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What would you do if a total stranger handed you a check for $10,000? Most of us would say that we’d give thanks, take it, and run. But, when Gurbaksh “G” Chahal, the 300 million-dollar “Secret Millionaire,” handed $10,000 checks to Carmela, a woman who runs a women’s shelter, and Kuwana, a single mom, the first thing they said was, “I can’t accept this. I do this out of love.”

Once again, this shows how easily mothers give of themselves, but have a hard time receiving in return.

“Secret Millionaire” is Fox’s new hit reality show where each week a new millionaire goes undercover in a poverty-stricken area to learn about its people and eventually give away at least $100,000 of his or her own money to someone who truly needs it.

Last week, Gurbaksh Chahal, otherwise known as “G,” headed to a soup kitchen to volunteer. While volunteering he learned a little about his new “coworkers.” The kitchen staff was a group of recovering addicts in treatment programs and this was part of their treatment. “G” was touched by the stories, but he wasn’t sure if these were the people he wanted to give his money to because he feared that giving the money to someone who could relapse would just be enabling them. gurbaksh-chahal-with-single-mom.jpg

On day three he visited a women’s shelter to volunteer. He started off in the kitchen, but during dinner he got the chance to sit with some of the women and their children. The women told stories of how they escaped domestic abuse and were now getting back on their feet. He later found a woman named Kuwana working alone in the kitchen. The woman broke down in tears while telling her story, or at least trying to tell her story. She told “G” that she moved to America from Puerto Rico after her child was born. She described her relationship in San Francisco as “a hurricane.” Even through all of the pain she had been through, the only thing she cared about was that she was a good mother to her child. That particularly touched “G” because his sister is a single mother.

The next day “G” decided to spend some time with Carmela, the woman in charge at the women’s shelter. She told him that she was a mother at seventeen who went through domestic abuse, and during that time, there wasn’t a place for domestic abuse victims to go. She decided that when her son grew up she wanted to give back to women and give them an opportunity she never had.

It’s finally “G’s” last day in Tenderloin, and he had to decide what to do with his money. He wasn’t sad the trip was over because it changed him, and I’m sure he wasn’t sad that he could now put on his expensive shoes and slacks, and roll up in his Bentley.

“G’s” first stop was the soup kitchen. He thanked them for what they did for him, and then hands them a check for $35,000.
“What you did here today will be remembered for a long time,” one of the volunteers said. It was even more amazing to hear that his $35,000 check would help feed 20,000 people. Twenty thousand! Amazing!

Next, “G” headed to the women’s shelter to tell Carmela how much she meant to him. He gave the women’s shelter a $35,000 check and then asked to speak with Camela in private. He wasn’t done with her. He gave her $10,000, to be used on her, not the shelter. “I do this out of love. I can’t take this.” “G” insisted that she take it and told her that it was a new beginning in both of their lives.

Finally, “G” went to see Kuwana. He arrived at Kuwana’s apartment, where he delivered a beautiful flower bouquet and met her beloved son. She was caught off guard at first and couldn’t understand why he would do this. “I’m not asking for this,” she said. She eventually took the $10,000 check and told “G” how grateful she was.

Lisa’s 2 cents: Why do mothers feel guilty when someone does something nice for us? I know it’s a stretch, but we must learn how to receive (love, money, affection) in the same way that we give. Opening ourselves up to allow others in is good for our physical, financial and emotional health.

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