When Rachel meet Dalai Lama, and Mamadou Allah.

When I was in Thailand, I met a special lady, Rachel who was a journalist for the United Nation. She had opportunities to meet incredible leaders and shared a dance with Nelson Mandela. An other day she went to a press conference with the Dalai Lama who  asked the audience if someone wanted to share a story or a joke while they were waiting for special guess . Nobody answered. Maybe people were overawed by with Dalai Lama’s leadership and unpredictable demand. But after few minutes, Rachel stood up and told him « I have a nice story and it would be a pleasure to tell it to you. »

Un bouddha birman-Photo Rico Beaudoin

She came closer to him and started:

“ The story happens in Africa. As you know people are poor. One day Mamadou meet Allah.

Allah: Hello Mamadou, this is your Lucky day ! Have you ever expected one special thing? I would like to make it become true for you. So Mamadou, I would like to offer you one wish.

Mamadou: Thank’s Allah but could you offer me more than one wish?  I know what I want, I always wanted to be rich! But I would like also to offer wishes to my wife and family so please give me more than one wish!

Allah: Nop Mamadou, you’ll have only one wish. So take your time to think about it. Go to see your wife and your mother and talk with them about it. I’ll come back in 2 hours to make your wish become true.

Un temple birman à Bagan-Photo Marie Birrien

Then Mamadou visited his wife and told her the all story. He wife replied:

Mamadou’s wife: Why didn’t you asked for more than one wish ? Are you a fool ?!

Mamadou: I tried but Allah didn’t want. I know what I want to ask him: I  want to be rich.

Mamadou’s wife: Oh no Mamadou, you know what I would like? I’d like to have healthy and strong children. So please ask it to Allah! “

Enfants laotiens-Photo Marie Birrien

Enfants laotiens 2-Photo Marie Birrien

Enfants laotiens 3-Photo Marie Birrien

The Dalai Lama told Rachel, with a light in is eyes “ African are same as Asian, they don’t have any retirement pensions so they need children to take care of parents. “

Mamadou was not convinced by his wife’s choice. So he decided to go to see and tell his Wise mother, whose reaction was:

Mamadou’s mother: Oh Mamadou, this is a great opportunity! You know that my eyes are getting old and that I am almost blind. I would really like to see a last sunset in my life. Could you please ask Allah for that!

Coucher de soleil au Cambodge, Photo Régis Autret

Coucher de soleil au Cambodge 2, Photo Régis Autret

Mamadou was in an embarrassing situation, he always wanted to be rich but her wife and her mum were asking him for other things. “

Then Rachel asked the Dalai Lama: “If you were Mamadou what would you have chosen?

Dalai Lama: “ Well that’s not an easy question, I think that I would have chosen the 3^rd option because I love my mother but-asking the audience-what would you have chosen?

People became quiet but some shy voices followed Dalai Lama telling him he made the right choice.

Dalai Lama, with a smart and playful smile, retorted: “ I am really surprised nobody answered wanted to be rich !”

And then Rachel kept telling the end of the story:

“Allah came back and asked Mamadou Have you made your choice?

Mamadou : Yes Allah, I’ve got the good one!

I would like that my mother to see my children eating in gold plates.”

Repas Laotien-Photo Régis Autret

Dalai Lama frankly laughs when Rachel finished her story.