November 5, 2011
In our life time we go through many struggles, difficulties, ups and downs. Some of us try to evade it instead of overcoming it, and some try to face it. I remember one such incident and I would like to share it.
Deena and Simon were a lovely couple, very poor but deeply in love with each other, and also very devout. Deena was simple lady who used to stay at home and take care of the household work. They had a small house which had several cracks here and there and which used to leak in rainy season. Yet, they were living happily in that house. Their beautiful garden with various colourful flowers surrounded by coconut trees attracted visitors and people around.
Simon was a daily wage labourer earning may be 10 rupees a day. And those days 10 rupees had more value compared to now. Simon used to go to work early morning on his bicycle. He was a good human being with a smiling face, ready to lend a hand to all. Everybody liked him a lot.
Deena would finish all her household work and would wait for her husband for lunch. After lunch Simon would go back to his work and come in the evening. This was his daily routine.
Simon was a very hard working person but his meager income was not sufficient to make both ends meet. During rainy season it was very difficult for Simon to get work so he used to do odd jobs like selling flowers, coconuts and sometimes filling water for others. Since his wages were not sufficient for their living, Deena thought of going to work. But her husband was against this idea as did not want to see her toiling hard. However, she somehow persuaded him and started going to work in other people's houses as a maid servant. She would do all her work in time and come home and finish her house work too.
Time passed, years passed and still they had no children which they were longing for. Both were sad about it but they never blamed each other and always tried their best to keep each other happy. They had deep faith in God and believed that one day or the other day they would have a child and their family would be complete. Both used to pray a lot and always attended retreats and prayer services in their village. They even went to various doctors for treatment and did whatever possible for them in order to get a child. But even after five years of their marriage they could not see any sign of getting a child. So one fine day, after much consideration, they decided to adopt a child.
They went to orphanages, hospitals and contacted some of their friends and tried to adopt a child. For a few days and months they had to go hither and thither and after many days of hard work they finally found a girl child in an orphanage and adopted her. When they saw this sweet child in their hands tears rolled down with happiness and they embraced the child and received her with much delight.
They went home with joyful faces. Simon and Deena got her baptized and named her Christina and had a big celebration in their house and invited their parish priest, friends, relatives and neighbours. All were happy and appreciated their good decision of adopting a child. This was the happiest moment in their married life.
The mother had to give up her work and take care of her child since she was small. They both took good care of their child and gave her lots of love and whatever she wanted and the child also loved their parents very much. Months passed and Christina grew up and started walking, running, playing and started talking too.
Simon and Deena were very happy with their child. Soon she started going to school. She was a lovely and cheerful girl and was very clever in studies. All her teachers liked her and she had many friends in her school. Both Deena and Simon used to work very hard in order to give good education to their child. They had completely forgotten that they had adopted her. They did not make her feel that she was adopted and Christina also did not know about it. Christina completed her 10th standard with good marks and made her parents very proud with her good results.
During her vacations she would help her mother in the house work. Simon and Deena used to take their daughter for outings sometimes and spent good time with her. They would go to theater to watch movies as they had no television in their house.
Christina spent her holidays very happily and now it was time for her to go to college. But her parents due to their poverty were unable to pay her fees and she could not pursue her studies. But Christina who knew her parents' situation did not say a word and accepted it. Deena and Simon were ashamed that they were not able to look after their daughter's further studies. But Christina who was a very matured and smart girl tried to make her parents understand and said that there was no need to feel sorry. "You have been working very hard day and night to see me happy and gave whatever I desired. For this I am very lucky and thank god for giving me such wonderful parents," she told them.
Both would go to work as usual and Christina stayed at home and did the house work. One afternoon after she finished her work she sat down and was reading a story book. As she was reading, all of sudden something struck her mind and she thought over it deeply. When her parents came home she told them her decision. They were stunned. Christina had decided to go to work which could support her parents. They told her that it was their responsibility to take care of her and not her responsibility to look after them. "You are still very young and we cannot accept this. We cannot live without you and away from you and you want to go for work"? But Christina who was very obstinate over this issue convinced her parents to allow her to go for work.
The aggrieved parents thought over it again and again and finally they allowed her to go for work as a domestic servant as they didn’t want to hurt Christina. Some of their friends who were staying in Mumbai found her a job and arranged everything for her. The parents were deeply hurt by their daughter’s decision as they loved her a lot and were not prepared to stay away from her. Finally, everything was arranged and both parents went to leave their daughter to Mumbai. They reached Mumbai and saw their daughter's working place. They liked the people over there and decided to leave Christina under their care and came back.
Deena and Simon were upset without their daughter. This daughter who had given so much of happiness was not with them. They felt very sad about it. After a few days they somehow came out of this sorrow and life became normal again. They did not curse God for this but accepted it.
Christina used to call them every week and they were happy to know that she was happy over there. Every month she would send some money and everything was running smoothly.
After a few months or so Christina stopped calling them and they became very distressed. So many awful thoughts came to their mind and they were very much apprehensive about her. They called her employer in Mumbai where she was working. But to their surprise they did not find their daughter there. The employer said that she was not staying there anymore. She had left the house and ran away. Simon was angry at them for not informing him. Deena and Simon were shocked to hear this news about their daughter. They did not know what to do. They tried calling their relatives and friends over there to find her whereabouts, but all in vain.
Days passed and months passed but still there was no information regarding their child. They became restless. But they did not lose hope and prayed to God for their daughter’s safety. After a few months they received a call from their daughter and were overjoyed to hear her voice. They felt relieved that their daughter was fine and safe. She spoke to them for an hour and begged pardon for not informing them about her. When time came for her to say goodbye Christina said, "I have found my life partner and I want to get married to him." The news left them speechless. They had not expected this from her. They were shaken by her daughter’s decision. They tried to make her understand and told her to come home. But Christina did not listen and said, "I don’t want to come home and disconnected the line."
Deena and Simon who had great hopes on their daughter were very sad. They had loved her so much and had always tried their best to give whatever she desired. However, they still had hopes that she would come back to them one day. They tried to call her and bring her back but she did not respond. They had never expected this from their loving daughter.
Days passed and they came out of this tragedy and lived their life as usual. Even after such a tragedy they had deep faith in God and believed that He would never abandon them.
One day Deena suddenly fainted when she was at work. Her husband got worried and took her to hospital. She was examined, and the doctor said that Deena was pregnant. Both were dumbfounded to hear this as they had waited for this news for the last so many years. They could not believe their ears. They praised the Lord for this gift and thanked Him for this wonderful news and were very happy. They went home with sweets and conveyed the good news to their friends and relatives. After so many years she had become pregnant and their life had an interesting twist now. They felt that their life had just started. They had not even dreamt about it. Simon took great care of his wife and gave her good rest. She gave up her work and took full bed rest as per doctor's advice. And soon Deena gave birth to a baby girl and they were very happy about it. Their adopted daughter had left them but God had given back their daughter through this child.
After one-and-a -half years Deena was blessed with a baby boy. Now it was a two-fold happiness for them. Deena and Simon could not believe their good fortune. It was a miracle. They had beautiful and loving children with whom they lived happily.
Life can turn any time. That’s why we should never lose hope. Struggles, troubles come in our life not to weaken us but to teach us to be strong. Accept whatever comes, because God has different plans for each one of us. Difficulties come and go but we should try to face them and overcome them. Most importantly, we should never give up. Life can change anytime, anywhere and at any moment.
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