A Rainbow in Someone’s Cloud

A Rainbow in Someone’s Cloud

“Start by doing what's necessary;

then do what's possible;

and suddenly you are doing the impossible”

Francis of Assisi

It is my great privilege to share one of my touching experiences with you. In 2011, I was appointed as a social worker in Mehaboob Nagar, a remote area of the state Andhra Predesh. I was working for the disabled people through the Community Based Rehabilitation Programme (CBR). Since there was no means of conveyance, I used to walk 4 Kilometres every day to and fro. The road was deserted and was dangerous for a woman to walk alone. But I really enjoyed serving the people irrespective of the hardships. More than my service, what I enjoyed was the real happiness of the people living there. I became part of their very life by sharing their simple meals, conducting awareness programmes, helping them to send their children to school, and by opening savings account to deposit a small amount of their daily earnings.  I used this method to teach them how to save the money, help them construct houses, and help the people take proper treatment for the diseases like Leprosy, TB etc. As the part of CBR programme, I helped the disabled people in that village to use artificial limbs, crutches, wheel chair, tricycle and blind stick. I also used to send the disabled persons for corrective surgery. 

One day I happened meet a poor family. The family was consisted of parents and four children. The first one was a five year old girl child who was suffering from cerebral palsy; the second child was three year old and the next were twins. The mother was expecting the fifth.  Their situation was so miserable that they were struggling even for a single meal a day. To my great shock, I was never exposed to such pathetic condition. That day the woman was alone in the house.  Her husband, who owned a very old auto rickshaw, was out for work.  Whenever he returned home in the evening, he came with a bare hand. What he earned was not sufficient for repairing his old auto and for his drinking.  He was a careless husband and an irresponsible father. Since she had to look after the small kids, she could not go out for work and earn a living. Added to that, she was pregnant too. Knowing their deplorable situation, I used to collect old cloths, rice, vegetables and oil and give them. And I also helped them obtain a ration card and join the disabled child in the CBR scheme for the disabled so that she could get Rs.500 per month.

The sad part of the story developed when day of her delivery approached nearer. She did not have even a single penny left in her hand for the delivery. Left with no other choice, she took a heart-breaking decision to sell off her girl child for Rs.5000. I was very much shocked to learn it from her. For a moment, I put myself in her place.  If I were a mother I would not sell the child, even if I had to die. That night I could not sleep. Next morning I started collecting money from others for her delivery and I was able to collect Rs. 5,000. Entrusting her the amount of money, I advised her not sell her child and to raise the child for me! Words fail to explain those moments. Her eyes were filled with tears and she asked me whether I was a God! This incident and more particularly that particular moment was a great source of inspiration in my life to do more service to the people.

Our pains and sufferings are nothing when we encounter such people. We cry for shoes, but there are people without legs; we complain about the quality of our food, but there are people who starve for a single meal a day. This makes me aware that many people long for our help. We can be their advocates, helpers and consolers by our active involvement, witnessing presence, committed service and strong prayers.

My story may not a great story, but it truly an eye opening for me not to condemn others, helped me think about myself, my call and mission. Life becomes meaningful, not when we live for ourselves, but when we live for others. Being social workers, we do not become their masters and mistresses by doing a lot of things for them. It is neither for our self-glory, but to help others live a dignified life making them aware that they are also children of God. When the world moves to the direction of selfishness and self-centred life, let us live an other-centred and other oriented life after the model of our Master and Lord.

Wishing you good luck!

Sr. Kochurani Karackal SNDS