Until now, amazing people have been confined to books and television screens, assembly halls and history lessons. They existed in the remote way that people who are willing to give so much often do, in an almost legend. Yet Sister Concepta is definitely real, definitely present and definitely an amazing person. Sister is a community worker, employed by Asha to facilitate and instigate various projects and provide counselling and assistance to the many who are in need of it. She is, of course, a religious person yet doesn't see her work as that of a religious nature; in a discussion I had with her she told me she aims simply to instil values into the children she works with, not of a religious nature, but just human values, as she believes them to be a fundamental part of a child's development and life.
It is hard not to feel in awe of her, yet her warm personality and perpetual smile make her highly loved in the community as well as revered. Everybody in Athidiya knows her, and she knows every one of them: their names, their story and, most importantly, how she can help them. Her willingness and desire to assist the community is astounding, she works so hard in such difficult circumstances because she wants, wholeheartedly, to see better lives for these people.
It highlights the power of the individual- if one woman, albeit one extraordinary woman, can have such a huge impact upon a whole community then we, as a society, a nation, a global collective, should be able to make a world of difference. Yet we don't. The gross domestic product of 41 of the world's poorest countries (consisting of 567 million people) is less than the wealth of the world's 7 richest people combined. Less than one percent of what the world spends on weaponry each year was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000... it didn't happen.
To hold this knowledge alongside the memories of what we have seen in Athidiya is too difficult, I can't begin to comprehend how we live in a world where this can exist. But for every shadow there must be light. And that can be found in people like Sister Concepta. She is inspiring in so many ways, but knowing that one woman can make such a difference gives us hope that we can all have a place in fighting such injustices.
We can learn so much from Sister Concepta- she does so much, has made an unbelievable impact upon so many lives, yet acts like it is nothing at all. I feel completely humbled next to the unswerving dedication and love she gives to Athidiya. She has committed her life to improving others' in the way you read in textbooks. Yet it is not a book and she expects no such accolade.
I have never met anyone like Sister before. I've never felt so moved to hear someone speak, never wanted to spend so much time in someone's presence, never felt compelled to do something. She makes me want to go home and yell at people in suits, sit in tubs of baked beans for hours on end, hold rallies in my back garden... do anything I can. To have met such a clearly remarkable woman is an honour for everybody on this trip and I'm positive she'll be a person we keep with us for a very long time, through links to her projects (that we'll do all we can to help) and in our hearts and minds, as an inspiration and an embodiment of, quite simply, goodness.
Katherine
Link to the Eston Park website: Eston Park School website
It is hard not to feel in awe of her, yet her warm personality and perpetual smile make her highly loved in the community as well as revered. Everybody in Athidiya knows her, and she knows every one of them: their names, their story and, most importantly, how she can help them. Her willingness and desire to assist the community is astounding, she works so hard in such difficult circumstances because she wants, wholeheartedly, to see better lives for these people.
It highlights the power of the individual- if one woman, albeit one extraordinary woman, can have such a huge impact upon a whole community then we, as a society, a nation, a global collective, should be able to make a world of difference. Yet we don't. The gross domestic product of 41 of the world's poorest countries (consisting of 567 million people) is less than the wealth of the world's 7 richest people combined. Less than one percent of what the world spends on weaponry each year was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000... it didn't happen.
To hold this knowledge alongside the memories of what we have seen in Athidiya is too difficult, I can't begin to comprehend how we live in a world where this can exist. But for every shadow there must be light. And that can be found in people like Sister Concepta. She is inspiring in so many ways, but knowing that one woman can make such a difference gives us hope that we can all have a place in fighting such injustices.
We can learn so much from Sister Concepta- she does so much, has made an unbelievable impact upon so many lives, yet acts like it is nothing at all. I feel completely humbled next to the unswerving dedication and love she gives to Athidiya. She has committed her life to improving others' in the way you read in textbooks. Yet it is not a book and she expects no such accolade.
I have never met anyone like Sister before. I've never felt so moved to hear someone speak, never wanted to spend so much time in someone's presence, never felt compelled to do something. She makes me want to go home and yell at people in suits, sit in tubs of baked beans for hours on end, hold rallies in my back garden... do anything I can. To have met such a clearly remarkable woman is an honour for everybody on this trip and I'm positive she'll be a person we keep with us for a very long time, through links to her projects (that we'll do all we can to help) and in our hearts and minds, as an inspiration and an embodiment of, quite simply, goodness.
Katherine
Link to the Eston Park website: Eston Park School website
No comments:
Post a Comment