Pearls of Wisdom

The hospital I worked in during my stay in Swaziland sits atop the beautiful and very steep Lebombo Mountains. In this part of the world people often have to walk 40 kilometers or more in order to see a doctor.

As you can imagine there are many people in the community who are simply too sick or too poor to get to a hospital. This is where home-based care comes in. The home-based care team consists of several nurses who jump into a small truck/van every morning and travel out to the community to tend to the health needs of the truly destitute.

Before I went out with the team I used to buy potatoes and carrots and apples to give to the people we met - because health care in Africa is often just as much about the provision of food as it is about medicine. I would always make sure I also bought a bag of sweets to give to the beautiful children we would meet out in the community. I have learned that sweets are one of the great unifiers in the human world - we might look different and speak different languages - but most of us - especially the young ones - love sweets!

One day we stopped at one of the 15,000 orphan-led households in Swaziland. Inside the hut we found a beautiful little girl with huge brown eyes. Her name was Tanzile. I gave her a sweet from my bag and she said something back to me in Si-swati, the native language, which the nurse next to me translated:

“She wants another one doctor - to give to her little sister.”

I said “of course” and gave her another. After we had tended to a man with tuberculosis a bit further down the road, we passed by Tanzile’s house to say goodbye. To our surprise she seemed to be holding on to that extra sweet I had given her.

I remember saying to the nurse “this little darling is clever - she has taken two for herself. If I was her I’d probably have asked for the whole bag!” But after the nurse had asked her some more questions this is what we learned:

Tanzile is 7 now. Two years ago when she was five her mum and dad both died of HIV/AIDS like so many have in this country. At the time of her parents tragic death, she was separated from her baby sister who was three at the time. Tanzile has not laid eyes on her since. But ever since that time, whenever Tanzile receives anything from anyone, including food, - she refuses to accept it, unless they give her two. Two carrots, two toys, two sweets - one for her and one for her baby sister (who in all likelihood didn’t survive.)

In fact, in the little mud hut where she lives, we found a pile of old things which she has been collecting to give to her sister one day.

My friends, people sometimes look at faces of African children or kids in the developing world and think that they are somehow different than our kids - that somehow they don’t feel pain or sadness or love. But that is not true. Their pain is deep. And so is their love.

I can still remember the nurse trying to convince her that “if someone gives you food Tanzile, you must accept it - even if it is only one piece and not two - for your own health and safety.” And it was so hard for us to keep the tears from our eyes as she shook her head defiantly. Her hope and her love was all that she had. It mattered more than anything else.

When I returned home that day, I was shocked to find that this was not an isolated story but others in the hospital knew of orphans just like Tanzile - waiting with a little pile of things in their hut, for their sibling or their parent who they haven’t seen in so long.

I think of that old saying - “when we’re hungry, love will keep us alive.” I pray that for Tanzile’s sake and the other beautiful children like her that it will.

Written by Maithri

OUR ORPHANS –….OUR RESPOSIBILITY

“And they feed, for the love of Allah, the poor, the orphan, and the captive…” [Soorah al-Insaan, 8]

Muslims are commanded to behave with courtesy and politeness towards one and all. Kindness to orphans is associated with other segments of society as well,such as parents, relations , needy, neighbours, travellers and others.

Allah Ta’ala says: ” And worship Allah, and do not join aught with Him: and to parents show kindness and also to kinsmen and orphans and the needy and the near neighbour and the distant neighbour and the companion by your side and the wayfarer and those whom your right hand possesses. Surely Allah does not love the vainglorious and boastful.” (Qur’an 4: 36)

Muslims are also urged to treat the orphans with kindness and not harshness.
Allah Ta’ala says: ” Therefore, treat not the orphans with harshness.” (Qur’an 93: 9)

Best Home
Abu Hurairah(R.A.) reported that the Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: ” The Best home of Muslims is one wherein there is an orphan who is treated well; and the worst home of Muslims is one wherein there is an orphan who is treated badly.” (Ibn Majah)

Cure for Hard Heartedness
Abu Hurairah(R.A.) reported that , a man once came to the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, and complained that he feels hardness in his heart. The Messenger of Allah said, what translated means, “Would you like that your heart becomes soft and that you acquire what you need ? Be merciful with the orphan, pat his head and feed him from what you eat. This will soften your heart.” ( Ahmad)

Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’an: ” They ask you as to how they will spend. Say whatever you spend of wealth, let it be for parents and kindred and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, and whatever good you do, surely Allah is the Knower thereof.” ( Qur’an 2: 215)

MAY OUR HEARTS BE SOFTENED.
MAY WE RESPOND TO THE CRY AND NEED OF THE ORPHANS.
Contact ANY one of the relief organizations that are doing SELFLESS work to help ease any suffering of our orphans.
AND SPONSOR AN ORPHAN TODAY!!

Courtesy: AL-ISLAAH PUBLICATIONS
http://members.tripod.com/worldupdates/contentstable/