OM Shanthi OM

It was a hot summer’s day, in a little village next to Chennai, Shanthi had just come home from work where she worked as a maid, to her little hut, to cook dinner for her two children. They were coming home from their village school. She cooked tomato rice and potato palya. She waited anxiously for Ravi who was 13 years old and Radha who was 10 years old.

Shanthi’s husband Vishwas had died of liver failure, and had left her with his debts. Shanthi had married Vishwas when she was just 18 years old and soon within a year Ravi was born and three years later little Radha was born. Vishwas used to drink a lot and got into debt because of his alcohol addiction, when Radha was a year old he died of liver failure leaving Shanthi with his debts.

Shanthi was a very religious person, her home had a Puja room and the God’s and Goddesses pictures were everywhere. Next to their pictures was a picture of Jesus, whom she worshipped as well as she lit her incense sticks in prayer.

The children came home from school, and enjoyed their tomato rice and potato palya. Shanthi only had a small portion so that Ravi could have two helpings of Rice. Watching her children grow was what kept her going. She was slowly paying Vishwas’s debt every month. So she had very little money left every month.So she did not buy anything for her self. All the money went on debt and food.

Ravi was telling her how he wanted his own computer one day so that he could do his studies, but the computer was only a dream out of reach. Life was hard for Shanthi. She knew she had to live for Ravi and Radha and she hoped that they would have a good life unlike her own.

One hot dusty afternoon hungry and tired Shanthi went to work as usual, to the houses she worked as a maid, her debts were worrying her and as she walked she slipped and her only pair of slippers broke and she did not have any money to fix it. She could feel the gravel, stones and sand on her feet as she walked.

Unable to take it anymore, she sat on the side of the road and wept, people were walking all around her. No one cared. Then yes THEN, she felt a strong arm on her shoulder and someone with a deep comforting voice, gave her a white handkerchief and he asked her, Why are you crying my child? Shanthi with dust and tears around her eyes, all she could mumble was slippers broken.

Then she looked at him. He was in his 40’s with kind brown eyes, strong shoulders and full of love and kindness. Shanthi felt so overwhelmed , she put her head on his shoulders and wept as he patted her head all of the suffering she was going through caused her to weep and when she had wept, he was still there patting her head and said ” It will be alright” she mumbled saying thank you and did not want to go from his firm hug.She felt at peace, she felt loved, she felt valued, she felt heard. She looked at him and asked ” Sir what is your name?” He smiled with a twinkle in his eye he said “Yesu” She said Sir please come to my house, I want to cook some food for you. So she took Yesu home to her little hut.As she was cooking she told Yesu about Vishwas and the debts he had left her with. Just then Ravi and Radha came home from school. Ravi and Radha showed Yesu their books and test results. Yesu encouraged Ravi and Radha to study well, and spoke to them. It was then dinner time.Shanthi cooked Chapathi and potato palya. Yesu enjoyed the food, and encouraged the children to study well.

Once the children had gone to bed. Yesu said he had to go, but before he went he gave Shanthi a hug and an envelope , He told her to open it once he went out. So Shanthi grateful for the hug from Yesu, had no idea what was in the envelope . After about an hour later she opened the envelope and in it was a lot of money. So that she could pay off her debts, live a comfortable life and put her children through college. And buy Ravi the computer he wanted.

She was so grateful with tears streaming down her face, she ran out but Yesu was not there. She went into the Puja room to thank the Gods,As she looked at the picture of Jesus, it had changed. The picture of Jesus was now the picture of Yesu. Yes Yesu who was there for her when she needed Him the most. She held the picture and wept. Jesus was Yesu, she spoke to Yesu everyday lit incense and worshipped Him.

Then Ravi graduated from college and became a computer engineer. Radha became a doctor . Both the children never forgot Yesu. It was time for Ravi to get married and Shanthi insisted he marry a christian girl. So Ravi married Mary a good Christian girl and had three children 2 daughters and 1 son. Radha married David a boy she met at medical college and got 2 sons.

As her grandchildren grew older Shanthi started getting sick with heart trouble.Now she was 78 in a beautiful hospital where Radha worked as a doctor. One night she became very sick as she was about to close her eyes she saw someone walk towards her, a man in his 40’s with kind eyes and strong shoulders, he gave her a white handkerchief , she looked at him folded her shaking hands and said “Yesu” Yesu held her hand and said Shanthi I waited for you, come home with me. So she held his hand and breathed her last breath and Shanthi and Yesu walked out of the hospital together.

The next morning Radha saw that her mother had died in her sleep, and in her hand was a white Handkerchief. Om Shanthi Om