Today I’d like to share some comments I’ve received from some of our “friends indeed” – those who have had their hearts touched by the stories they’ve read on our My-Friend-In-Need donation site, and been moved to send a financial contribution. There must be some truth to the old adage about it being better to give than to receive, because I actually hear from almost as many people who donate money as those who receive money online.
I wanted to let you know what a wonderful work you are doing with you’re My-Friend-In-Need.com web site. I read about the family who was struggling to equip their disabled daughter with a new wheelchair, and I was so moved that I sent them $500 through PayPal. I know many people might think that was foolish of me, that maybe the whole story was a lie and I threw my money away. But I don’t look at it that way. To me, I helped someone meet a need that might otherwise not have been met. What goes around comes around… if they were lying about it, that’s there problem, but someday if I need help, the benefits of what I did will come back to me.
This seems to be a common sentiment; that there is no way we can know for sure if someone is telling the truth or just trying to get money for some undisclosed reason, but that it doesn’t really matter either way. That giving, being kind, helping someone, is its own reward. That thought is also the focus of this next letter:
When I found your website, my first thought was that someone would have to be crazy to give money to a person who was probably making up a bunch of lies to con good people out of money. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that if I want to help someone, I can’t worry about if I’m being cheated, that’s their problem, and somehow, someday they will get what they deserve for their dishonesty. What matters is that I did my part and tried to help someone – that’s what really matters.
I hope that these e-mails are and encouraging to you as they are to me. I am continually amazed by the kindness and generosity that I get to see as a result of this web site.
