Manuel da Costra: Fishmonger Who Lost His Shine - Namibia's Godgathers Bedtime Series Episode 9

Long ago, when Daddy Milton lived in a faraway city called Paris, he worked in a tall building where people from many nations came together to talk about building a better world.

He was young, curious, and always ready to help — the kind of person who notices things others walk past.

One morning, the Namibian Embassy held a special event near the Arc de Triomphe, a place where the streets curve like the spokes of a giant wheel. Daddy Milton volunteered to stand outside and guide the important visitors so none of them would get lost in the maze of Paris.

As he stood there, watching the taxis glide by, he saw a man step out of one — a man dressed so sharply he looked like he had been ironed by angels. But something was wrong. His face was tight with worry.

Daddy Milton walked up to him and said,

“Is everything alright, Mr da Costa?”



The man sighed.

“I’ve lost my tie‑pin,” he said. “A gift. Very important.”

He pointed to where he had stepped out of the taxi.

But Paris is a city where people look at the sky, the buildings, the cafés — never the ground.

Daddy Milton nodded.

He knew what to do.

He followed the path the man had walked, eyes scanning the pavement like a detective searching for clues.

Cars rushed by. People hurried past.

But Daddy Milton kept looking.

And then —

Eureka.

A tiny glint of gold winked at him from the sidewalk.

He picked it up gently, as if it were a treasure from a fairy tale, and carried it back.

When he placed it in Mr da Costa’s hand, the man froze.

Then he smiled — a slow, grateful smile that reached all the way to his eyes.

“If you ever need my help,” he said softly,

“just ask.”

Years later, that same man became the Mayor of Walvis Bay.

And true to his word, whenever Daddy Milton needed support for a project that helped people, the mayor stood behind him — strong as a lighthouse, steady as the tide.

And that night, as Daddy Milton tucked his child into bed, he whispered:

“Kindness is a seed.

You never know when it will grow into a tree big enough to shelter you.”

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