As architect Smith Howell made preparations for his trip to Malawi his great-grandson Barrett Norris could not go with him. Instead the eight year-old gave his 87 year-old great-grandfather $3.00 and asked him to give it to someone in Malawi. Arriving in Malawi Howell started looking for just the right person for the gift.
Howell soon found just the right person. It was Thomas, an employee in the nearby timber business who had been walking along the main highway and was struck by a giant truck.
While in the hospital recovering from the accident Thomas was befriended by a number of people. One that stood out however was Smith Howell and the $3.00 gift from the boy in America. While in America the $3.00 could only buy a Burger King Value Meal, in Malawi the same $3.00 could supply a grateful recipient a vastly larger value. Since the average person in Malawi earns less than $200 a year, Barrett‘s gift had grown as it made its way around the world. Now it gave the needed funds for Thomas’ family to buy food for him while he was in the hospital.
Seldom can one measure the value of even the smallest gift.