A day with Manual

It was 10 o’clock in the morning and they were yet to find the second candidate. Manual decided to repose for a while. He remembered that in the last twelve hours they could find only one person and found it difficult to retain his optimism.

“Men have become lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, seducers, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. They deny the power of God despite having a form of Godliness and are led away with diverse lusts. They learn for ever, but never come closer to the knowledge of the truth. What more can be expected from these sinners?” Manual said in a sad voice.

“Did you say something?” asked Litha as she couldn’t hear him clearly.

“I was talking about what I’ve seen.” answered Manual. “I can see only people who distrust and hate each other. None is faithful. The officials take bribery from people whom they are supposed to serve. It’s more easy for a crow to fly on its back than a poor man’s file to move from their tables. Trees are felled, thus robbing the future generations. Birds, fishes and animals become extinct. Man, who is appointed Master to all, exploit everything. People starve to death though there is enough food to satiate all. Little children are abused sexually. Families commit suicide. All this I’ve seen.  But not justice, compassion and love, not even for name sake. What is the manner of their life and what’s the purpose? Where is faith, charity and patience?” He paused for a moment and enquired Litha about her age. Thirteen, she answered.

“How did you survive so long in this jungle! The wild beasts are much better. They’ve at least the natural laws abiding them, they kill only for their daily food.”

“We’ve found only one person till now.” Litha reminded him in a low voice.

“What can I do?  There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understand, there is none that seek after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, there is none that does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways.  And the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. That what is written in the scripture is true even today.”

He was lost in thought for sometime.  Then he said, “We won’t reach anywhere if we look only for lambs without blemishes. For the time being let’s not hear the wailings of their sins. Let their good deeds shout for them and the evils remain silent.”

Litha agreed that it was a good move.  Because who would be there who wouldn’t have done at least a single good deed in his life. They restarted their journey recharged with vigor.

Before long Manual led her to a thatched hut. The roof wasn’t repaired of late and small holes that let in sunlight were plentiful. The life would be wet in rainy season, that was apparent. It had two rooms – one, a bedroom with nothing more that three reed mats. A woman, about thirty, wearing a lungi and blouse was seen sleeping on a  mat. She looked tired from carrying the burden of life.

Litha looked around wondering on the kind of place Manual had taken her to. She saw a calendar, colors faded with age, on the wall. It moved to and fro when the wind blew inside through the open door as if to say that it was not responsible for the misery in that house.

“This is a rotten place. See, that woman is still sleeping. Who are we going to find here?” Litha expressed her disapproval at his selection.

Manual, without bothering to answer, took her to the adjacent room, which was used as kitchen. He pointed at a girl, aged around ten, and a boy, slightly younger, sitting on the floor and asked her to watch them closely.

That girl got up and went to the bedroom and returned. Then she went to the corner of that room and urinated without any hesitation.

“Aiye! Bad girl,” said the boy and examined a pot to see if he could find something to eat.

He found it empty and moved to the next one. “Amma asleep, she scold me if I call her.  So I su-su-ed.”  She justified her action and sat near him and started playing with the tip of her skirt .

The boy, now unable to withstand hunger, found something from beneath the vessels, hid it in his hands and asked her if she needed it. He started eating when she shook her head to say no. “A cockroach!”  Litha screamed in horror. “See, he is eating a cockroach. What rubbish! Are they mad?”

“Mentally challenged,” answered Manual unconcerned.  “The blessing of Spirit that most men got is denied to them. One can’t have anything as his own unless given from heaven.”  He paused and then started again. “These poor in spirit don’t understand anything other than hunger. They’ll laugh when they are loved and cry, when scolded.  That is their life.”

“They would abstain from such dirty things if they are punished severely.”  Her face contorted with hatred and contempt.

“You can punish them, even kill them.  Still they won’t get the knowledge of good and evil. I’m reminded of Adam and Eve before they ate the forbidden fruit. They were innocent and unaware of their nakedness. They were satisfied with what they had. The ones with developed brains complain about anything and everything. They murmur against the God and curse him for their troubles. If any delay occurs in achieving their ambitions and fulfilling their wishes, they forget the blessings bestowed upon them and lament about that which is denied to them. These ones don’t even complain for denying them intelligence. They don’t even know what mental development is, that much helpless they are.”

“Still…..” she stopped as she didn’t know what more to add.

“Don’t you feel like praising the glory of the Almighty when you see them? The one with eyes doesn’t realise the value of sight. Who other than an asthmatic will praise the Lord for breathing freely?”

“Sorry,  I didn’t mean it”. She was apologetic and asked for forgiveness.

