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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Writing (01/11/07)
“Selva, drink this”, said the old lady, as she used the end of her soft white cotton sari to wipe his forehead. The young boy of seven took the tender coconut that was offered to him and gulped down the semi-sweet coconut juice. He then carried the wood into their dimly lit mud hut. The evening sun was going down and he waited in anticipation, leaning against their hut, to once again hear the familiar laughter that filled the air each evening when the nearby missionary school closed for the day.

Selva jumped from his reverie when he heard someone speak to him. “Hello there, when will I see you in my classroom?” asked the tall and gentle eyed English missionary school teacher. Selva turned pale and blushed unable to answer the man. To his surprise his grandmother suddenly stood beside him and told the school teacher that her grandson would go to school tomorrow. Selva, wondered if the teacher understood what his grandmother said in Tamil. As the missionary walked away, Selva feebly called after him, “Selva es-school”.

Selva never regretted that decision. His apprehension of school soon disappeared. He began to learn his alphabets and numbers and spent all his free time learning. His parents were too poor to look after all their children. Many days the family would survive on only one meal. His kind hearted grandmother rescued him from his miserable life and brought him home to her. In thankfulness he was determined to make the old woman proud of him. “One day I will build a big house and will have servants of my own to look after you grandmother”, boasted Selva. “Of course, you will my son”, replied his grandmother. “I am going to become an Assistant Sales Tax Commissioner, just like the Sahib in the big house”, said Selva. “I believe you my son”, said his grandmother. “That’s what I pray for every morning to our household gods”, said his grandmother.

“Grandmother, yesterday the foreigner teacher told us about his God, he is more beautiful than our household gods, and he looks kind and gentle”, said Selva. “My son, you are wiser than me, I am just an old illiterate woman, you pray to any god who will bring us out of this misery”, muttered the old woman as she curled up on the mud floor and fell asleep even before Selva could think of an answer. Selva pulled the oil lamp closer to him and continued to revise his lessons.

**********

“Selva, what is the matter my son”, asked his grandmother. “You don’t seem your self today”, said his grandmother. “I have done poorly in one subject grandma, I have scored only 29 marks out of 100”, said Selva with tears running down his cheeks. “Focus on your dream Selva, you are going to be an Assistant Commissioner, don’t give up yet”, smiled his grandmother. Selva wiped his eyes with his sleeves and took out his white chalk piece. He then dipped his chalk in water and then wrote in large letters on the mud wall of their tiny hut 92, which is the opposite of 29. That night he pulled out a compact; blue leather bound book that his teacher had given him that day. He carried it to the only burning street light on their village road and sat down under it and open the bible to Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.” [KJV]

He closed the bible and opened his books to revise his lessons. That night he held the oil lamp against the wall and rehearsed the number written on the wall. “I am going to turn my 29 into a 92 with your help my Lord Jesus. Thank you for hearing the prayers of Selva, Living God of my foreigner teacher”, whispered Selva, before blowing out the light.

**********

“Grandmother, look at my results, I have won a scholarship of 30 Rupees each month to continue my studies”, exclaimed Selva. “My teacher’s God, does answer prayers, now you don’t have to worry about my books, my slippers, my uniform or our provisions. We are a lot closer to our dream of the big house grandmother”, chuckled Selva, as he bent down to touch the feet of his grandmother in respect.
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This article has been read 893 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Jan Ackerson
01/19/07
This is a very inspirational story, and a welcome glimpse into another culture.

There are some comma problems here--some unnecessary ones, and some needed ones that are missing.

I enjoyed reading the passage of time through Selva's life.
Donna Powers
01/20/07
This was a wonderful story and I was so glad "meet" Selva and his beloved Grandmother. I great ending and a charming tale. Good work.
Myrna Noyes
01/25/07
I very much enjoyed reading your interesting and heart-warming story! You did a good job of portraying the characters of both the grandmother and Selva. I loved his plucky desire to turn the 29 into a 92! Thank you for sharing this!