I joined this joint fb endeavor of Jordan and Pakistan with blogger Dina’s encouragement as a way to try and win a scholarship for a Jordanian kid.If by chance win, I want to give it to a smart boy with a bent toward emotional intelligence. I have discovered lately that it seems with all the focus on girls, it is now boys who fall through the cracks.
The practice of the acts was really, really inspiring. Not only did finding something new every day focus my heart on compassion, it helped me in discovering creative ways to manifest compassion. I really enjoyed reading things others did…it never was a competition, or a show-off thing, it was one of those times that people seemed to spur one another on to ‘love and good deeds’. For me, it was a lot like practicing the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas, in summer time.
I didn’t hit every day, but here they are, most recent first:
Yesterday, last day of Ramadan, my daughter had been concerned about the little girls going through the trash bins with their mom. She went through her closet and got out all the little girl bling-things and the next time we drove by, she gave them to the littler girl. Today, two foreigner moms invited me over to share some experience in how to help moms who live by the trash bins, and some of the acts of compassion that I came up with, or others in Jordan and Pakistan with for the Ramadan Challenge
Kinzi Jones
The streets of Amman today were a big test of ‘drive unto to others as you would have them drive unto you’ vs ‘a honk for a honk and bumper for a bumper’ . I passed the test 
Kinzi Jones
I was thinking how the highest attributes of God are His mercy and compassion . I wanted to make those two my goal today, and made sure everyone I interacted with experience d mercy or compassion from me. I surprised myself today by approaching a person I have had difficulties with and offered help she needed.
Kinzi Jones
oops, missed yesterday. Yesterday, knowing I was getting to ‘borrow’ a full-time domestic helper for the week, we cleaned house so she wasn’t overwhelmed with our family chaos. TODAY, we invited family new to Jordan for Friday breakfast, and got to know them. Sweet little kids, too
Kinzi Jones
I usually turn off my phone at 10pm. Last night, I got a call after that and decided to pick up, recognizing the number of someone who might need an encouraging word. It turned out to be an important call to take, I was so glad I did. It was a time to share hope, truth and encouragement to one who was hurting. Afterward, I spent time praying for that person, and discovered in the morning what an amazing answer came afterward.
Kinzi Jones
A friend leaving the country gave me half full bottle of expensive perfume. When I am out and about today, I am going to offer women I encounter a spritz. It’s hot and not conducive to good smells, this might be a aromatic mood-helper – then I will give it to a friend who is struggling financially who will love it. I was reading about the woman who anointed Jesus feet with expensive perfume, which is what gave me the idea. (this particular one did not go over well. I got a LOT of strange looks. One guy said “Bring Axe next time for the guys”)
Kinzi Jones
I want to laud my Muslim friend Stacy and her act of ‘tough’ compassion . In a major grocery store she saw a father beating his young son without mercy. No one would step in, so she went right up to him and told him to stop it – beating a child while fasting as if there is not a God who sees and hears – she helped the child and gave the father a minute to think through the spiritual implications of his rage.
Kinzi Jones
A new househelper handed her phone to the taxi driver so I could give directions . She is beautiful, and often the target of harassment . His voice was crabby, and I felt a negative emotion rise. I remembered ‘compassion’, and decided to ‘believe the best’ about him, not the worst. I said “Thank you 3ammo, for taking care of this girl and bringing her safely to our home” His tone completely changed, and he said “Haader”. May God bless his day with good fares.
Kinzi Jones
With just ten days to go, I almost forget to get the kids involved. Ramadan has become for us much like the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas, a time to reflect, consider others and give generously . The kids decided to pull some of their favorite toys out of the ‘to sell at garage sale’ pile, and save them for the GAM sanitation worker who has boys our sons’ age.
Kinzi Jones
As I was praying about an act of compassion for today, I was reminded that compassion begins at home as well as with strangers. At my kid’s request, I am going to make their favorite granola bars for snacks, and make them with chocolate chips for a surprise.
Kinzi Jones
The kids went paint-balling today. I intentionally brought exact change as I knew the guy would have a hard time making change, and it would make his day. It did! I told him it was for this project, he hadn’t heard of it, and loved the idea.
