The Christmas visitor

Walter Rupasinghe

Sarath and Damayanthi were a very happy couple blessed with three children, the eldest of whom was fourteen. Sarath worked as a Field Supervisor for a leading pharmaceutical firm and Damayanthi ran her own montessori school. Their joint income enabled them to live a fairly comfortable life.

They had their own house which Sarath had inherited from his parents. Their neighbours often remarked that they were a role model of a very happy family. Just when they were beginning to feel that the world was treating them well tragedy struck.

While returning from a field trip in his Morris Minor a private bus rammed his car killing Sarath on the spot. When the news of the terrible tragedy reached Damayanthi, she was shattered. With one cruel stroke the children had been made fatherless. She did not know what to do.

In an attempt to console her the parish priest consecrated her to the Lord and exhorted her to pick up the broken threads of her tattered life and carry on for the sake of the children. That was the best tribute she could pay to her beloved Sarath. Memories of the happy days filled her thoughts and she asked the Lord for the courage, grace and strength to carry on.

Damayanthi received Rs. one million as compensation. She decided to keep Rs. one lakh for running expenses and invest the balance in a finance company that would give her the highest rate of interest. It was then that she heard of Sakvithi. She promptly invested the nine lakhs in Sakvithi Finance. For a couple of months all went well and she was happy.

One day when she went to Nugegoda she saw a large crowd surrounding the Sakvithi building. When she inquired what it was all about a disconsolate lady told her that the Chairman one Sakvithi Ranasinghe, had collected all the monies that were deposited and disappeared leaving the depositors high and dry.

On hearing this news she broke down and told her story. As advised she made an entry at the Police station. She could not believe that another tragedy had befallen her. How was she going to run the family now with all her precious savings all gone? That was her biggest worry.

It was in this mood of utter depression that one day she walked into a bookshop in Bambalapitiya to get some books for the children. As she was browsing around looking for the books she wanted, she felt a hand on her shoulder. When she turned round to see who it was, a lady said, “Aren’t you Damayanthi? I was watching you for a while before talking to you.

I am Kamala who lived with my parents down Initium Road some eight years ago. You were at the top of the road but we were further down. I can never forget how you all helped me when my parents died. By the way how is Sarath?”

Damayanthi fell on her shoulders and burst into tears. When she regained her composure she told Kamala about the terrible tragedy and also the Sakvithi scam. Kamala’s eyes were filled with tears when she heard the story. “Don’t worry Damayanthi,” she said, “I am there for you. Soon after the death of my parents I sold up everything and went to England and qualified in Nursing.

I am still a spinster and I am the matron of a big hospital in London. I am very well off. Its very funny how things happen. Normally I spend my Christmas holidays with friends in the South of France but this time I had a competing urge to come to Sri Lanka.

Could I have ever dreamt that I would meet you of all people in a bookshop. “Sarath was a wonderful man whom I admired greatly and I am sure that it was his spirit that brought me here.” She explained that she was staying at a guest house in Mount Lavinia but she would like to move closer to her.

Damayanthi now remembered Kamala. “In that case,” she said, “I will be honoured to offer you a room with an attached bath in my house. Only problem is it may not be as comfortable as a guesthouse.” Kamala was delighted and told her that the very fact that she could live with Damayanthi under the same roof was all that she could have wished for.

When Damayanthi got home and told the children about her meeting with Kamala and that she would be staying with them they were thrilled that they would be spending Christmas together “Oh amma” they said “this is indeed a God send. We are happy that aunt Kamala will spend Christmas with us. We will do everything to make her happy.” They helped the mother to colourwash and tidy up the room and make it presentable.

A few days later Kamala arrived with her baggage. Damayanthi and the three children, Upali, Mahela and Seedevi were there to welcome her. Upali and Mahela were the image of Sarath while Seedevi was pretty like the mother.

They talked about many things late into the night. When the children had gone to bed Kamala called Damayanthi to her room, made her sit on the bed and told her that when she saw the two boys she could not take her eyes off them because they reminded her of Sarath whom she used to admire very much because he was a perfect gentleman.

“To tell you frankly Damayanthi,” she said, “if I had met a man like Sarath I would not be spinster today. I have made up my mind to adopt your family. Believe me I mean it,” saying this she pressed a bundle of notes into Damayanthi’s hand. Damayanthi was too shocked for words.

She began to cry. She opened the parcel to find Rs. 300,000. “Oh no Kamala,” she said. “I just cannot take this.” Kamala replied “You have to take it. I am very much in love with your children. I will open three Savings Accounts for them so that in later years they will have their own money.

Not only that when I get back I will arrange to send you Rs. 20,000 every month so that you may not have any financial worries.” Damayanthi fell at Kamala’s feet and sobbed and sobbed. “God bless you Kamala for your generosity. I am sure Sarath’s spirit must be watching all this. I do not know how to thank you all this.”

“Never mind the thanks,” she said, “this is Christmas time and what better joy can there be than the joy of giving.”

At breakfast the next morning Kamala told the children that they will have a Christmas like the days when their father was alive. We will go Christmas shopping, make the Christmas cake and put a Christmas tree for all of which I will spend.

I will be back every Christmas and all future Christmases will be like this.” The children’s eyes began to sparkle with tears of gratitude as they told her “Bless you aunt you are an angel sent by Baby Jesus to help us fatherless children. We don’t know what to give you in return for all this.”

“Don’t worry about that,” said Pamela. “Be close to your mother and grow up to be good children and all of us will be proud of you.”

We may not have the resources to emulate Kamala’s generosity. But during this season of Christmas let us spare a thought for the less fortunate among us, the sick the lonesome and the needy and do whatever we can to bring some light into the darkness of their lives.

That is the true spirit of Christmas, the joy of giving. After all we must remember that it was at the first Christmas that the Heavenly Father gave us the most precious gift of all when he sent his only begotten Son to be born in the lowly stable at Bethlehem.

A blessed Christmas to you all.