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Bribing and Black Money..!

By Robert Clements. Dated: 7/19/2019 10:21:50 AM

It doesn't take much time in a group conversation before everybody shakes their head dismally and talks about the corruption in our country. And yet, do we realize it is you and me, who are the biggest bribe givers and bribe encouragers.
We say, there is no way we can exist in this country without bribing or paying a portion of our transactions in cash. How wrong we are.
All we need is to stick to the truth, trust in God. Many years ago, I found this out:
This happened during the early eighties, when phones were not available. We needed a phone desperately; by wife being a doctor, and I a businessman. So, we applied for one. A year passed with no phone, and those days a phone could take up to five years or even more. An insurance agent I knew realizing I desperately needed a phone for my business, said for 5000/- rupees he could arrange for one. "Meet me at Santacruz at 5 pm tomorrow!" he told me, promising to take me to a minister in the telephone advisory committee who he said would be able to help me out quickly, "And bring all your documents, and also the money!" he said with a wink.
That night when my wife and I prayed, it was a simple guilty prayer telling God, we were sorry to be paying a bribe, but we had to. The next day I left for work in my old battered Fiat. My work site was in Prabhat Colony, Santacruz East, just a few kilometres from where I was supposed to meet my insurance agent with the bribe. At 3 pm I opened my car door, and found I had forgotten to bring my documents. I got into my old car and rushed home, to pick up the papers, and be back in time for the appointment even as I cursed myself for being so careless.
I remember after reaching home, opening my door, realized my wife was sleeping, tiptoed to the other bedroom where the almirah was, opened it to get the documents, and then heard the doorbell ring.
I opened the door, and found two men, holding of all things, a phone, "Telephone department!" said the first, "We have come to install the phone you had applied for!"
No words can describe the astonishment and amazement my wife and I felt that evening as we saw our phone being fixed, a few minutes, before we would have paid a bribe. It was certainly Someone up there saying, "You don't have to bribe Bob, when I'm here to look after you!"
Someone who even sent me home.
I believe there are even religious institutions that now believe in bribery and black money.
Don't, that's not the way He wants it done..!
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