Perhaps to refresh my memory on the stuff I learnt in primary school, I flicked through the papers. The following question in the Christian Religious Education (CRE) section of the exams caught my attention:
Peter, who is a rich man, is thinking of how to use his extra money. As a Christian, what advice would you give him?While I can't recall the answer I gave to that question when I sat for the exam in November 2001, I am sure I selected choice B (pay school fees for orphans). To be honest though, I see nothing wrong with the other choices.
A. Go for trips abroad.
B. Pay school fees for orphans.
C. Build a bigger house for his family.
D. Buy a farm for his family.
That question has set me reflecting on what I'd do with my money if I got rich. My thoughts? First, I'd settle the loan I borrowed when I was pursuing an engineering degree at a local university called JKUAT. Then I'd buy a decent car and build a resplendent home for my future family.
And then I'd set aside money for my children's education since I'd like to have three kids with my future wife. Of course I'd do all that while adding books to my home library because reading is one of my passions. I already have in mind some of the books I'd order from Amazon.
Having taken care of my needs, I'd use the remaining money to support worthy causes and help people such as my parents and the friends who have been kind to me. I'd especially want my mother, who has lost quite a number of teeth, to have a new set of artificial milk-white teeth. Sometimes, I sympathize with her when she exposes the gaps in her teeth while talking and laughing.
When I talk of helping the friends who have been kind to me, I am reminded of a chum who was a year behind me in high school and at the university (JKUAT). He was always nice to me. At one time in 2008 when I went astray at JKUAT, he allowed me to spend the night on an empty bed in his room. Then the following morning after I became sick, he took me to JKUAT hospital.
A few years after I dropped out of JKUAT, the chum happened to have a soft-copy version of a calculus book that I desired to read for leisure. He readily agreed to share it with me. Since the book was too heavy to be sent via email, the chum sacrificed his time and resources to upload it on a certain website where I downloaded it.
Guess what! About three years ago, this same chum requested me to help him with some money as he was in need. And when I didn't immediately respond to his pleas, he informed me that even KSh 500 would be enough for him.
Given the way he had helped me along the way, I wished I could repay him for his kindness by assisting him in his hour of need. But the problem was that I didn't have money at that time he was pleading with me for financial assistance. In fact, I was depending on my family for my daily needs. How unfortunate!
That chum is the kind of friend I'd wish to help if I got rich. And I have this belief that I will become wealthy, for the Bible says in the book of Sirach that God can make someone suddenly rich. Napoleon Hill also said something similar in his evergreen book, Think and Grow Rich. That's all I am saying.
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RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed the above story on what I'd do if I got rich, you might also enjoy another one on "How to Win Friends" which I wrote last year. Just click on that link in blue to dive straight into the story.
