An open hand is never empty

Stories from South Africa
Luky
It often surprises me how stingy some people are about sharing their talents with others. If you ask them for their granny's cherished milk tart* recipe they will surprise you with their attitude of:'That's for me to know and for you to find out!'

One of my daughter left home at the tender age of seventeen to study nursing in Port Elizabeth. I was terrified of what the future held for her and tried to counsel her all the way to the airport. Years later she told me that one of the things she had remembered about that conversation was that she should be generous to others, whether money was involved or whether she could share her own talents and skills in order to empower others.

I can well believe that I did tell her something of that nature. I hate the attitude of those who, while knowing the intricacies of a machine in the office, refuse to show newcomers how to operate it. Have they forgotten how frightened they themselves felt when they first started their jobs?

Admittedly some people's attitude in answer to one's generosity can disappoint. A newly married neighbour in my flat days in Welkom in the sixties requested me to introduce her into the mysteries of the cuisine as far as these were known to me. Our husbands were what was known as 'day's pay men' and were friendly at the mine. She was not shy to borrow ingredients from me, and being a stringent money saver, would only return these on pay day. Far from appreciating my help, however, she dropped us from her circle of acquaintances when her husband was promoted. Although glad she had stopped borrowing, I could not help but feel I should have let her eat slap chips* instead of teaching her to cook.

But then I'd remember my boarding school days. Our principal and the standard three teacher showed the boarders a movie every second weekend. It would arrive by train in a massive parcel, containing several large reels containing film which every so often came off track. And a complex job it would be to get it to go again. In addition, every half hour or so the reel stuttered to a halt and had to be changed for the next one.

In the months that followed the departure of the old principal, her successor soon became adept at working the projector, thanks to the standard three teacher's unflagging patience. One day the latter arrived late at the hall. The principal said,'I wonder what has happened to my assistant.' Just then her preceptress walked in and heard the arrogant comment from one on whose development she had expended so much time and energy. For a moment her face whitened. Then she started helping, smiling but quiet. Her humble attitude taught me never to expect gratitude and that knowledge served me well in the cooking experience.

Our allotted span is but limited and as the Humanists say, 'I shall pass through this world but once. Any good that I can do, therefore, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it for I shall not pass this way again.'

If, as often happens, people misunderstand and take advantage of our generosity, ridiculing us for our pains, we should not allow them to throw us off course. When we share what we have with others, we are only giving that which God gave us first. Moreover, if we do so we in turn will never want either. For in the words of a dear friend of mine, 'an open hand is never empty.'

*milk tart is known as 'melktert' in Afrikaans. It is much loved South African dessert often used as a cake with a cup of tea, especially when visitors come. South African hospitality is famous, and the visitor - even if unexpected and unannounced - will immediately be seated in the place of honour in the lounge, and offered a choice of tea, coffee, juice, soft drink if available, or water as well as biscuits, tea, or cake. Milk tart is a sweet pastry crust containing a creamy filling from milk, flour, sugar and eggs

*slap tjips - an term from the Afrikaans language in South Africa meaning 'french fries'

*Photograph was taken by Rev. Catherine. Please feel free to use the photo copyright free for any Christian, educational or spiritual purpose.