REUBEN

He is the picture of how our world has shortchanged its people in affording a equitable education for all. He smiles a lot. He runs barefoot like the rest. He loves the songs we sing and claps along happily. To most observers, it is obvious that he has Downs Syndrome. It breaks my heart that each day in class, I spend a good portion of the hour repeating, “Reuben! Eela! Reuben! No!” It doesn’t seem fair that he is thrust into this school where the facilities and resources are straining to meet the needs of its students. The teachers shake their heads and say, “Reuben is mentally retarded.” That is what disturbs me the most. Reuben can not learn to his potential because he does not have the opportunity. He is placed into this center of learning - a school that is ill-equipped to serve to his needs. Yet, this is the tragedy of so many children and not only those here in India. Often times, the education that you receive is based exclusively on the education that you can buy.

But there is a profound grace in Reuben's story. Today, I listened as Reuben recited the 23rd Psalms and then prayed for his teachers. Maybe he understands something that many of us don’t. Maybe today the student is the teacher.