SERVICE TO HUMANITY VOLUME 4

HELP OTHERS TO WIN AND WASTE NO OPPORTUNITY

It is good to be of a humanitarian spirit. At The Humanitarian Foundation, we encourage our members and stakeholders to do the humanitarian work with wisdom and selflessness. There is always a greater reward when we help one another win laurels. At the end would be happy together. Ensure you do not treat people just the way they are but, the way that is morally perfect and you would should be treated. We have a touching story of a good sportsmanship which got the whole world talking and many sports, inspirational, religious and political speakers and writers busy. An Indian online publisher, “The Hindu”, titled it: “When the runner-up won the race of integrity.” And also said, “Sportsmanship is the winner: Spanish runner Ivan Fernandez Anaya guiding Kenyan racer Abel Mutai to victory in the December 2012 cross-country race at Burlada, Navarre, Spain.” Here goes the full gist

Kenyan runner Abel Mutai was only a few meters from the finish line, but got confused with the signs and stopped, thinking he had finished the race.
And a Spanish male athlete, Ivan Fernandez Anaya who was also competing in the cross country race at Burlada, Navarre, was right behind Abel, the race leader.

And, realizing what was going on started shouting and making all manner of signs to the Kenyan runner to make him keep running. Mutai, who neither understood Spanish nor the sign language of Fernandez, could not comply but remained helpless in the midst of the race, although at the finishing end. As he really understood that his opponent was confused, Ivan Fernandez pushed Mutai gradually unto victory and also refused to stay before him but continued to push him across the touch line just to ensure he did not take advantage of another person’s weakness.

Fernandez Anaya was couched in Victoria by former Spanish distance runner, Martin Fiz in the same place, The Prado Park, where he always clocked up kilometers upon kilometers of training to become the European and World Marathon Champion in 1994 and 1995 seasons respectively.
A reporter asked Ivan, ” Why did you do this? “
“I didn’t deserve to win the race. I did what I had to do [because] he was the rightful winner. He created a [huge] gape that I couldn’t have closed if he hadn’t made a mistake. As soon as I saw him stopped, I knew I wasn’t going to pass him.” Says the 24-year-old Spanish athlete, Ivan Fernandez.

Ivan summarized in another interview with another reporter by saying, “My dream is that one day we can have some sort of community life where we push ourselves and help each other win.”
The reporter insisted by being curious and said, “But why did you let the Kenyan international win?”
Ivan replied, ” I didn’t let him win, he was going to win. The race was his.”
The reporter insisted and asked again, ” But you could have won.” 

Fernandez Anaya looked at him with a faint smile and replied: “But what would be the merit of my victory? What would be the honor of this medal? What would my Mother think of it?”
His recent response shows that Ivan F. Anaya had a wonderful, moral (and godly) up-bringing. This made him to have a golden conscience that is barely seen in today’s human society. Fernandez Anaya demonstrated a great spirit of humanity and made the whole world learn and remember a life transforming story originally taught and demonstrated by Christ Jesus over two thousand years ago, according to the Christian holy book, The Holy Bible. If the world is full of selfless humans, there would not be diverse conflict and abuse of humanity around the world.

When Martin Fiz was interviewed on the same issue, he replied thus; “it was a very good and rare gesture of [paramount and divine] honesty. A gesture of kindness rarely made or found anywhere anymore. Or rather, of the kind that has never been made or noted in the history of athletes.”
When asked if he could do such an amazing thing; “this is a gesture I myself wouldn’t have made. I certainly would have taken advantage of it to win.” Says Martin.

Fiz went further to talk about his pupil’s action, “the gesture has made him a better person but not a better athlete. He has wasted an occasion (of which will not return). Winning always makes one a better athlete. You have to go out to win (and this can be gotten after so many hard labour of practices and ability to take every chance you have created or that creates itself for opportunity, they say, comes but once).”

Most times, opportunity do repeat itself but, in another form or dimension. No present or futuristic opportunity is the exact replica of the former. There must be a change, if in no other variable, TIME AND SEASON!
In all you do, “never take advantage of anyone’s weakness!” Instead, help them become better humans while at the same time, ensuring you maximize every opportunity to succeed in all you do as long as you will not trample on other people’s destiny (wrongly). Be a Humanitarian! If you cannot build-up destinies, at least do not destroy any.

Service to Humanity is a weekly publication to encourage Humanitarian Activities (financial donations and material support) across the globe by The Humanitarian Foundation Press Department. Igweike Raphael Otum (Founder and President, Councilor, Author, Businessman, Accountant, Evangelist and a Humanitarian) is the author of this wonderful publication, Service to Humanity.

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