by: Norberto Betita
On the night of the 23rd of December 2012, after the Sunday services and church meetings of our small branch of the Church in Surigao City, Philippines, a couple of young men and young women went carolling with me to several member families of widows and widowers. These families were truly in great distress and live miserable lives. In our carolling we carried with us packs of groceries as gifts. On the way to one widow we tracked a very narrow slippery trail. As we sang the Christmas hymn “Away in a Manger” she opened the door of her lowly dwelling to hand over a five peso coin as a gesture of traditional appreciation to carollers in the sweet spirit of Christmas. But what a surprise it was to her as we refuse the coin and instead gave her packed of groceries more than enough for the desired “Noche Buena” (Christmas Eve dinner) the following day. To a widower and his children we walked approximately a kilometre and a half and trudged an unpaved muddy and waterlogged road. The little nipa hut was unlighted and dark. The family were out for a community Christmas activity. We left the gift to the District President who lives near. We walked farther more to the homes of others and sang carols. Tears are shed, heartfelt gratitude expressed and hearts touched as little children gathered around and rejoiced to see the generous gift. Not anyone knew who the benevolent giver was for the benefactor desired not to be identified. On many Christmases and other times this benevolent and generous benefactor had been sharing her little abundance to several people not even known to her. It has been my privilege to be her channel as she extends her Christ like attribute and generosity to some poverty stricken people. She doesn’t have the kind of riches and affluence that many have, but in her own little way she would raise a cow in her little pasture in the small farming community in Utah, U.S.A. purposely for somebody. At a certain period she would have the cow sold and the proceeds to be given and shared to those whom such was purposely raised. She did this many times and what a joy it was for me and my family to also share the experience of witnessing and knowing her generosity and benevolence and her missionary service, which seemed not to find an end during those eighteen months of officially wearing a missionary tag but continued through the years in noble and unselfish service to the poor and the needy.
Since her coming in Surigao City, Philippines in 1986 as a Welfare Missionary we have not meet again but our communications continued for years through hand written letters send though post mail and until the internet was available and our communications were made online. She is such a very thoughtful friend that whenever our letters are late, she would write to ask what is happening to us. Many times I have to caution her to do more for herself and her future. Yet I could not really afford to deprive her of the blessings of joy and gladness that come from her selfless service to others.
She recently had a hip operation and the recuperation period had been a long process. Until now she has not been totally cured. Yet even in her own sufferings and difficulties she still thinks of others. Witnessing the great devastation on television and learning of the greatest difficulty suffered by the victims of the typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, she wrote on November 10, 2013:
“I have been prompted to find out if your Western Union station is functioning. My thoughts were to send you some money to help those who did not have because of the typhoon but also to go for those that need medical help. Could you do that? It will not be much but it will help. You need to put it through the FO (Fast Offering) so it takes the pressure off you. You are the eyes of the Lord there and I know you will do the right thing with it.”
The following day I replied to her, “O, my, you need to keep your money for yourself. You said, you're an 'Ol hen’, and you needed more to keep you strong. Our people here are resilient and strong even in their greatest poverty.”
She is a single woman and alone, yet she finds joy in service to God and His people. She may not be among those many rich and affluent who gave millions or even billions of dollars in charity works, but her greatest desire to give of herself through her meagre resources to help the poor and needy is a living example and a fitting reminder of the New Testament story of the Widow’s Mite:
“And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
“ And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
“And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
“For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living” (Mark 12:41-44).
“The names of the benefactors were well known. Captains of commerce, giants of industry, professors of learning—all were there. I felt gratitude for their charitable benevolence. Then my eyes rested on a brass placard which was different—it contained no name. One word, and one word only, was inscribed: “Anonymous.” I smiled and wondered who the unnamed contributor could have been. Surely he or she experienced a quiet joy unknown to any other.” (Anonymous, General Conference, April 1983).
“ And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.“And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
“For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living” (Mark 12:41-44).
