COW THAT LOST THE CALF
One time after annual exams are over, mom stayed with children at Vadugapatti. She received a letter from dad inviting her to Thiruvadavur with children for holidays. In obedience to her husband, she went with kids to Thiruvadavur. While there are two or three more weeks of holidays, dad asked mom to go to Vadugapatti and look after the things there. Mom asked whether she needn't take children. Dad said, "Let them stay here for some days; if you want ...you can take older children with you and the last two boys will come later". Without any choice, leaving behind Saleem and Ayub with dad she left for Vadugapatti with other children. Mom decided to go back to bring the two boys when school is about to reopen. In the mean time, mom visited her mom and brother's family at Coimbatore since she hasn't seen them for a long time. There one next door neighbor said that she knew an officer in a big company and that she will recommend a job for Omar there. Mom agreed to see the officer. Hearing this Omar said to himself, "I won't work in an office under somebody like a slave. I'll become a doctor, run Vadugapatti clinic and continue it as a family business. I won't do any slavery job". Next day they met officer in the company in vain. Omar was very happy.
They returned to Vadugapatti after schools reopened. She desired to bring Saleem and Ayub back from Thiruvadavur. After a day or two one teacher from school met mom and commented that teachers thought mom had gone to live with her husband at Thiruvadavur permanently. Mom replied, "Why did you think so? If we decided to move, we would certainly let school know it....because our children are studying in your school". Teacher astonishingly asked, "Oh!..While you were gone with the children, we got a letter from doctor saying that Saleem and Ayub would go to school at Thiruvadavur and he requested for their certificate. Since your clinic was closed, assuming you moved to Thiruvadvur, we sent certificates. Didn't you know this?" It was like a lightning strike on her head and she felt as if the world was spinning upside down. Mom confusingly said, "No.... I didn't know it. After coming back from Thiruvadavur I went to Coimbatore to see my brother. During that time he had written to school". Teacher replied, "Yes..Since you were not in town, we were deceived and mailed certificates. If you were around, we would have checked with you before forwarding it". After talking for some time teacher left. Mom sat down with a broken heart. Since Saleem and Ayub were the youngest two kids, she loved them most. Saleem was 12 years old and Ayub 9 years old. Both of them always stuck to her like a leech. Dad cunningly separated them from her. She was ready to lose anything in this world..but she can't stay even for few days without seeing these two kids. These two kids used to circle around her asking something or the other. Now what would they do? Who would look after them like mom? They may be alone like motherless children. Such thoughts crossed her mind and she cried. She understood that her husband carried out this well planned action. She left her sorrows at God's feet. She didn't eat or sleep for many days and prayed, "Lord! If it is your will, bring them back to me". At last after thinking for many days, she came to a decision. Accordingly she went to dad and pleaded with him to send children back to Vadugapatti in order to continue their studies, as change of schools could affect their education.
Dad angrily said, "Their education won't be spoiled. You mean.....they teach well only in Vadugapatti and not in Thiruvadavur?" Then mom explained, "Kids are very young and I can't live away from them; separated from their mom they would feel terrible and heart broken". Dad reasoned, "It is your imagination. You have four children with you, can't I have two?" Mom was unable to answer for it. With tears she bid farewell to the two children. Saleem and Ayub wept seeing mom leave. Mom comforted them that she would visit them often and not to cry. Dad expected that because of her love for these two children, she would shut down the clinic at Vadugapatti and move to Thiruvadavur permanently.....leaving Christian faith and become Muslims once again. He was happy to see they were all caught well in his trap. He tried all these methods to get them away from evil ways because of love he had for them and he was confident that this plan will be a sure success.
After arriving Vadugapatti she prayed, "Lord! Bible says....Cast all your care upon him; for he cares for you (I Peter 5: 7); I am leaving my burdens at your feet; you alone can bring children back to me in a miraculous way". She told other believers of what happened and they prayed with her. One Christian sister asked how she is living with out her children. Mom replied, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow before the golden image erected by the King of Babylon - Nebuchadnezzar. What did they say then...O! Nebuchednezzar, we are not careful to answer you in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up (Daniel 3: 16-18). Likewise even if my husband doesn't send those two children back to me, I won't leave Jesus and go to my husband. If I go back to him, I can't follow Jesus freely. Just like when Sadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into fire which was heated seven times, Satan brought this test like a fiery furnace to us; God walked with them in fiery furnace; similarly God will also protect us from going back and He will lead us. I am looking up to Him day and night. He is my only comfort and I am confident that he will bring children back to me one day". Christian sister comforted her that God whom we trust will not forsake them. Days became months and months became years......... still children did not come back.