Signs of hope and life

There is a realisation that the challenges that must be tackled are the responsibility of every citizen, of every person and group seeking justice and the well-being of the whole population.

Not unexpectedly, the ugly reality of violence and the many forms of crime that plague the nation were at the forefront of the participants’ concerns in the marches, demonstrations and forums around the country. This is rightly so, as the number of missing persons, the ever-increasing incidence of murder and the revelation of corruption in seemingly every sector of our lives occupy the front pages of our newspapers and are the constant focus of the social media.

There are, however, other facets of our national life that are uplifting and noble and which may be overlooked in our preoccupation with the negatives that sometimes threaten to drown our spirit.

In every primary and secondary school, teachers and administrators strive to inculcate their students with ideals that can draw the society up from its present sorry state into a place of selflessness, individual and collective responsibility, and respect for others regardless of race, gender, class or age.

In some cases, it is a real struggle for educators to overcome ignorance and entrenched social norms that are destructive. Yet in every school, there are students and parents who yearn for a better life, one defined not by material possessions but by a genuine desire for peace, equity, and respect for life in all its forms.

In government education offices, often unknown to the general population there are special-education officers, therapists, counsellors and other specialists who heroically fight against the shortage of specialist tools and equipment, against inadequate office and treatment space, and against the perception that government employees are uncaring, unprofessional and collect salaries in absentia.

It is only those who have experienced the daily challenges that face the dedicated staff of many of these offices, who realise how they seek to draw from the well of life for the disadvantaged and vulnerable ones in their care. Special schools that cater for autistic children and slow learners, and schools and homes for the blind, the hearing-impaired, the physically and the mentally handicapped are jewels in our national treasure chest. The yeoman service they offer, despite the inadequacies which they too face, should never be taken for granted.

The work they do is generally unheralded and frequently thankless, yet their charges are worthy of the same dignity and respect as that shown to our national high achievers. On this third Sunday of Lent, let us as people of God drink of he water of eternal life offered to us as we go about the business of sowing the seed and reaping the harvest which the Father has entrusted to us.