Kinzi Jones
At the Rabia Bakery, the older woman who sells vegetables is like an old friend. I didn’t bring enough to buy all I needed, and purchase something from her, plus she had okra and imlookhiyya, which my kids don’t like. After having prayed for insight to recognize today’s act of compassion , I thought ‘this is it’: I won’t buy all I ‘need’, and will give her and the other woman a little cash gift. We hugged and laughed and she said “You never forget us”. It is the remembering that is compassion, even more than the gift. This woman has such a jolly smile, she is the compassionate one.
Kinzi Jones
Today, I determined to drive with a ‘do unto others’ attitude’. I would want a chance to enter heavy traffic, have space between my neighbor’s bumper, and have the person in front go fast enough to keep traffic flowing. Yesterday, a group of University of Jordan students passed out water and dates to passing motorists at iftar time. That is an act worth celebrating! http://www.jordantimes.com/?section=9
Kinzi Jones
We bought a new oven. Instead of trying to sell the old one, which still has some good years left, we decided to surprise the guy who drives through regularly asking for old furniture and appliances . Happy Ramadan, 3ammo!
Kinzi Jones
When I am fasting, it’s not usually the sight of people eating that makes it hard, it is the aroma of cooking. This Ramadan, I have tried to do baking before neighbors rise (helps w/heat, too) and cook when they do.
Kinzi Jones
Cleaning out closets I found a couple of simple art project books for young children. When kids came begging at the stoplight, I gave one to them, saying it was better than a barizeh for their littler siblings. They immediately sat down on the island and started pouring over the book, very cute.
Kinzi Jones
My neighbors always make sure the darak (police guarding the gov buildings? ) get a home-cooked iftar meal. We are going to bring him cookies for later in the evening.
Kinzi Jones
Back to vacation compassion , my daughter wrote a note to the waiter in the restaurant thanking him for making meals fun for the kids, even when he was fasting.
Kinzi Jones
Another friend let me in on her act of compassion by passing on a bag of beautiful jilbabs. These will be added to the Ramadan gift bags I prepared for the women who come to the door asking for help. I’ve known them for years, they are not random beggars, and they are going to love these!
Kinzi Jones
We’ve been on vacation in Egypt. The pool attendant was upset, he had just asked a guest to abide by the rules and put her bathing suit top on. She told him not to bother her, or she would complain to management about him. I told the guy we would back him up for doing the right thing, and said we were sad she was so thoughtless, especially during Ramadan. The manager stood by him, and she put her top on.
Kinzi Jones
I’m not a Muslim, but am fasting just from breakfast to be reminded what it is like for Muslims to be hungry and still be compassion ate. And use every hunger pang to pray.
Kinzi Jones
I had a bunch of restaurant hand-towel ettes in the cupboard. I thought of the newspaper guys, and the ink they must get on their hands, and have been passing out the towelettes to them to clean it off.
Kinzi Jones
Yesterday, I delivered a big bag of good men’s clothes to Abu Yusef, the barrel-chested street vendor on Mecca St.. A friend had passed the bags on for distribution, one went to a girl who is on the run for honor, another went to a widow who cleans homes to pay for her kids college.
Kinzi Jones
I have a bag of my kids baseball hats in the car to give to the little boy street vendors. This morning, one of the boys I had given one to didn’t have it on. I asked him where it was, he said one he left at home, the others were taken by bigger boys. Sure enough, there were two others with hats on. I gave him another, he smiled, and the lady in the next car smiled and gave him a coin.
All Acts
You can Post:
a) Your own act of compassion
b) A specific commitment to live more compassionately
c) A compassionate act you have witnessed
Advertisement
Like this:
One blogger likes this post.
Every day I don’t punch someone who desperately deserves it, I’m being compassionate.
Maybe not in the long run, though… by sparing them their just punishment, am I really helping them?
No dear one,because they learn nothing from their mistakes,you are indeed hurting them.Think of life as a race and runners have to jump over hurdles so as not to to knock them over,you see I’m an extremely fast speed sprint runner who usually would beat the girls in gym races or that was my aim,or at least I did end up usually one of the winners,it was my quest,my desire, but I had advantage over them I must admit because I was one of the tallest and developed earliest along with another girl, and my girl-friend Elly was tall like me,and I was extremely focused on winning so that’s how I always think still.
Kiddy, ?
Marvin, well, that is seriously one way to look at it. Imagine, if we all just took compassion to that level, there would be no more murder or beatings!