The last 2 cedi note

Posted on February 27, 2021

One of the basis of human existence is for us to be there for people in need. But sometimes we find ourselves in precarious situations that challenge the fulfilment of this basis of our existence. The truth however is that it is our ability to be there for another person in our darkest hours that proves our fulfilment of this basis, and ‘heaven’ always has a way of rewarding us accordingly.

The following is a true story to illustrate the importance of being there for people in our own moments of need.

Peter is a young man who lives in a smaller town with his wife, Abigail and young son Mike. He works really hard to provide for his family even though things get difficult for him at certain times.

One morning, Abigail got admitted to the hospital in the big town over a serious ailment. She needed surgery to remove a malignant tumour from her stomach. Peter went to the hospital with all the money he had on him thinking that would be enough to cover the medical bills before and after the surgery. He got the shock of his life when he realised that he would need more money than he had brought with him. The only resort was for him to go back to the smaller town he lived in with his wife and son and get a loan from a friend or family relation. As he dipped his hand into his pocket, he got yet another shock. All he had left on him was a 2 cedi note (GHS 2.00). The 2 cedi note was nowhere near the bus fare from the big town to his town. He decided to buy call time (airtime) with the last 2 cedi note and make some calls in the hope that he will at least get money to take him back to his town.

As Peter stepped out of the hospital, he was approached by a man whose very person spelt distraught.

“Sir,” he called out to Peter. “I need help please. My wife is having delivery complications and the doctors have to perform a caesarean delivery. I have been asked to get food for her before the surgery otherwise it cannot be done and she might die together with the child. Sir I have nothing on me to buy food for her. Can you please help me with some money to get corn dough porridge from across the street for her?” he implored Peter.

Peter stood at crossroads. Abigail’s life was at risk and the last 2 cedi note could prove pivotal but here stood a man who was also in a dire situation. He contemplated his next line of action and decided to hand over the last 2 cedi note in his pocket to the man. The man took the money and thanked Peter profusely as he hurried off across the street to get the food for his wife.

Peter decided to go to the bus station and talk to the driver to take him to his town so that he pays the fare upon their arrival. As he made his way towards the bus station, he got a call on his phone. “Perhaps a good Samaritan has been sent my way,” he thought to himself. It was Mike, his young son, to his disappointment. He called Peter with his teacher’s phone from school. His teacher explained to Peter that Mike had been crying the whole of the morning and he told him about the issue with his mother. So he asked him to call his dad to find out how the situation was. Peter was compelled to tell the teacher his predicament. The teacher was touched by Peter’s plight and offered to send him money through mobile money to take care of his wife so that he pays it back later.

Fast forward, Abigail’s surgery was successful and she was discharged two days later. Before they left the hospital, Peter decided to look for the man he helped. The man’s wife had a successful operation as well and the little baby was also healthy. Peter gave the man some more money from what he had left on him and left the hospital with Abigail for their town.

Do good even when it feels hard to, not with the expectation of a pay back. The real pay back will definitely come, sometimes in ways we do not expect or even realise.