Two siblings who are poor spend their earnings on food and clothes for orphaned children in shelters. They find hundreds of thousands of dollars in the bank and receive a call from someone who instantly changes their lives.
“It still feels like we left the shelter yesterday! Don’t you think so?”Adrien asked Susan his twin sister as they packed food for children at the shelters.
“It’s been three years since we bid goodbye to that place. But I can still hear my roommates’ voices in my head,”Susan replied.
“And the way we used to smile sharing the good news when someone got adopted by a loving family! How can we easily forget our lives there? That place has given us so much, and it will take a lifetime to return all that love and care we received!”Adrien was giddy as they prepared to visit the children…
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Both 21-year-old siblings had spent their childhood in a shelter for orphans. Three years ago, they moved out and tried various jobs before finally settling down as server in a restaurant. Adrien and Susan visited the homeless shelters every month to visit them and provide food and clothing.
Even though they had little, they were selfless as well as kind. They shared their earnings by saving enough money for rent and groceries and then spending the rest on necessities for the children.
“Oh, dear, you two!! I’m so glad to see you again!”The shelter’s caretaker welcomed them. All the children quickly gathered around their siblings and began to jump, laugh, and scream as Adrien gave them new clothes, toys and food.
The siblings spent the day laughing, playing, and then it was time to say farewell.
Unexpected turns can happen in life.
“When will you come again?”The children cried and asked questions. Adrien and Susan saw the children all upset and dewy-eyed, and promised to return soon. They were happy to return home and hoped for their next payday, so they could gift the children more gifts. But, an unexpected blow arrived.
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“What is it, Adrien? You look worried…Is everything okay?”Susan felt anxious after seeing her brother stare at his phone.
“No, I was just wondering about next month. We have to pay rent, we’re out of groceries, and the debts! The charity account hasn’t been of help either.”
Adrien had created a charity account one year ago in order to raise funds for his mission. They were worried about their ability to help the children after all of their money was gone.
“We’ve run out of savings, but we can’t stop helping those kids, Susan. They need our help…We need to figure out something.”
Adrien and Susan returned to another shelter a few weeks later. Because they didn’t have enough cash, they brought food but no toys or clothes. Despite their difficulties, they didn’t want to disappoint children.
The children loved Adrien and Susan’s company. They ran and screamed, collecting treats as they went. But Adrien noticed a little boy hiding in the corner.
“You see that kid? He seems new here…And why is he sitting alone? Let’s go find out and give him something nice to eat.”
Adrien and Susan walked up to the boy without realizing the heartbreaking discovery that they would make when they saw his birthmark on the right hand.
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“Hey! What’s your name?”Adrien asked the boy to look at Susan’s right hand as he gestured for him to.
“His birthmark is exactly like ours! Who is this boy? We haven’t seen him here before,”Susan whispered.
The boy looked lost and sad. Adrien kept asking him questions and he refused to answer.
“My name is Bobby.”
“Hey, Bobby! How old are you?”
“I’m eight years old.”
Adrien learned quickly that Bobby had just been placed in the shelter by his parents. What puzzled them was the identical birthmark of the boy to theirs.
They believed they were related to Bobby and took a DNA test. Their suspicions were confirmed three weeks later. Bobby was their brother. They were stunned.
“That could only mean one thing—our parents were in this same town. Why did they abandon us? And why didn’t they come for us?” Adrien wondered.
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Adrien, Susan and their mother tried to understand why their parents abandoned them. They never got any answers. They began visiting the shelter each week to spend more quality time with their brother.
They were informed that Bobby would soon be adopted and move to a new home with his wealthy adoptive parents. Adrien and Susan were delighted to hear this news. They wanted Bobby to have a happy life.
Adrien and Susan met Bobby’s adoptive father a few days later during another visit at the shelter. They introduced themselves as Bobby’s siblings to the man.
“Siblings?”Frank asked the man.
“Yes, I’m Adrien, and this is my sister, Susan,” Adrien said, “We were raised in a shelter like this. We work in a restaurant and help orphaned children in shelters. We just recently discovered that Bobby is our brother, and we are so happy he’s going to be adopted.”
“That’s interesting!”Frank called in. “But how are you able to help so many kids? You said you work in a restaurant. How do you manage your own expenses and still help others with your salary?”
“We combine our earnings, and sometimes, people donate money to our charity fund. We know it’s tough, but we’re not gonna give up because the smile on those kids’ faces when they get these surprises is priceless!”
Frank felt moved by Adrien’s reply, so he set his mind on a way of rewarding the kind siblings.
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Adrien, a mix of joy and confusion, returned home a few days after Bobby was adopted.
“Susan, look! This is unbelievable! Someone donated $200,000 to our charity fund! It’s so much money, Susan! We’ll be able to improve the lives of all the children in the shelters.”
Then, he received a call on his cell phone from someone he didn’t know.
“Hey, Adrien, my boy!”The man at the other end was greeted.
“Hello, who is this?”Adrien was stunned.
“I hope the money I transferred will improve your lives — yours and Susan’s!”
“Were you the one who deposited $200,000 to our account?”
“Yes, Adrien!”
Adrien could not believe his ears. It was quite a sum of money and no one had ever given as much before. He fell to the couch in shock. He inquired further about the stranger, and was surprised to discover that he was Bobby’s adoptive dad, Frank.
“I…I didn’t expect this, sir. Thank you so much!”Adrien had nothing to say to the kind man.
“Adrien, I will fund your charity from now on. You don’t have to worry. In the meantime, that $200,000 is for you and Susan. You’ve earned it for your kindness. That’s my gift to you, so don’t spend it on the kids. That money is yours and Susan’s.”
Adrien and Susan were overwhelmed with all the money, and soon, they bought a small house and started a café with it. Despite this blessing, the siblings continued visiting Bobby to support their mission of supporting abandoned children.
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What can we take away from this story?
- An individual becomes ten-times more beautiful by their kindness, not through their looks. Adrien and Susan, despite not being able to provide for their own needs, spent the majority of their earnings on new clothes, food and toys for homeless and orphaned kids.
- Unexpected turns can happen in life. Adrien, Susan and their younger brother were unaware of his existence until they met him at the shelter and noticed the birthmark that linked him to them.
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This article is inspired by real stories and was written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to real names or actual locations is only coincidental. Illustrations are provided for illustration purposes only. We would love to hear your story.