Page 17 - Balvihar january 2024

thought we should simply ask Sparsh who found the money in the first place. Let him tell us
what to use the money for,” declared Sarpanch.
People rolled their eyes, and pouted. What would a little kid possibly know about adult
problems? Sparsh stepped forward. “That's easy,” he said, “please use it to build more rooms
for our school and flatten the grounds behind it for our games.” People shifted in their places.
"Hmmm. Yes," they all agreed, taking care of the future generation should be the one place
they should spend the money on. “Please use our grounds for the weekend market and the
classrooms to take care of patients after our school is done.” He looked up at Sarpanch with a
smile. Sarpanch smiled back. In their rush, they had forgotten that when kids do well, the whole
village becomes happy. Finally, the whole village relaxed.
Everyone began to smile again. But Sparsh was not finished. “Or you can dig up a bigger hole
where I found this first sack of money!” he said, "There were many more bags but I just covered
them with my sister’s doll!” The villagers and Sarpanch stared at the little boy with eyes, as
wide as saucers!

All the money was used to better the
facilities and amenities in the village —
every home got a sauchalaya or toilet,
the muddy paths were converted into
tarred roads, a huge hospital was built,
with free ambulance service, tractors
were bought with farmers getting to
use them on token basis.

When funds are used for common
welfare, prosperity spreads everywhere.
A little boy's selfless heart converted
an entire village into one big happy
family, where abundance expressed as
sharing and caring.

– Prarthana Gururaj

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Balvihar - January 2024