Kumbalangi woman keeps Rs 100 in food packet, wins praises

Kumbalangi woman keeps Rs 100 in food packet, wins praises
Mary Sebastian receives a memento from the police for her noble gesture.

Kochi: Kumbalangi native Mary Sebastian has been winning praises for her kind gesture to those affected by nature’s fury at Chellanam in Kerala’s Ernakulam district.

She kept a hundred-rupee note in a food packet meant for the people affected by the floods here.

"I just thought that it would help someone in a small way,” said Mary.

Food packets were collected from the local people to be distributed among those whose houses were damaged by surging waves at Chellanam.

A cop opened the food packet prepared by Mary and found the currency note on Sunday. He promptly informed CI P S Shiju, who is also from Kumbalangi. Elated, the CI put up a Facebook post, lauding the woman for her kind gesture.

"I did not want others to know about this. But now everyone knows. CI Sir came to our house and gave a gift as well. Several priests also called," Mary added.

“It’s cold these days, right? And I often drink tea. I thought maybe this money would help at least one person in distress; probably buy a cup of tea. When I finished packing, I asked my son to get a packet of peanut chikki. I removed the chikki and kept a hundred-rupee note and properly sealed it using cellotape,” she explained.

After her gesture was lauded on social media, more people went to Mary's house. But they had to dabble their way to the home as the area had been inundated. Last year, water entered their kitchen and rooms but the verandah was spared.

"We have had similar experiences amid flooding caused due to sea erosion. But people in Chellanam are suffering more now due to the disease spread. We, at Kumbalangi, always share what we have, even if it is food," Mary explained.

Mary does catering work for a living. But was jobless for several days. Last month she worked for 15 days.

She took Rs 100 from the payment she received for her work then, and kept it in the food packet. Her husband Sebastian, who works at a boat-building unit, is also currently jobless. Both her children are married.

Her son Sebin too put up a Facebook post, "I am proud to be your son."

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