Early
this year, Tashi Choezom accompanied one of her school colleagues to Chuzargang,
about two km away from her school, as she desperately needed a babysitter to
look after her kid. The day has turned beastly hot. After applying sun block
cream, they walked down the rice fields fighting against strong sun, leeches, insects,
mud and sweating all along the rough road.
“People
of Chuzargang are mostly poor,” said Tashi adding, “They solely depend on rice
and maize which often being rampaged by wild jumbos and boars before each
harvest.” She also discovered that shortage of drinking water is another major
problem in the village. “I was shocked to find out that only elderly people live
in the village. All young people have left for Thimphu and Phuentsholing,” she
told me.
At
the end of the day, they reached one bago,
a hut roofed with banana leaves, walled with flattened bamboo which looks like
crumbling down at any moment. A nervy-looking couple, seemingly drunk, marched
out of the hut after they saw people outside. The world’s poverty was inscribed
on their faces. There’s nothing inside the hut, just a frayed rug, a few kilos
of kharang, a pair of mattresses, and
a kerosene lamp.
When
Tashi inquired about the babysitter, the couple (originally from Zhemgang who resettled
in Chuzargang) instantly dragged out two kids from their hut. They’re twins,
just seven-year olds. Apparently, Nima and Dawa looked unkempt, starkly hungry.
Tashi and her colleague were stabbed at seeing this. They couldn’t imagine
employing one kid of lesser fortune to babysit for another of greater fortune.
It’s
even more shocking to Tashi on what this man had to plead them, “I don’t want
any wages of my kids. Lopoen, jus take them away with you. Do whatever you want
to do to them. I cannot raise them. We don’t have foods. We don’t have money.
Look, we live in a wretched condition. I don’t want these two kids of mine
suffer with me without food, without cloth, without education. Just take them
away!”
To
Tashi, it seemed like she had just stepped into a poverty-stricken state. She
never knew that people in our country are so poor. She discovered that these
people live unconnected and miserable in a perpetual expectation of external
interventions/aids because their situation has become intolerable and out of
their power. So, they came to this sad conclusion of surrendering their own
children.
Tashi
gave another curious look at the young twins, this time rather empathetically.
She discerned that the twins were malnourished, without basic necessities of
life and everything about their life was a struggle. And unhesitatingly, she
took an audacious decision to adopt the twins. That evening, Tashi bathed them,
and offered good foods. It’s perhaps the first time in their entire life
they’re filled with good foods, clothes and sleep.
One
weekend, Tashi took them to Gelephu town, bought them clothes, school uniforms
and done nice haircut. Then, she talked to the school principal and enrolled
both of them at Norbuling MSS in class PP.
Initially,
she had difficult times as the twins have experienced behavioral and emotional
problems and slight personality disorder due to lack of love and care from
their biological parents. However, Tashi’s unwavering parental care and support
enriched their life.
Pic: A new family (From the left: Tashi, Phub Zangmo and the twins)
Nima and Dawa’s arrival was boon in disguise for Tashi. The twins created a family in her house. Earlier, she was mostly alone, understandably reckless and lazy. Now her lifestyle is changed completely. She wakes up early to wash and cook for her kids and helps on their home works besides doing shopping for them. Above all, Tashi loves all this!
Nima and Dawa’s arrival was boon in disguise for Tashi. The twins created a family in her house. Earlier, she was mostly alone, understandably reckless and lazy. Now her lifestyle is changed completely. She wakes up early to wash and cook for her kids and helps on their home works besides doing shopping for them. Above all, Tashi loves all this!
Today,
Nima and Dawa have grown up strong, beautiful, smart, and well-disciplined. Their
favorite leisure time is watching TV besides reading. When asked whether they
miss their parents, they replied me, “No!” Surprisingly, both wanted to become teacher
because they think that teachers are happy, rich and kind-hearted people.However,
the twins are in a dilemmatic situation. They’re not yet registered in the general
census. But Tashi is trying all in her power to register their census as soon
as possible. Meanwhile, Phub Zangmo, another teacher of Norbuling MSS is
bearing the expenses of one of the twins.
Next
week, Nima and Dawa will be sitting their life’s first exams. Let’s wish them a
very best of luck!
It sounds like a fairy tale.........and Ya Rikku show us a good picture of Nima and Dawa ( if u have).....
ReplyDeleteI think your friend has done a marvelous job by lifting those beautiful kids from the mud of poverty........Kudos for them too.....
all the very best for your exam Nima and Dawa hope u be victory of all exam on ur way...
ReplyDeletegod bless you tashi in every step you take and all the very best to your kids in the exam.
ReplyDeleteGenerosity is something which is born from the pure heart and i could see it in Madam Tashi. May God help her doing all the best she can for the destitute ones, and I here by express my good wishes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this wonderful story, Rikku sir. :)