Chapter 6

The born again damsel

Jesus was lost at the age of 12 while worshipping in the Temple of Jerusalem. His parents went in search of him and found him in the Temple courts sitting with the scholars discussing and asking questions from the Laws.

His mother asked him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."

"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"

Jesus answered them like this. (New Testament - Luke chapter 2)

Aleyamma, the daughter of Kunjukunju Muthalali also was born again at the age of twelve. She decided to dedicate her life to God as she had a calling - renouncing family life and leading a life of endurance, sacrifice and service. So she chose the profession of nursing as the best way to accomplish her ambition.

She had forsaken all her gold ornaments, wore simple dress and wanted to be a servant of God through social service and service of the sick. She never hurt anybody and a heavenly calm pervaded on her face.

Baby opened her heart when she came for the surgery of her younger sister to the hospital at Sasthamangalam in Trivandrum. I was in total confusion when I came to know of her decisions. But my mind was still clinging to my dreams. Though I had great appreciation for her bold decisions, I was not in a position to get away from her. Like a shadow I was following her. As a trusted friend, I too enjoyed the freedom of her company.

We shared the food from her home and from the canteen when we were in the hospital. It was, no doubt, a thrilling experience. As they were new to the city, my help was indispensible for them. Thus I became an unavoidable guest to them.

The surgery was quite successful. When they were returning home, Baby said: "My leave is almost over and I shall return soon."

My mind also was a vacuum like an empty cage without a bird. The rains in the desert and the greenary in the oasis all disappeared. Like the tender grass in the hot sun, my body and mind also started fainting. The orphaned cage longed for the bird which had flown away to a distant land.

I had become lonely once again when Baby left for her job.

Baby had told me in the train that she had arranged a job in an American hospital. I felt it as a bridge for me to enter the land of America which I was nursing as a distant dream.

It was the English films which paved the way for my American dreams. I was regularly watching almost all movies in the Sreekumar theatre. Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Guns of Navarone and the James Bond movies had great influence on me. Thus America had become my dreamland. I was prepared to take any risk to reach that place. Was it God, who had perfect knowledge of my dreams, who sent this girl to me? I could think only so.