“Why is that woman sleeping now?  Is she so lazy?” She asked after a while.

“Because she was busy at night. She is a night bird.”

“A night bird!”

“A harlot.”  Manual was aloof.

“Will we select a harlot? Will we glorify a sinner?“ Her voice raised unconsciously.

“She is also a child of God, though her life is in the gutter now. Why do you want to draw the Lord’s wrath by pointing your finger at her? Beware of yourself, because the one to judge you is mightier than you . If you judge mercilessly you will be judged mercilessly.“

She felt uneasy at his chiding and remained silent.

“Come with me.“ Said Manual. ”She is sleeping and we’ll talk with her .Then you‘ll understand why I am selecting her.“

He went near the sleeping women and said , “Arise woman, for we want to talk with you.”  Her spirit started responding though the body was asleep.

“Be of good cheer, for we have come to do you good.”  Manual comforted when he found her scared. “Woman, this girl wants to know whether what you do is right?  What do you have to tell her?” He asked.

“It’s wrong, I say,” said that woman. “But we are poor. When you are hungry, you can’t think about right or wrong.”

“How will you justify yourself before God?” Manual asked in a serious tone.

“We are poor. But should we starve?  I will pray to forgive mine sins. But I won’t forgive myself if mine children are hungry.”  A drop of tear fell from her eyes.

“Can’t you find an honorable job?”  Litha asked wryly.

“Yes, yes, even M.As and B.As are fighting for jobs. And you telling me to fight them. Oh my! I tried once for job and became like this. My man left me a zero child and died. What can I do?”

“Is that second child not yours?” Litha asked.

“Me found him on road. His head is nothing, you know.  His appa, amma all thought him useless. So I took him here.  My girl and he are friends.”

Manual saw pain in her eyes and enquired about it. He got the reply after a long moment. “I am happy to look after mine children. But don’t know how long. A growth is there in mine stomach. Sometimes the pain is so much I can’t even breath. I am worried very much.”

“Woman, do you want to be cured?” Manual asked. Her eyes gleamed with hope. She would be saved if the one standing before her had the power to cure diseases. If only that excruciating pain in her stomach was eased!

“Yes, Yes, I want to be cured.” She expressed her desire in a firm voice. Her longing to embrace life was evident in her voice.

“Pray with firm conviction to the Lord God. You will witness his glory.”  He said placing his hand on her.

“Will me be cured?”  She asked hopefully.

“Don’t sin again, then you will live. Your name will be added to the book of life.”  He said and took a step backward. Suddenly that woman woke up.

“I had a dream that I will live. My God, have mercy on me.” She arose and went to the kitchen and embraced her children and kissed them. Her daughter found tears running down her cheeks and asked why she was crying.

“I saw a good dream today. I don’t remember it but know that was a good one.”  She embraced them again and wept.

“How happy she would have been if she knew that we’ve selected her name also!”  Litha who was watching that woman, said.

“So much suffering!  Yet not a murmur against God! Satisfied with what is given. Possesses faith and compassion. Whom will we select if we don’t select her?” Manual added the name Vimala to the list.

She had adopted a second retarded child when she already had one and was judged a stupid woman who didn’t know how to live by those around her. Now she was the one selected by the angel, whom he found fit to stand proudly before the Creator. The judgement of the children of light would differ from that of man.

“Why didn’t you cure those children?” Litha asked Manual when they came out.

“I am not the Xavier, that’s why.”

“Then how did you comfort that woman to be cured?”

“She would be cured, that’s why. One receives spirit from the Lord God to take birth in this world. It has enough strength to sustain life, but not enough to cure diseases. When you pray with firm belief and conviction the spirit is strengthened and the diseases are cured. One can achieve through faith and prayer what the Christ achieved by his touch and Jehovah, his vision. If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

“Can I ask you one more question?”  asked Litha. “How did you know that we could find one fit to be selected there?”

“Faith, prayer and fasting, that’s how.”  said Manual and she was satisfied. A spirit proceeding from the God ought to have unwavering faith.  She had seen him praying and for fasting, they hadn’t have any food since they started. So God would have helped Manual to spot that woman because of his faith, prayer and fasting.

Manual looked at her and thought, did I mention that it was that woman’s faith, prayer and fasting that helped me find her? She was not a moron to think that those retarded children have faith and prayers, was she? He said to himself.

Any way they had succeeded in finding the second person. Can the city that is set on a hill be hidden? Doesn’t the candle on the candlestick shed light unto all that are in this house?  A woman like her who sheds light among mankind by her good deeds can’t remain hidden.