There is something inherently charitable in the Sri Lankan disposition. We look for practically any reason to give. We may spend explosively on a marriage celebration but on the same occasion we give out food to the poor. Same case with a loss, birthdays, a new job, birth of a child, building of a house, an answered prayer... the list goes on. The basic denominator is that if something important is going on, if we receive something or are asking those higher spirits and forces of nature for it, we give.
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The only problem with this is attitude is that this ‘giving’ is a reflex and so we do not reflect enough on where our charity goes to and how effective it is. Our charitable deeds are more like panacea for ourselves rather than stemming out of a desire to actively help others. It’s alright – it is certainly difficult to constantly feel some surging, do-goody emotion that makes you sincerely want to help out every man and his dog. Yet there are ways that we can change our lifestyles so that giving aid is just second nature and not something we constantly have to make an express effort to do.
In terms of celebrating a big event in our instinctively charitable way, we can find ways of donating time or money to causes that will have a more permanent effect on someone. Instead of investing a heap of effort into cooking some fantastic buriyani for ten strangers, why not use that money to sponsor a child at a vocational training centre – they could end up cooking you buriyani when they have finished their culinary course and have permanent work!
Unfortunately, lack of decent administration in these types of benevolent enterprises often makes the process of donating a bit tedious. This is where organisations like Stitch come in. Stitch is full of members who genuinely do have this surging, do-goody enthusiasm and would not hesitate to help you find a way of donating to a cause. Moreover, organisations like Stitch who help sponsor charities have already looked into the authenticity of those charities so we know that our efforts reach the people we want to help.
So the next time you feel the instinctive Sri Lankan urge to give, find a cause that has more permanent effects than chucking a lovingly prepared beef-buriyani at a vegetarian beggar. Easier yet, contact an organisation that can find one for you (a cause, not a vegetarian beggar). Don’t fight the Sri Lankan in you – give when you receive, give when you need, give just because you can.
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