Swandeh Terhide

Warm greetings of peace, love and goodwill reaching you from the T.A.L.K side of town. July was no doubt a great month capturing heart melting moments and dawning a whole lot of unprecedented realities. Stay put, let’s walk through it. Events The month began on a positive footing by kick starting enrolment for the much-anticipated T.A.L.K.T.E.C.H, our empowerment initiative aimed at equipping people with relevant tech skills. In July, prior to the suspension of certain T.A.L.K recognition elements, including the T.A.L.K Box and T.A.L.K Badge, there was a notable increase in the number of beneficiaries for the T.A.L.K Box program, rising from the usual one nominee to three. AWO JUDE UDANYI [Judex Chopa], the T.A.L.K personality recognized before the program’s suspension, received an appreciation of $67 in addition to the standard 30,000 naira. This gesture was intended to help him address some urgent personal matters. In keeping with TLI‘s commitment to kindness, Rita Avadoo Chembe was also a recipient of our Random Act of Kindness program. Overall, the shift from 10 to 30 weekly engagers demonstrates TLI‘s adaptability and desire to maintain a culture of recognition and commitment to kindness, even in the face of program changes. Japhet Aze, a member of the TLI community, recently demonstrated kindness and the importance of sharing by sponsoring an airtime giveaway for 20 people. This act is commendable and worthy of emulation by others in the community. This is to reiterate the stance that, everyone and anyone is capable of acting kindly. In this same month of July, Torch of Liberty Initiative had the privilege of assisting Makyla John with her medical bill in the tune of fifty thousand naira [N50 000] only. We all must learn to act when humanity calls, for truly, one another is all we have. Call to Action Angih Wuese Patience brought to our attention the attempts by amateur scammers to disguise themselves as TLI representatives and defraud unsuspecting members of the community. In recognition of her vigilance, Angih was kindly appreciated for her efforts. This incident serves as a wake-up call for the TLI community to embrace the T.A.L.KT.E.C.H initiative and learn how to safely navigate cyberspace, despite the presence of scammers. The T.A.L.K T.E.C.H initiative aims to educate and empower community members with the necessary skills and knowledge to identify and avoid online scams. It is important to regularly visit the TLI website to witness the various acts of kindness being demonstrated by humans all over the world. Each of us has the potential to show more kindness than we might realize. All we need is a source of inspiration, and our T.A.L.K Blog is specifically curated to provide that and much more.   We greatly appreciate your commitment and loyalty as a reader. We encourage you to stay the course and continue on the path of kindness. We look forward to reconnecting with you again next month. As August unfolds and treats you with grace, remember to always Try A Little Kindness (T.A.L.K). Small acts of kindness, when multiplied, can create far reaching impact on individuals, communities, and the world at large. Keep an eye out for opportunities to spread positivity, keep

The man in the purple shorts only wanted to step outside for a quiet moment of prayer whilst waiting for his coffee, but ended up attracting the attention of the young man in the grey sweats. The meeting produced an incredible moment that fortified the man’s faith in humanity. The story from Baton Rouge starts when Matt Musbice woke up to the fire alarm outside his condo complex. Throwing on whatever clothes he had lying around, he ran outside only to find it had been a false alarm. Figuring that the rude awakening was irreversible, Busbice decided that regardless of his unkempt appearance, he would go get a coffee and start his day. It was about that time that young Kelvin Ellis had entered an eyeglass shop next door with his father, but stepped out while the latter was getting his eyes examined. Meanwhile, Busbice, who had placed his coffee order, went outside for a morning prayer, and stepped aside to the corner of the outdoor sitting area to have as much privacy as possible. That’s when Ellis spotted him. “And I started to slowly open my eyes, and there’s a kid coming at me, about my height, grey sweats; holds his fist up,” Busbice said, adding that rather than flying into his chin, the fist was holding a dollar bill. “And I go, ‘What?’” “‘If you’re homeless, here’s a dollar,’” 9-year-old Kelvin Ellis Jr. recalls telling Busbice. “…I always wanted to help a homeless person, and I finally had the opportunity.” Not only is Busbice not homeless, but he’s developed several outdoor brands that have been sold in deals together worth upwards of 100 million dollars. Ellis on the other hand possessed only that dollar, which he received from his father for good grades. Busbice told Steve Hartman that he had not felt faith in humanity to that strong of a degree in a very long time. As a reward, Busbice took Ellis for a snack at the coffee house, then surprised him with a 40-second shopping spree in the sporting goods store BuckFeather, which he currently runs. Among smaller items, Ellis grabbed a compound bow and a new bike, but said none of it is what he had planned to spend his money on. There’s a lot of merit to process from this beautiful story—Busbice for his generosity, Ellis for his kindness, and the boy’s father for teaching him such valuable wisdom. And the grandest of lessons is glaringly painted here – no act of kindness, be it ever little, goes unrewarded. Keep T.A.L.K.ing.

