Mithra Day – Jan 3^rd 2004

 A family anniversary.

             Ten years ago in his spare time Joe Rosario began, with one assistant, Ms.Mani, to organize a class in basic education for some local children whose harsh world in the seedy and squalid slums of N.E. Bangalore did not include schooling.

             Ten years later Bella and Joe, their staff of 30, visitors and foreign volunteers, and some of their trainees, gathered together in a large upstairs room at the new Vocational Training Centre to mark and to celebrate ten years of an enterprise that day after day, month after month, year after year has provided pre-schooling, schooling and vocational training to children and young adults who would otherwise be consigned to the same fate as previous generations of India’s poorest, - a hopeless resignation to a life of grinding poverty, degrading labour, and exclusion form any change to change or better their lot.

             The feeling in the room that day had the same openness, ease and quiet excitement of any other family occasion. There were office workers, teachers, girls from the tailoring workshops, drivers, security guards, managers and directors, who each every working day, play their part in this growing enterprise.

             When the wicks of the tall brass lamp had been lit, candles and incense, then one by one each working face of Mithra was symbolically offered up with prayers, a song, or a speech. A shy young security guard, whose job is to live in the compound and guard the training centre, sang-self-conscious but clear, tuneful and sincere, before offering up a tray with the tools of his trade – a torch, dog lead, whistle and keys.

             There followed trays containing all the symbols of Mithra’s many parts-education women’s empowerment, human rights activism, vocational training, administration, transport, each offered up and placed on the central display with thanks, and a prayer or song.

            Then, unself-conscious and beautiful dancing and singing from young women whose shy delight in their own performance gave a glimpse of now entertainment felt in simpler times – before T.V. and Bollywood’s monopoly.

             And lunch, who planned and shopped? who prepared and cooked? who transported? who served and cleaned away? I don’t know like everyone else, I just enjoyed the meal- as relayed as any family lunch and afterwards the games and the fun and the prizes, the games that were such fun it didn’t matter who won or lost, the games where everyone felt happy and secure enough to make fools of themselves, where there was competition, laughing, boasting, squabbling, and total good will. A family anniversary.

              Did Joe or Bella have a quiet moment that day to think back and reflect on the hopes and fears, the headaches and heartaches, the struggles, setbacks and triumphs of the first decade of their growing family? To wonder how they had done it all? Or Why? Or by what grace.

             Did anyone, that day, in all the noise and fun notice the angel, who guides and holds them all, who guides their minds and steadies their hands, and protects their enterprise.  

Maurice Palfreymanm

06/01/2004