The Things Their Mother Brought Home
Their mother worked in homes where life was very different from theirs.
There were large wardrobes, expensive clothes, shelves filled with books and cupboards full of things that were barely used.
Sometimes, the families she worked for would give her things they no longer needed.
An old school bag.
A pair of shoes that no longer fitted their children.
Books from the previous academic year.
Dresses that were still in good condition.
Occasionally, after a birthday celebration or a family gathering, she would bring home some leftover food that was perfectly good to eat.
For her, these were small blessings.
She would enter the house with a smile.
“Look what I have brought today!”
The younger girl would run towards her.
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“What is it, Mama?”
“See! A beautiful pair of shoes. They are a little old, but still in very good condition. I think they will fit you.”
The elder one would examine them.
“Mama, are these new?”
“They have hardly been used, beta. Someone was giving them away.”
The younger one would immediately try them on.
“They fit! Mama, look! They are so pretty!”
Their mother smiled.
“God provides in different ways. We should never waste something that can still be useful.”
Sometimes, she brought home storybooks and textbooks.
“These books belonged to the children of the house where I work. They don’t need them anymore. You can use them for your studies.”
The girls would flip through the pages.
Their mother saw these things as opportunities.
The girls, however, were beginning to see them differently.
