I WAS impressed by an article in the Bejing Review (March 8, 2012) of a 16-year-old middle school student Wang Dajia who raised money to support charitable causes, something she started when she was just seven years old. After the catastrophic earthquake in Sichuan Province in May 2008, Wang decided to raise money for children in the areas affected by the earthquake. She later published a book titled ‘Growth Starting with Gratitude’,  a compilation of her compositions and paintings, and held charity book sales of her books in parks, streets and schools in her community on week-ends. She donated the entire proceeds from her sales to aid the construction of a classroom for children affected by the disaster.
Wang’s Good Samaritan efforts were inspired by another Chinese, Lei Feng, a late soldier of the People’s Liberation Army who has become a symbol of altruism in China since the 1960s. ‘To live is to serve the people and make others happy’, he wrote in his diary which recorded his deeds and experiences and was published posthumously.

According to the article, Lei was killed in an accident on August 15, 1962. Ever since, he became a national symbol of selflessness, one that has been emulated by several Chinese. On March 5, 1963, the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong called on all Chinese people to learn from Comrade Lei Feng. March 5 has since been marked in China as ‘Lei Feng’s Day’. A ‘living’ Lei has become the highest praise one can receive in China for going out of one’s way to help others.
There is one quotation from Lei Feng’s diary that I thought profound:
“People’s lives will end, but there is no end to serving people. I want to devote my life to serving people endlessly. There is one aim in my life: to be a useful person to the people. It’s a great glory to become a nameless hero. To live is to serve the people; live to make others happy.”
There are so many people in the world who are nameless heroes. They live quiet and unassuming lives and make their contribution to society without any expectation of reward or recognition. Their joy is to serve others; to make others happy.

This for me is the true test of character, one in which giving is more important than receiving. It speaks to a nobility of mind and character that is admired by all but not practised by many. Too many people are seized with a mentality that promotes individualism and consumerism as opposed to working for the collective good of society. This spirit of collectivism was well articulated by the Vietnamese revolutionary Ho Chi Minh when he wrote:
“If one possesses the moral qualities of a revolutionary, he will not become frightened, lose his head or retreat before difficulties or defeats. He will, without hesitation, sacrifice his personal interests for the sake of the common interests of party, the revolution, the working class, his nation and the whole of mankind. If need be, he will even sacrifice his life-readily and without regret.”
And in another piece of advice to his comrades he said:
“Worry before others, rejoice after others; think how to perform your duty in the best way without caring for remuneration; do not give way to self-conceit, red-tape; do not put on airs, do not fall prey to depravity”.
As mentioned earlier, there are not that many people who are imbued with the revolutionary morality as articulated by Ho Chi Minh even though there are countless others who have made their contribution to society in their own quiet and unassuming ways.
In this regard, I must make mention of the late Philip Moore who passed away recently. As someone who was born and grew up in a Corentyne village, I am proud of his achievements especially given his poor and humble upbringing. He certainly brought pride and honour to his country in the field of creative arts. The iconic 1763 Monument will remain a living testimony to his creative genius for which he will long be remembered.