“Today for me, tomorrow for you” is how ayni is often described. This means that if you are struggling, your community will help you, and when you are in a better place you will help someone in need. One of the reading guide questions asked us to reflect on ayni and determine if we witnessed acts that contained the spirit of ayni. I thought this was a great question to reflect on, especially during these “unprecedented” Covid times.
During this pandemic there have been countless acts of selflessness- or ayni. I think in some ways, this pandemic has brought out the best in people- maybe because we all realize people all around the world are experiencing the same things we are, which makes it easier for us to sympathize with others. I have seen many people starting GoFundMe pages, asking for financial help to pay medical bills, rent they can no longer afford due to losing their jobs, and for many other reasons. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are raised this way because strangers help each other out in the spirit of ayni.
I have also witnessed people making “care packages” and sending them to friends and neighbours. Some people have reached out to their elderly neighbours to check in on them and getting their groceries so they can stay safe at home.
I also heard about the story of baby Boston, a baby with a rare genetic disease that needs a bone marrow transplant to survive. The matching process is very specific, and the family has been having trouble finding a suitable donor. After learning about Boston’s story, hundreds of people have signed up in the Canada’s national stem cell registry in hopes they’ll be a match for Boston. I decided to write about baby Boston’s story, and in the spirit of ayni to encourage any of you who are half Caucasian and half Filipino (Boston’s ethnicity) to sign up and register, and maybe you’ll get the chance to save his life.
I have included the story about baby Boston here, and the link to Canadian Blood Services here.
I am lucky to be a part of UBC’s Blood For Life team, so if any of you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!