"Let yourself be used by God, not you trying to use God."

Have a blessed Sunday, folks! I'm back... 😊

☘🍀🪴💐🪴🍀☘

I was on my way to the grocery store from the church when I came by this woman in brown shirt. She was selling fruits and veggies along the sidewalk. The woman in black was already there with the vendor when I approached them. I thought the former was a buyer who was having a hard time deciding on what to buy.

I was done choosing and weighing what I wanted to buy and the woman in black was still there. I handed my payment. The vendor was counting for my change when she spoke up, in Ilocano dialect.

"None. Wait until I sell out." 

It was intended for the woman in black. The vendor meant she has got nothing to give. That was only when I realized that the woman in black was not a buyer. She is a beggar. And of all people, she was begging from a sidewalk vendor.

The beggar did not move. She just motioned her hand to the vendor, asking for alms. I smiled at the beggar and gently asked, "why you're asking from someone who is working so hard even with the heavy rain?" She still did not move.

The vendor continued;

"Or you also sell like this. If you have 300 pesos, that is enough. You will gain 20 pesos per kilo of what you sell." Twenty pesos!? I was happy with five to ten pesos markup when I was a sidewalk vendor. Though I brushed that thought off because of the woman in black.

![20230827_112621.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/macoolette/EppM6rN3nm6tYpCT6bu6LPJtjubNhcpqvNwdWErRnGpqDR4uvC83F2D8RiLhgnBrd5L.jpg)

I could not help saying my piece so I spoke up to the beggar.

"Yes, she (the vendor) is right. You should also do this so you are not just asking for alms." I motioned to the products on display and continued.

"If you really want to make a living then you can do this. Do your best to set aside a capital so you can start. The capital to start selling like this is very low and not scary. I used to be a sidewalk vendor so I know."

My conscience suddenly asked me, "what if she is not physically fit to be just even a sidewalk vendor?" So I waited for the beggar to justify herself but nothing came out. She just murmured something and motioned her hand to the vendor, still asking for alms.

I could have given the beggar something if she only showed even just a little acknowledgment of learning from what the vendor and I were saying. Nothing. I shook my head and started to leave. The beggar still did not show any intention of leaving the vendor alone.

Few steps farther, I looked back and the beggar was still there. I pulled my phone and aimed at them. I guess the beggar sensed the stare. She looked back and caught me taking photos but I kept the camera up. That was the only time she stood up and left.

Asking for help is okay if you really have to. But it makes my right eyebrow raise when you do not help yourself first even if you can.

*~Copied from my Facebook post.~*