talent, hope

in a class in a small village.

rickety tables. even more rickety  chairs. there are no white, green or black boards. but the 15 or so students are eager, enthusiastic and very polite. fresh young faces are upturned and tuned in to her every word. they range from 7 years to sixteen.

they are enraptured and captivated by knowledge. which is the best of all.

they are the sons and daughters of fishermen, lorry drivers, labourers. their mothers are either housewives or work tirelessly in some factories for the extra dime.

but these boys and girls are the promises of greater things to come for these families.

she is blessed to know them. and to offer a little guidance. to show them the road to a whole new world. where they will find material and spiritual success. and the most important factor - to utilise these successes for the benefit of all, their religion, Islam, themselves, their families, their community, their country. the world. mankind.

she teaches them new languages. english. a smattering of french. german. russian. mandarin. she tells them about the solar system, the universe. she takes them on imaginary journeys around the country, the world, even to far away galaxies. she tells them about black holes in outer space, time warp, solar flares, asteroids. she makes them quick in arithmetic. she makes them think fast. she instructs them in drawing. she explains patiently about the ecology, the environment, about why they have to be intelligent people. and have big ambitions. and be an all rounder too. 

and to hunger for more knowledge. to read. read. and read.

now those boys and girls know that the capital of Iceland is Reykjavik, that Washington's DC stands for District of Columbia, that the Great Wall of China can be seen from the moon, that Pluto is no longer considered a full fledged planet, that Uranus is a "new" planet.....

she even touches on personal grooming and style, color coordination in dressing, why it is important to have good public speaking ability ....

and when they grow up they have to be good Islamic engineers, doctors, architects, CEOs, businesspersons....etc. and most of all to be kind. to be good people. there is so much joy in kindness. in doing good.

she makes learning fun, even a game. she loves to see the boys and girls laugh and smile in her class. always asking for extra time after lessons. 

some cool mornings she takes them on a ramble around the village. showing them the tiny wild flowers on the paths most people would miss. the lovely purple rhododendrons. the eagles soaring the heavens. the pure white herons in green green padi fields. the distant mountain ranges turning blue-green. the cloud formations. the azure tropical sky. nature at its best.

knowing all of you children is so beautiful.

thank you boys and girls for showing that beauty lies in the most unexpected of places....