Supermarket worker helps out seven-year-old
A27-year-old who helped a little boy on the bus they were travelling in on Boxing Day, December 26, 2017 never thought he would relive his past.
Patemosi Colelala of Kumi Village, Tailevu, who works at a Shop N Save Supermarket, boarded a bus from Makoi, Nasinu, heading to Nausori on Tuesday when he met a seven-year-old boy seated next to him.
Mr Colelala said the boy seemed to be lost in his thoughts and looked upset when he sat next to the boy.
“I greeted the little boy with Bula and he just nodded his head to me. I offered him a bottle of juice that I had and he quickly took and started to sip on it,” Mr Colelala said.
“I believe he was very thirsty and did not have money to buy himself something to drink.
“I asked him for his age and he replied seven years old. I asked him the whereabouts of his parents but he did not respond to my question. A few seconds later, I saw tears rolling down his cheeks. “He told me his father passed away and his mother got married again. I felt really bad because I had faced a similar situation when I was very young too. “I asked him with whom does he stay with and he said with his grandmother who was sitting behind us in the bus.
“He began to cry and my heart felt heavy. I quickly hugged him tight and tucked him under my arms and with a very soft voice he said he wants to go to his dad. “I did not have any words to say to him when he told me that he wants to go to his dad. I did not know what to say to him as he was crying.
“I pulled out my wallet and gave him $20 and told him to give it to his grandmother when he got off the bus. “The boy looked at me with tears in his eyes as he took the money.”
He said as they passed the Latter-day Saints Church in Naulu, the little boy turned to his grandmother and woke her up to get off the bus.
Mr Colelala said when the boy got off; he had tears in his eyes.
“I saw the boy with his eyes filled with tears as he walked out of the bus. But he also had a little smile that he got something very precious for himself and his grandmother as he waved goodbye to me,” he said.
“Upon reaching home in Nausori, I could not stop thinking about the little boy and how he was feeling to be living without a father. “I wanted to help him feel better but I had no other way. I hope to see the little boy again filled with life and happiness.
“I prayed to God that the little boy could be helped and blessed by Him for a better life in front of him.
“I hope that like I helped, everyone who comes across someone in life that they could help and pray for their betterment should do so in the future.”