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Before the classes started in Std X, the Teachers from our nearest parallel college, came to my house. One was the Principal of the college, Mr John ( later he became Fr John ). Seeing them in front of our house, my mother ran to the front courtyard, requested them to enter the house and they sat on the chairs in the verandah. They advised me to join their parallel college for tuitions and promised me their help to score high marks in the examination. During that time, there were parallel colleges everywhere, ready to give tuitions in all subjects. My mother talked to them, enquired about the wellness of their family members and could attain a best impression upon them. We were familiar with Mr John earlier as we were members of the same church. When I was in the Lower Primary classes, he had worked as Sunday School Teacher. But I didn't like tuitions. I wondered why students spend their time and money, learning the same lessons which they had studied in school. I was satisfied with my school, its atmosphere and my Teachers' instructions. So, I said, "I don't want tuitions". My mother said, "she doesn't like tuitions, she won't change her decisions". Moreover, I had to do my household works also and I doubted that I couldn't find time for learning lessons after the tuitions.
The tuitions were conducted in a building which stood opposite to Nirappel House and the mill. On the way to school and in the evening, after the school time, I could see my classmates and other children going to the tuition centre and coming out. Nitha was also one among them. What surprised me was that Mereena and some others from Govt High School, Pazhamthottam also came to the previously mentioned tuition centre, walking about three and half kms ! When I saw all these things, I had many doubts in my mind. "Would I be able to win Std X with a high score ?" That was the question in my mind. I couldn't find an answer. Naturally, I turned to God, almighty.
I tried to remember the lessons I had studied in Sunday School. What happened to Joseph and his brothers who went to Egypt ? Joseph died and the Pharaoh also died. The people of Israel were fruitful and multiplied in the country. Then, a new King arose in Egypt who didn't know Joseph. He found that the people of Israel were a threat to him. Therefore, he made them work as slaves. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, "Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live" ( Exodus 1 : 22 ). After this command, a son was born to a Levi woman. She hid him for three months. After that, she put him in a basket made of bulrushes. She placed it among the reeds of the river bank. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen. Then, Pharaoh's daughter came to bathe at the river with her servant women. When she saw the basket, she asked her servant women to bring it near her. When she opened it, there was a child, the baby was crying ( Exodus 2 : 1 - 6 ). I still remember the picture of this scene in my Sunday School textbook. The Pharaoh's daughter with the child and her servant women on the shore of Nile, his sister looking at them, hiding behind a tree.
Pharaoh's daughter recognised that the child was one of Hebrew's son. Then his sister came forward and enquired Pharaoh's daughter that whether she would find a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. She agreed and his sister came with his mother. She took him and nursed him. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him as "Moses" ( Exodus 2 : 6 - 10 ). Everyone knows Moses - who was selected by the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, to set free the people of Israel from the slavery in Egypt, to a land where milk and honey were flowing. I had studied all the miracles Lord God had done after this incident. I wanted to become a strong believer in Christ. Otherwise I wouldn't achieve a high score - not only that, escape from my house as early as possible.
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