She is now old and stricken in years, afflicted and challenged but her spiritual energy remained vibrantly active and dynamic. While experiencing a difficult and long process of recuperation from a hip operation she wrote on October 25, 2013, “I am praying that when I get through this experience that I will be able to continue at the place in caring for my animals. My former Branch President wrote me that he thought I was the only true pioneer lady he has ever known. I don't know anything else so I am glad I am a good example of something. It keeps me going and functional with a good cause. Someday all I will be able to do is temple work and that will be ok.”
She has served ten years as a Temple worker and still continues to do so even in a crutch. It is so good that she has friends to help her attend to her duties in the temple. Her thoughtfulness and love always awaken our faculties into a sense of gratefulness as she continually expressed her words of concern. Lately she wrote, “Oh, how I wish this 'Ol Hen had you here under her wing’. She would not fret so much.”
Today, the 14th of December 2013 is her 76th birthday. As I write this Christmas and birthday tribute in deep and heartfelt gratitude of her goodness and compassionate service, I was prompted to write her noble name and to include her memorable pictures. But I was reminded of the Lord’s Admonition, “take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in heaven.” (3 Nephi 13:1.) It is perhaps enough that I know and she knows, but that the giver of the generous gifts will remain a secret to the receivers that the “Father who seeth in secret shall reward” the giver “openly” (3 Nephi 13:4).
President Thomas S. Monson once told of an experience: “I approached the reception desk of a large hospital to learn the room number of a patient I had come to visit. This hospital, like almost every other in the land, was undergoing a massive expansion. Behind the desk where the receptionist sat was a magnificent plaque which bore an inscription of thanks to donors who had made possible the expansion. The name of each donor who had contributed $100,000 appeared in a flowing script, etched on an individual brass placard suspended from the main plaque by a glittering chain.
She has served ten years as a Temple worker and still continues to do so even in a crutch. It is so good that she has friends to help her attend to her duties in the temple. Her thoughtfulness and love always awaken our faculties into a sense of gratefulness as she continually expressed her words of concern. Lately she wrote, “Oh, how I wish this 'Ol Hen had you here under her wing’. She would not fret so much.”
Today, the 14th of December 2013 is her 76th birthday. As I write this Christmas and birthday tribute in deep and heartfelt gratitude of her goodness and compassionate service, I was prompted to write her noble name and to include her memorable pictures. But I was reminded of the Lord’s Admonition, “take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in heaven.” (3 Nephi 13:1.) It is perhaps enough that I know and she knows, but that the giver of the generous gifts will remain a secret to the receivers that the “Father who seeth in secret shall reward” the giver “openly” (3 Nephi 13:4).
President Thomas S. Monson once told of an experience: “I approached the reception desk of a large hospital to learn the room number of a patient I had come to visit. This hospital, like almost every other in the land, was undergoing a massive expansion. Behind the desk where the receptionist sat was a magnificent plaque which bore an inscription of thanks to donors who had made possible the expansion. The name of each donor who had contributed $100,000 appeared in a flowing script, etched on an individual brass placard suspended from the main plaque by a glittering chain.
“The names of the benefactors were well known. Captains of commerce, giants of industry, professors of learning—all were there. I felt gratitude for their charitable benevolence. Then my eyes rested on a brass placard which was different—it contained no name. One word, and one word only, was inscribed: “Anonymous.” I smiled and wondered who the unnamed contributor could have been. Surely he or she experienced a quiet joy unknown to any other.” (Anonymous, General Conference, April 1983).
On this her 76th birthday which is also a time for the joyful Christmas season I tried to find most appropriate words that would best express my gratitude in behalf of the many souls she had given a hand of benevolence. I found no better words than those spoken by the Lord Himself, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40.) Indeed, no great a compliment, no better words of tribute, and no superior honour given than from such wondrous acknowledgement from Him who is Christ the Lord, the giver of the greatest gift of all, who said, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish” (John 10:28).
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