Hi neighbour! If you are reading this column for the first time, you will notice that it's not about entertainment but investment - in the lives of others.

Persons are reminded here of their neighbourly duty to care for and share with one another on a daily basis.

Opportunities are also provided for them to carry out this important duty. You will meet real people like you and me who have come to recognise that no man is an island and that our purposes are best served by serving others. By loving their neighbours as themselves, they have made the paradigm shift from self-centredness to selflessness.

It is not a big deal for these persons to donate a brand new bed, mattress, stove or clothing and cash, etc, to someone in need, without expecting anything in return.

Fully satisfied

As my friend R. Scott, a giver of no mean order, would tell you, true givers are fully satisfied when their neighbours are truly satisfied.

On a weekly basis we publish the needs of some of our neighbours and invite others to assist them. As positive responses roll in from readers at home and abroad, it is clear to us that the spirit of generosity is thriving. With so many generous people around, the seemingly dark clouds which may be hanging over our economy, will not prevent our 'sun' from shining! People who are generous know that generosity increase their resources and expand their capacity to give. They, therefore, take great pleasure in sharing their substance with others.

"It is pointless to hoard stuff which could be of immediate benefit to a neighbour", they will tell you! After all, we'll all have to leave everything behind when we go to meet our Maker. Hope you are getting my point.

Sweat for a better Jamaica

I recently listened to our Governor General, Prime Minister, and Opposition Leader address the nation in their Christmas messages. No glimmer of anxiety or hopelessness was detected in these messages. They encouraged Jamaicans to band together and sweat for a better Jamaica, where we can all live as one happy family. Even though there may be tough times ahead, with faith in God and our individual resilience, we can experience true prosperity.

What is going to be very important in this season is kindness at the personal and communal levels. Growing up in rural Jamaica in the early days, I remember how families used to cook and send dinner, breakfast and lunch to those in the community who had none.

Enough to share

Many of us can identify with having to take containers of food to Miss Mamma, Uncle Son, Maas Papa, etc., as children. No one in our community went to bed hungry because somebody always had enough to share and was willing to do so. Those were what people called "poor days". But yet they were the good old days. People were free to go about their business without fear. Poverty was no excuse for crime and violence. It was an opportunity for the creative juices to flow. For example, almost every mother was a seamstress for the family. Some never had sewing machines. Their thimble-thread-needle skill was enough to give a good finish.

Instead of stealing to buy a pair of shoes, people made their own from rubber tyre, cardboard etc. They could walk into any community any time of the night or day. The mindset was different. People were too neighbourly to even think of hurting another without a cause. Neighbourliness has always worked for the good of all societies. Let's recapture this spirit and bring it to bear on this society. It will help set us straight.

Have a great neighbourday!

'As my friend R. Scott, a giver of no mean order, would tell you, true givers are fully satisfied when their neighbours are truly satisfied.'

Thanks

Many thanks to the following neighbours who are helping and have helped their neighbours:

1. Adele, Kingston, for offering children's clothing.

2. Margaret, St Andrew, for offering clothing.

3. Ms Thompson, St Catherine, for offering new clothing.

4. Ann-Marie, Clarendon, for providing food, including ground provisions for Ms Davis in Clarendon.

5. Anonymous neighbour who extended financial help to Gloria, St Andrew, whose three children have sickle-cell disease.

6. Celia, for also extending help to Gloria.

7. Pauline, United States of America, for helping Sister Marshall in need of a walker.

8. Herma, St Andrew for giving a mattress and sheets to Kimone.

9. Linette, St Catherine, for connecting with Camille in desperate need of doors and windows for her home.

10. Netta, St Catherine, for giving windows to Sandra in Kingston.

Opportunities to help neighbours

1. Ms Isaacs, St Catherine, is kindly asking for a gas stove for Mr Wilson who is suffering from an eye condition and not able to withstand the smoke from the wood fire.

2. Ms Francis, Clarendon, has a nine-year-old daughter with special needs. She is asking neighbours for clothing for her and assistance in rearing chickens.

3. Mr Barnett, St Andrew, is a blind teacher who lost everything to fire. Starting over, he is asking neighbours for help with furniture and a computer to assist him to teach Spanish.

4. Mr Haughton, St Andrew, needs a job as caretaker.

5. Iona, St Andrew, asking neighbours for a serger in order to make baby clothing for a living.

6. Sherrel, Kingston, is unemployed and would like to bake for a living. She is asking neighbours for an oven to create a livelihood for herself and family.

7. Mariotta, St Catherine, asking neighbours for assistance with two school bags for her children. She is unable to afford these items.

8. Single mother Maureen, St Catherine, needs help to keep her two girls in school. She is asking neighbours for help in acquiring hens to lay eggs for sale.

To help, please call 906-3167, 884-3866 or 373-7745 or email: neighbourtoo@yahoo.com and we will make the link-up. Those who desire to make financial donations to this project may make deposits to Acct # 351 044 276 at the National Commercial Bank. Bank routing code: JNCBJMKX.