In India, people of all faiths occasionally visit the places of worship of the Sikhs to get a delicious taste of ‘Seva,’ the Sikh principle of selfless service when they give out free dinners to anyone who visits. In California, Sikh organizers are capturing that culture and using it to help residents of Santa Ana—a large food desert where residents struggle to have routine access to nutritious food. At one of the longest drive-thrus you’ll ever see, volunteers, some with turbans and some without, load up the trunks of cars with 2-weeks’ worth of produce and groceries—no questions asked. The organizers, called the Seva Collective, have already handed out 4 million such parcels, but they’re continuing to grow all the time—partnering with farms, businesses, and food banks to distribute as much as possible to those who need it. “Our goal is to get fresh food, as well as shelf-stable food to every family’s car or cart who comes through the drive,” Bandana Singh, who co-founded Seva Collective alongside Ravin Kohli and Saanand Singh. “We have cars lined up as early as three or four in the morning, but we don’t start the drive until 9:30 a.m. This shows the volunteer team that the need is there, and we are determined to do whatever we can to help.” Residents say it’s nutritious, it’s uplifting, it takes away the “dread” and sense of anxiety about having enough real food to feed their families. Each month, the Seva Collective distributes 60,000 pounds of food to more than 1,200 families and they’re beginning to expand operations to offer books, toys, and clothing as well. Volunteers come from all backgrounds, but it’s rooted in the teachings of Sikhism: That life is precious, that god has a plan, and that unless you work hard, you won’t come to know what your role in that plan is. Ms. Singh and the squadron of volunteers work hard indeed, and they impart positively on the lives of people. In a world where there is enough to go round, no one deserves to starve. In the spirit of humanity, let’s continue to T.A.L.K to ourselves.

Megan and Jess, former sorority sisters, shared a deeply emotional reunion at Megan’s home in their late 30s, reuniting after more than a decade apart. This meeting was of utmost import as Megan is preparing to donate a kidney to Jess, who was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure in September 2023. Jess Hause was overwhelmed by the support she received after her diagnosis, with many people volunteering to get tested as potential donors. A few weeks later, Megan Face Timed Jess with the life-changing news that she was a match. Jess recalled her initial reaction, saying, “I thought she was calling to say ‘I’m sorry, but I’m not a match.’” The revelation left her speechless and deeply moved by Megan’s generous offer. Jess’s health issues began when doctors discovered her low kidney function while she was hospitalized for shingles. After losing her job and health insurance in April 2023, she was unable to see her doctor regularly. A subsequent visit to the emergency room confirmed her total kidney failure, a diagnosis that filled her with fear as she grappled with the reality of her condition. Since beginning dialysis three days a week for three-and-a-half hours, Jess has shared her journey through social media, creating reels about her daily life. This outreach caught Megan’s attention, leading her to reach out and offer her help. Upon learning she was a match, Megan was overcome with emotion, expressing her excitement and joy. The two friends reunited on June 13, 2024, and Jess described the encounter as wonderful, and amazed at the ease of their connection despite the years apart. Their surgery is scheduled for November 12, 2024, and both women are committed to documenting their journey to raise awareness about organ donation, emphasizing the depth of kindness and compassion in their lives. If we all live life with so much love and compassion like Megan, we would sure be charting a path for a very humane posterity.

Alex and Sarah Schilke’s wedding at the Grand Geneva Resort in Wisconsin took an unexpected turn when a tornado warning forced them and their 181 guests to seek shelter in the hotel’s basement. In the basement, as the couple prepared for their first dance, the power went out, plunging the basement into darkness. However, a group of strangers from a nearby family reunion stepped in to create a magical moment for the newlyweds. Professional singer Jack Jones offered to serenade the couple, and with the help of guests shining their phone flashlights, he sang a heartfelt rendition of Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect”. “That moment of having our loved ones and strangers come together to create this beautiful moment and share it with us was so important,” said Sarah. “It restored my faith in humanity.” Alex and Sarah, who met while studying computer science at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, had spent 15 months planning their dream wedding.  Despite the unexpected challenges, they embraced the moment and continued the celebration with their guests after the tornado warning was lifted.”We were really surprised that about 75% of our guests wanted to continue the party after all that,” said Alex. “We ended up continuing on the reception, finally began the speeches, and enjoyed a few more dances throughout the night. “The couple’s resilience and the kindness of strangers turned a potentially disastrous situation into an unforgettable and heartwarming experience, reminding everyone present of the power of community and the beauty that can arise from unexpected challenges. Even in the depths of despair, strangers found a way to chart a way forward, demonstrating that kindness is truly a fundamental part of human nature. Truly, kindness isn’t just a necessity, it is a requirement.

