-- Around the world his name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death. The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy farmer Fleming had saved. "No, I can't accept payment for what I did", the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer from the nobleman.

At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel. "Is that your son?" the nobleman asked. Yes, the farmer replied proudly. I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll grow to a man you can be proud of. And that the farmer did.

In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St.Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted scientist Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia. What saved his life? Penicillin. The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.

When we help another person in need, we should not wait and expect any favor in return and wait for it; it will come just like the tall coconut tree which takes the plain water poured at its feet [root] returns it back to us as sweet water at its head.

--[a Tamil poem by Poet Saint Avvaiyaar]

The effects of all our actions as Karma will be returned back to us properly. But, any action performed with greed, and attachment looking for a return of benefit will lead to pain and grief only. When we help a person ineed, such action will be rewarded at appropriate time in a better form when we are in need of such services.