A Glass of Milk

By Rutagengwa Claude Shema

Regional Coordinator

Great Lakes Peace Initiative (GLPI)

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A GLASS OF MILK
                         

     One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to
pay his way through school, found he had only one dime left, and he
was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house.
However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the
door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought
he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it
slowly, and then asked, How much do I owe you? You don't owe me
anything, she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay
for a kindness." He said, "Then I thank you from my heart."

     As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger
physically, but also had regained his faith. He had been ready to
give up and quit.

     Many years later that same young woman became critically ill.
The local doctors were baffled! They finally sent her to the big
city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.
Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard
the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his
eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to
her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her.  He
recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room
determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave
special attention to her case. After a long struggle, the battle
was won.

     Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill
to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the
edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for
she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all.
Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side
of the bill. As tears of joy flooded her eyes, she read these
words: "Paid in full with one glass of milk" (Signed) Dr. Howard
Kelly.

     The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love
at the least expected time. If you never see the deed again, at
least you will have made the world a better place - and, after all,
isn't that what life is all about?