God’s incarnation in her perseverance – A Bold Lady Farhan

It was five minutes past 2:15 p.m, I reached the gate for my bus. Though I knew, the exact departure time of my bus, I invariably glimpsed the timetable in the glass window nearby. A lady, sitting on the black small sliding bench yelled,

‘Hey Honey, it went just now!’

My steps involuntarily turned towards her and I sat next to her.

‘You look Indian’, She inquired.

‘Yes, I am’, I replied.

Her eyes sparkled, ‘I am Muslim, of Indian descent. My great grandparents migrated from India to Trinidad some 150 years back, but I came here in 1969. I am Farhan’

She was wearing big rings in three of her fingers. One with light green stone carved in a shape of leaf and a lovely small flower sitting on its side. The second one with the shiny white pearl and the last one with a square shaped ruby. The big silver bracelet in her right hand was even more attractive than the matching trinket in her neck.

She was chewing something in her mouth. She immediately took a small bag and said, ’Hey Priti, you should have this, its made of ginger and sugar. My kids always keep this in my bag. It’s good.’ Without waiting for my positive gesture, she just placed them in my hand.

‘Do you work?’ I asked.

She said, ’Now, I can’t. I am retired. I was working in a HR department of a business firm in New York. You know, people sometimes are jealous and mean to you at work. She was lost in her past memory and said, ‘I was awarded as ‘Employee of the year’. It was a beautiful evening at a five star hotel with my children. But later life became difficult for me at work. An Italian lady at my work took the things wrongly as she thought she deserved the award more than I. I told her, ’I work hard, sincerely and honestly, for me it is important to get my pay in hand at the end of each week for my family to run. I am not allured by this award, you can take it!!’

Flashing the headlights the bus was parked in front of the gate. She lifted her heavy body with great difficulty and took her limping baby steps towards the gate, with her stroller bag on one side. She took the front seat. I was following her and sat beside her.

I asked, ’Why did you come to USA?’ She laughed and said, ’Destiny!’ Continuing her conversation, she said, ’After I got married I came here with my husband, but he treated me like a slave. He never gave money to bring even the grocery. He then took me back to Trinidad. I had my two kids there. I was staying in a rented home as a paying guest with an old couple. When I used to cook, the aroma of my food would entice them. So the Granny asked me, ’Will you cook for us, we will pay you?’ I accepted the offer, but used to give them free lunch boxes for the weekends, with LOVE!! They enjoyed, loved and appreciated my food.’

Few months later, My husband started harassing me. One night while asleep, Lord Jesus came in my dream, he told me, you have to be a strong girl Farhan. Get up do something for you and your kids. You know Priti , I do not know how it happened, I am not too religious, I just follow the daily course of my prayers sincerely, but till today I have never understood, how did I dream of Jesus, if Allah is one for whom I pray daily!!’

‘I started cooking for more people in my neighborhood. With this as my savings, I came all the way with my two kids in this country. I did all kinds of job from cooking, sewing clothes, baking, etc. to raise my kids. My elder son works in a bank on Wall Street and my younger one is a Professor.’

I said, ’It’s an unbelievable achievement Farhan! But how did you become a HR person?’

She placed her spectacles on her forehead, its golden chain hanging around her ear, she smiled, ’I went to a business school in NY; after my kids completed their education. Luckily got a nice job later.’

She said, ’My husband still calls me, wants my money, wants to stay together, but I am now, firm as a rock. I am happy with the freedom I have earned on my own.’
Talking to her, I realized I missed my stop. I immediately pressed the stop bell. I said, ’Bye Farhan, nice meeting you’, and left her in a hurry.

Returning back towards my home, my thoughts were resonating back and forth. The uncanny ways in which God gives you strength. How do things so difficult to imagine, actually happen in this world through the hands of common people with great strengths??? Each one of us at some point are awakened from our deep slumber by God. Realizing the depth of faith and determination, we can surely turn our fate - holding the fingers of Almighty. Farhan’s morphogenesis from infirmity to intrepid woman is truly inspirational !!