.

A strange thing happened, all the shopkeepers treated me with great respect.

I can only assume more than one shopkeeper had looked on the other day and word had spread about the kindness given to the small children.

It brought a smile to my face.

I still carry the bottle caps, they are the best trades I ever made!

In trading, the children were not made to feel poor:

They were giving and receiving something, and they were not begging.

These children who have so little -- gave so much.

NOTE: on my arrival in Seattle I shared this story with my girlfriend Chris who is a Girl Guide leader.

Chris said her troop would create new baggies as a troop project for my next trip.

Photo by Sgt. Rebekah-mae Bruns
Atira

CAIRO: One Year Later...
The Gift of Giving
Author: Atira in Seattle
Atira


I was having one of those rough days where we all wonder, "Why am I here?"

So I decided to take a walk in the "souk" (street vendors) to quiet my emotions.

As I walked down a street... all of a sudden... standing in front of me were three little boys...with their hands out... holding their very best bottle caps!

That's right!

Here were the same three boys from last May!

What great memories!

The boys had BIG grins, so I reached in my bag and pulled out three toy packages.

I handed each boy one bag and continued our exchange by taking a prized bottle cap...I looked around, a tad worried, thinking this time they may have brought all their friends to get in on the action, but no.

Then I watched as two of them tore down the street, clutching their new treasures, and disappeared around a corner.

But, the third boy walked over to a smaller boy at the side of the street.

He squatted down and opened his bag and the boy shared with the little boy.

(This was the same boy who, last trip, had looked over his bottle caps and handed me his prize one, the best one-meaning less dented and cleaner.)

This became one of those rare moments when you know that you have found one special child in a world full of selfishness.

So I walked over to them and reached out my hand.

They looked up and I could tell they thought I was mad.

Their small hands began to pass the toys back to my outstretched hand.

I shook my head no, and held up a bottle cap to let them know I meant to trade.

The boy reached in his pocket and handed me a bottle cap and I handed his friend a bag.

They were thrilled!

In their culture I was teaching them the value of exchange.

I turned away from them, crying -- right there In the street, and said, "Dear Lord, Thank you for sending me this child to show how blessed I am and how I can make a difference.

Our world is in good hands as long as there are children who share and Love like this little street child."

Know that we all make a difference and when you hand out your first bag or do an intentional act of kindness... you are hooked.

When a little face turns up with big eyes filled with so much joy... your heart expands tenfold.