When three employees of a New York McDonald’s were forced to accept the fact that they weren’t going home during the Christmas storm that blanketed the northern US, they opened up the store to stranded motorists—and ended up hosting 50 people over Christmas weekend. Amherst, like neighboring Buffalo, received upwards of 40 inches of snow—and it wasn’t long before police began dropping people off at their store on Sweet Home Road and Sheridan Drive last Friday night. “We accepted the fact that we weren’t going home, so we might as well open up,” said Kristin Kosha, one of the workers there. “We figured someone might need some help.” Expecting maybe a dozen, more than 50 New Yorkers sheltered in their store which, even before the act of kindness, was known as the “Sweethome McDonald’s” after the street on which it was built. “We fed them, and had the coffees and hot chocolates going,” “Saturday we had the Bills football game on, and they chatted amongst themselves and mingled—while we kept them fed.” Dozens of stories of humans helping humans were published over the Christmas weekend, as a patch of terrible weather coincided with the holiday that celebrates goodwill towards man. In Amherst, people from across the state gathered at the McDonald’s, including a 7-month-old baby and her mother. Kosha, along with her colleagues Jeffrey Spangler and Amanda Kendall, remarked that they simply acted as anyone would. However, I kid you not; this gesture truly exemplifies kindness to the very nth degree.

A Welshman decided to donate his kidney to an unknown patient after his daughter received a donated one in a potentially life-saving procedure. When Arfon Jones’ daughter Seren became seriously ill and had to have both her kidneys removed, he did what any father would do and signed up to be a donor. However the surgeons determined that his kidney would not match, and for months Seren sat on a dialysis machine 10 hours a night. In April of 2022, Arfon received a call that a suitable donor had been found. “Without the kidney I wouldn’t be alive today, possibly,” said 19-year-old Seren. It was while Seren was awaiting a transplant that Arfon learned more about how to be a living organ donor, and that a normal person can lead a healthy life with just one kidney. “After Seren got her new kidney, she was told that I could get off the living donor list and that’s when I had a very strange experience,” “It was as if I heard a voice telling me ‘there is someone else who needs your kidney’ and I just felt that I had to stay on the list.” Arfon became a kidney donor at 70-years-old just before Christmas, remarking he had given someone a very nice present. He doesn’t know their identity as it wasn’t a friend or family member, but he knows they’re doing well. One-third of all kidney donations in the UK come from living donors, who provided they follow basic healthy habits of eating well, exercising regularly, and getting proper amounts of sleep, can lead long and healthy lives. I believe the greatest expression of human kindness is our willingness to volunteer and donate to save the lives of others. The kindness we show inspires those around us, awakening the innate spirit of kindness within everyone. Let us continue to champion kindness through our thoughts, words, and actions.

Upon the occasion of the funeral for one Hody Childress from Geraldine, Alabama, it was revealed that for a decade this quiet and humble gentleman was a sort of guardian angel for the town’s poor and sick. A farmer and U.S. Air Force veteran, Childress began his covert charity campaign when he visited the local Geraldine drugstore and learned that all too many of the town’s 900 residents couldn’t afford to pay for their prescriptions. Life up until that point had been difficult from a health standpoint. Childress lost a son in 1973, and his first wife in 1999—whom he used to carry into the stands for local football games due to her multiple sclerosis. Upon hearing of his neighbors’ inability to always afford their medications, he handed Brooke Walker, owner of Geraldine Drugs, a $100 bill. “Here, this $100 is for anyone who can’t afford their prescription,” Walker recalled in an interview with local news. “Do not tell a soul that the money came from me, tell them it’s a blessing from God.” A month later, Walker saw Childress again walking into her store to hand over another $100 bill, with the exact same instructions—’do not tell a soul that the money came from me, tell them it’s a blessing from God.’ He would return on the 1st of every month for the same motivation for years, until in late 2022, because he wasn’t able to walk due a pulmonary disease and other health conditions, he decided he needed to enlist someone for help. He entrusted the task to his daughter, Tania Nix. At his funeral on January 5th, 2023, Nix told the story of Childress’ decade of giving, and how it was able to cover the cost of expensive medications for 2 Geraldine residents per month. The word got out that they had an angel in their midst, and WVTM reports that the townspeople have agreed to carry on his legacy. “There are so many people in Geraldine who have lived longer because of Hody,” pharmacist Heather Walker said. “Hody was a true humble servant who will always be loved.” Sometimes, angels walk among us, illuminating our paths in quiet yet profound ways. While it’s easy to view the world as chaotic and cruel—often shaped by our own valid experiences—there are countless guardian angels spread across the globe, dedicated to healing the souls of others through acts of kindness. If you find yourself unable to spot one nearby, then strive to be that angel for someone else. Be inspired to T.A.L.K.