A Great Journey of a Little Lad…

Aunt called me today evening, doctor told her, Abir did not need to visit him anymore. I felt much relieved. For the last three months we all were worried about her eight years old son; my little cousin Abir.

It all started when we both had an eventful visit at a special place. But the succeeding months were more eventful.

My uncle (my dad's cousin) and my aunt, both are employees of multinational companies. And their only son is the center of all their happiness. They always pamper him. Abir goes to one of the most expensive schools in Dhaka, gets everything from his parents; a child can imagine but remains confined in his little room except the school times.

Lately he seemed lost his calm even with me-his best friend without any apparent reason. He couldn't tolerate home helps who usually took his care. His parents became worried for the change. But they failed to find any problem.

One Saturday I proposed him to go with me somewhere unlike parks. He already lost his interest with the fun parks. He agreed!

It was a shelter home on the northern periphery of the city where we went. The place provides shelters for childs with different abilities. It also provides them vocational training. Abir was awfully scared at first when he found the children very close to him. It was for the first time he confronted the life unknown to him. The different kinds of voices and unusual movement of the children made the little heart heavy. I could notice it from his goggling eyes. When a physically challenged girl of about fifteen years old tried to call Abir in a choked voice, he got frightened and almost screamed in fear. I decided to leave.

Before returning, I wanted to meet the rector of the home, a middle aged missionary of foreign origin. He welcomed us at his office and told us about the unprivileged childs in broken Bangla. Most of the childs living here, deserted by their parents who are unable to confront the social stigma.

I noticed Abir's unusual silence all through the time. He seemed overwhelmed by the sights of the children which might have disturbed his little psyche.

After returning home he jumped into his mothers lap and started a wild cry what he suppressed for long. His erratic cry continued for the next couple of days. One day his crying became unbearable when he noticed a man without two hands and legs begging on the street while returning from school.

His mother and father became anxious enough to take him to a child psychologist. And I became completely perplexed- what to do. One day I went to the rector of the shelter home and sought his help.

Father seemed got the cause of his change. He told me to tell him nicely about the unprivileged childs, to try to make him understand, "you are the happy one, who has papa and mama and a lot of toys and other things. Give thanks to God for it. Sometimes you may give the childs who are not happy like you a candy if you have more than one and give them a nice smile. They will be happy and you also will be happy."

I was confused how to manage to give the sermon to this boy and in a way Father told me. Though Abir listened to me, I was not sure what he understood.

After few weeks, one day aunt told me, Abir gave away the packet of candies she bought for him to the child of a home help whom he hardly tolerated to see only a month ago! And he continued it. His parents dealt the situation with ultimate patience.

After all these days, now, he is behaving and studying as a normal kid. But he has changed! Sometimes it seems this is not our Abir, someone else who has grown up suddenly…

All through the months I have suffered! I was in constant fear, my uncle and aunt would blame me for everything. But I know, what I wanted to do is to introduce Abir to the world, bringing him out from his boring confinement. May be, I was wrong in executing the intention as Abir's doctor told me so. But can't they do something for these little souls who knows how to do it better? CAN'T THEY?

sabbir ahmed osmani