Posted to Sister Zeph’s Journal
By Sister Zeph
On 11 March, 2014
Maira is a ten-year-old girl who has never shown much interest in her studies. I’ve tried every approach I could think of to spark her enthusiasm for learning, but I have not been successful. I know that I bear some responsibility for this. When I look into her eyes, there’s a profound depth, as if she wants to communicate something. Her smile is captivating, and when I offer her food, she responds with a smile and eagerly consumes it. She appears frail and thin, but this is a common condition among my students as they all come from impoverished backgrounds.
Today, after an extended absence, Maira returned to class. I inquired about the reason for her absence, but she remained silent, gazing at me. Another child then informed me that Maira had a large knife in her school bag. When I questioned her, she explained that she had placed the knife in her bag in a hurry after using it to cut vegetables. I refrained from scolding her but rather took the opportunity to help her and the other children understand the potential dangers of carrying such items. I discreetly asked the senior girls to keep a watchful eye on their peers and to alert me if a similar situation arose again.
However, my concern for Maira led me to observe her closely. I wanted to understand why she had brought the knife to school. After some time, when she believed our attention was elsewhere, she retreated to a corner, retrieved the knife from her bag, and began to cut a turnip into pieces before eating it. I approached her and asked where she had obtained the turnip. She admitted, “I was cutting vegetables at my neighbor’s house, and I was very hungry, so I just took it from there.”
I was at a loss for words because I couldn’t comprehend who was at fault here. Was it our society, which has created circumstances where children feel compelled to steal food for themselves? Or were the parents to blame, who, by their own choices, bring numerous children into the world and then attribute it to divine will, all while failing to provide them with adequate food, education, and healthcare?
It’s a heartbreaking situation that highlights the complex issues faced by children like Maira in our society.