A Life worth Giving: Story of Rani
“Man puts an end to darkness and searches out to the farthest limit the ore in gloom and deep darkness.”Job 28:3
Nothing makes more non-sense than sin. It is THE illogical thing. Well, do I know that? I am pretty sure about it. Yet my LIFE has not accepted this simple truth. The foolishness that I am drenched in, pleads my LIFE to sin and again sin. Somehow, I become so oblivious to the call of wisdom. The great Solomon witnessed Wisdom creating a boisterous spectacle from the market place! Wisdom chooses Public places to display herself. It is here we have to accept her. She stands at the Gate, so that not one person misses her tremor and panic. Twice everyone hears: both in and out. Come and go; and you will never miss her. Yet the wily mankind never reckons; never the sinister sons listen!
How so? Wonders Job. Men tear out stones from the earthly fabric, and expose them in plain light. Men bring light to that which is in darkness. How, Oh man! Did you miss God? How could you not see the source of Wisdom? Like a hunter, we trap knowledge and make them our own. But wisdom, we have ignored! If only we could see that wisdom is more valuable than knowledge; if we could see that common sense is much worth than qualification; If we knew that goodness is better than self;
If we could see that LIFE is worth giving away; and NOTHING is worth keeping!
Rani hugged one of our Bhamini Volunteers. She was crying vehemently. There were a thousand expressions in her tears. They were not just a display of sentimentality. She was true to herself. It was as if she finally saw wisdom and glad that she could at last make a definite choice. She was grateful. This is one of the moments we wait for: some good choices and gladness that springs out from it.
Some time back Rani found herself pregnant again. Until now, she had never had anyone to look to for advice. But this time, she made a difference in her choice. She decided to ask for help. She was not sure whether to abort the baby. Rani already had three children. However the first child was not born to her. When Rani was a pretty girl, in her early teenage, her elder sister who was just a few years older to her, was married to a young man. He was from the locality. But there was darkness lurking in the corner. A time later, Rani came to visit her sister. It was then that her brother-in-law told her that there was some mistake. He claimed that he was supposed to get married to Rani! He was being tricked into the marriage, and that all the while he wanted to get married to Rani! Rani was confused. She was too young to understand. A few months later, news came to the fore that Rani’s sister was pregnant. In her young age, she was quite incapable to understand what was going on. Rani could not discern what was right and what was wrong. Rani says that she was in some kind of delusion. Her sister was now forcing her to get married to her husband, and asking her to give in to the advances of her husband. Rani’s sister gave birth to a baby boy. After the birth of the boy, Rani’s sister proposed to make a ‘deal’, with her husband. She said that if he wants to get married to her sister, then she should be married to his younger brother! The younger brother was only happy to accept the proposal. Rani thought about it. She reasoned: after all, everyone was happy! Yet in the depth of her consciousness, she felt that there was something wrong. Something was not right.
Then something happened: one fine morning, when she woke up, she found herself in a wedding sari and her brother-in-law in bed with her. She could not remember anything. She had some faint memory of a marriage function. She knew it had all happened. She was married to her brother-in-law! She was mother to a new-born baby boy. She looked at the little baby and knew she had to love him. Rani brought up the boy as her own son. She then had two more children by her husband. Rani’s life went on as usual. There was nothing much to hope for, until she met some wonderful women. But it seems that Rani has finally met wisdom. The Bhamini volunteers say that she is a quick learner. She wears her Salwar, and is one of the boldest among the women in that Slum. In all that, wisdom reigns high.
Rani went through a miscarriage. One of her children fell from the bed onto Rani,who was lying on the floor next to the bed. She started bleeding. She called Bhamini and we rushed to help her. Unfortunately, we could not do much. Rani lost her baby. She was sad. But, she has overcome the sadness and lives a much happier and purposeful life! Ah! What wisdom could do to transform life! The best part of her present life is that she does not regret her past. She now knows that it was a phase that had passed away. Wisdom made a difference in the life of her husband as well. Rani says that her husband is a good man, who loves her. He supports her in the family and takes care of her and the children. The difference JanPragati makes in the lives of people is immense. Just like Jesus who would go further to make a difference in individuals, so do we. Our gratitude to you for helping us and supporting us.