(This happened years ago, way before ATMs had cardless cash. When I am five-and-a-half-months pregnant with our first child, my husband is transferred through work to a different state, away from all our friends and family. I’m not coping very well with the move. The Friday before he starts at the office, he takes me to the city sightseeing, to try to cheer me up. Before heading home, we go to an ATM to get money out. The ATM takes my husband’s card before showing an “out of order” message. I start to cry, knowing that we have little petrol in the car and not a lot of food at home, and that the bank will not be open until the Monday.)

Husband: *hugging me* “Hey, it’s okay. We have enough petrol to get home and me to work. There’s a [Bank] near the office; I’ll go there on my lunch, then get petrol. We have enough canned food until then; it won’t be gourmet, but it’s food. We’ll be okay!”

Me: *still crying* “I know, sorry. It’s these stupid hormones.”

(A gentleman in a suit, who has been waiting for a bus nearby, interrupts us.)

Gentleman: “Excuse me. I don’t mean to be rude, but I just saw what happened and overheard your conversation. Please take this.” *hands my husband $50*

Husband: “Thank you, anyway, sir, but we can’t accept this. We’ll be okay.”

Gentleman: “Please take it. Call it my good deed for the day. I can see your wife is pregnant, and the last thing she needs to be doing is worrying about running out of petrol or not eating properly. Pass it on to someone in need when you can.”

Me: “Thank you so much. We’ve moved from [City] for his work and don’t have anyone here. You don’t understand how much this means to me.”

Gentleman: “Glad I could help. Keep your chin up. Things will get better.”

Husband: “Thank you so much. Do you have a business card? I’d like to repay you.”

Gentleman: “Don’t worry about it; just pay it forward when you can. If you ever get into trouble again, go to [Church in the city] and ask for [Pastor]. He’ll help you.”

(The gentleman’s bus came at that point. He shook both our hands before leaving. His generosity meant we had good, healthy food and enough petrol for the weekend. We never did have to go to the church for help, and we never saw him again. Years later, I still tear up at his kindness.)

When I was around 24, everything in my life seemed to come crashing down at once. Through a long series of unfortunate events that included losing my job, I ended up homeless with no-one really around that I could turn to.

Whilst trying to get a new job, I spent a lot of time sleeping rough around on the streets as I knew I didn’t have enough saved up to afford a hotel every night for the foreseeable future.

It was a Monday, around the time kids would be heading into school, and I was in my usual place. A group of teenage girls walked past, barely even glancing at me whilst laughing and mucking about on their phones. I didn’t think much of it and went back to filling out the job applications I had collected.

However, a few moments later something was dropped in front of me. I looked up just in time to see one of the girls from earlier scamper off back to her friends. Looking back at what she had left, I found a plastic bag containing what could only have been her own lunch. I was stunned, and tried to call after her to say thank you, but the group had already left.

That was the only act of kindness someone showed me during my brief period of living on the streets.

Three years on, I’m in a much better place, but I can’t help but think back on the girl who did more to help a stranger than any adult cared to do. It may have been a small gesture, but it meant the world to me. Whoever she was, I hope she’s having a great life now. She deserves it.

Around ten years ago I went to my old school to collect my degree. To say that I was happy to finally hold that piece of paper in my hands would probably be an understatement.

As I was walking back to my car, I noticed a very old, tiny lady carrying five big shopping bags, all filled to the brim with groceries. After every two or three steps she had to take a break, put the bags down, breathe and then collect the bags to make the next few steps. I couldn’t let her suffer like this.

I went over and asked if she needed help, and she gladly accepted. I am by no means weak, but these bags were heavy! She told me that usually her nephew came with her and helped her, but he was sick that day and she really needed those groceries.

Thankfully, her apartment was not far away. Unfortunately, she lived on the third floor with no elevator. When we finally reached her apartment, I put down the groceries on her kitchen table and she started thanking me, while I told her it was fine. She then started looking around for something she could give me, while I tried to make my way out, just repeating that it was fine. When I managed to get halfway out the door, she called out to me, “But Miss, at least take one of the bananas!” I didn’t, but it made my day and I’m still chuckling thinking about it.

On September 19th, 2017, Mexico City and the surrounding states were hit by a powerful earthquake. Many buildings collapsed, and over 300 people died.

I belong to a Facebook group aimed at people trying to learn a foreign language, and its members come from all around the world. On the day of the earthquake, I posted on the group asking for prayers, no matter the religion, as well as support messages for those in need.

The next day, I woke up to see thousands of replies. There were prayers from many Christian denominations, from Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, etc., as well as messages from over a hundred countries. My friends and I organised to deliver food wherever it was needed, and I made sure that everything we gave out had one of the messages I received.

It taught me two very important lessons. The first one is that we can be brought together no matter what your religion or your nationality is. The second one is that you can always count on another language nerd for help.

This story is part of our Earthquake roundup! This is the last story in the roundup, but we have plenty of others you might enjoy!

10 Stories About Customers Who Are So Stupid They Needed Their Own List

Read the next Earthquake roundup story!

Read the Earthquake roundup!

When I was seven, my family moved to a new house, which was the first house of a new development. By the time school started, a few other families had moved into other houses, but we hadn’t gotten the chance to meet them yet.

One day our school had a half-day, and we were all sent home early. The school bus dropped me off and I happily skipped home, ready to enjoy my extra time off. When I reached my house, I suddenly realized no one was home to greet me. I was always losing things, so my parents never gave me a key. I was scared and cold, and had no way of getting inside, so I did the only thing I could think of: I hid behind a bush in the garden and cried.

I don’t know how long I was there, but it was long enough that I couldn’t cry anymore and my hands were numb. That’s when a strange man approached me. He started asking me questions. “What’s your name?” “Where are your parents?” “Do you need help?” I didn’t answer any of his questions; I just kept shaking my head no, since I wasn’t supposed to talk to strangers. He walked away, and I started to cry again. I was even more scared because I thought someone was going to take me.

A while later the man came back, and I was scared stiff. I thought for sure he was going to take me away. Instead, he silently and slowly handed me a cell phone; cells weren’t too common back then. When I answered the phone, I heard my dad’s voice on the other side. We exchanged our “secret passcode,” and he told me the man was our neighbor. He was a good person, and was going to take me to a demo house where I could wait until my dad could get me.

Once I hung up and handed the phone back, my neighbor smiled at me and took me over to his house. We spent a few minutes there as he warmed me up with a blanket, some hot chocolate, and a few cookies. Once I was warm and happy, he took me to the demo house where a woman greeted me. She sat with me for an hour and taught me how to use a Rubik’s cube until my dad finally came and picked me up.

Years later, I found out everything that happened. The school had never informed the parents that there was a half-day, and they were sued for neglect. My neighbor, who was on his way to work, happened to notice my little pink coat poking out from behind the bush. When he talked to me and I denied his help, he was planning on letting it go and leaving for work, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave me. He called up the Homeowner’s Association and let them know what was going on, and they’re the ones who called my dad. My dad told them I’d never leave to answer the phone, so the neighbor drove over, picked up the cell phone, and brought it to me to answer. He ended up being an hour late to work that day. The nice lady who stayed with me kept the house open two hours later than she was supposed to so she could be sure I was safe and warm while I waited for my parents.

Those people are still a part of my life to this day, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have such wonderful and kind people as my neighbors. I honestly don’t know what would have happened that day without them.