There are many people who make sacrifices in this life. Some seem trivial, many go unnoticed and most are taken for granted. My wife is one of those who gives selflessly without recognition or reward. Though she will probably never be thought of as a "martyr", her sacrifice is possibly greater for few see it.
About 4 years ago, Gabi and a close friend (Sarah) began teaching a group of 10 year-old girls how to play recorder. These girls had just been through a period of intensive grief counselling after many of them had lost parents to HIV/ AIDS. This program was the unintentional start of a journey with the girls that developed into a weekly activity right through their primary school. As the weeks went by, Gabi quickly became aware of how far behind the girls were in their education as a result of a failing public school system. When it came time for the girls to register for high-school, she realised she could not leave them at the mercy of their circumstances and gathered sponsors together to ensure that they could attend a better school.
Even at high-school, Gabi continued the weekly get togethers - this time in the form of extra maths and English lessons. She realised that the interaction was important not only to supplement the school teaching, but also to pick up problems and encourage the girls. But the point of this blog is not so much the program and the ongoing assistance it needs - it's about the curtains I want for my birthday.
Though this program seems simple with a once a week commitment, it is much greater than that. The administration involved with sending 11 girls to school when most are orphaned and living with aunts, uncles and grandmothers is way more than you can imagine. A simple task like getting copies of school reports is something that takes about 4 weeks in trying to arrange between a severely under-resourced school and guardians who aren't contactable by telephone. Add to that other issues like arranging school uniforms and stationary, accounting for money that is managed in a church fund by someone else and having to be a maths teacher with no training and prepare lessons and one begins to realise that this is no small feat. Though it probably seems mild in comparison to those who have gone off to far away lands in abject poverty, let me put this in context:
Gabi is an outstanding student who won a national prize for the best master's thesis in her area of study. She is also an accomplished singer who has won numerous competitions for her classical performances. Through the time she gives to volunteer work, she forfeits not only income but also recognition in areas that most in society value. More than this - her time is the greatest sacrifice for she will not rest until the girls have received justice through giving them the best eduction she can.
The result of this is that curtains she's been wanting since we were married over a year ago, are not hanging in our home. It's not that I couldn't go out and get some myself or that we couldn't find money for them. It's just that their priority in time terms is always below that of the girls she helps because that is her heart. Yet I know she desires to have beautiful curtains.
So I want curtains for my birthday. When I consider what Gabi continually gives up for the sake of these wonderful girls, I want to give up my "right" to birthday presents for me so she can have her curtains. Because I don't have an eye for style like she does, for me to get these curtains might mean that you will need to take her out to the shops to look at fabrics (and then for a coffee afterwards to encourage her in what she does with the girls). It might mean that you offer to attend a lesson so that she can take the time to measure up the window spaces. Maybe even finding out what the next thing is that the girls need and buying it will save Gabi the time and money to allow her to purchase them will be what it takes. As long as by the 17th October 2010 I have curtains that make Gabi smile, I will have received everything I want for my 29th birthday. Don't forget the cards!
