My World

By Malnnie Nofoagatotoa 01 August 2016, 12:00AM

Malnnie Nofoagatotoa

Year 9 

St Mary’s College

 

The world is a dangerous place to live. 

Not because of the people who are evil but because of the people who don’t do anything about it – Albert Einstein.

As I sit and reflect back to the past of how my world was before I just couldn’t even bear the tears of sorrow and pain, thinking of why the world was so evil and cruel and how it brings devastation and madness memories which includes my story and this was my world before. My father died when I was still very young. 

So therefore I was raised and brought up by my mom in France. She worked in a restaurant near town. She worked overtime just to provide for me and my young brother’s needs. Growing up without a father was very difficult but I said to myself, at least I have my mother with me; I couldn’t bear to lose her too. But unfortunately my y imagination came true. 

I lost her on the 6th of April due to a war between our country and America. Her workplace exploded and she was one of the victims who died. I couldn’t even explain how I felt. My dreams fell apart. 

It was like my world had been covered by a huge black cloud. My world turned upside down. I lost the only person I could rely on and the only person who comforted my heart but sadly, she’s gone. How I wish I’d died instead. 

But I have to be strong because I have a brother I have to take care of. You can’t even imagine how terrible it was to lose a mother.

And you? Maybe if you lost a friend you would have a tiny experience of what I’ve been through. I lost my mother; as for me, I lost my left eye because of this war. My brother Tom and I were forced to stay in foster care owned by nuns. Life there wasn’t so good. The children, they bullied us and when it comes to nuns, they were so strict. 

One night I saw my brother hugging my mother’s photo and I overheard him saying, “Mommy you promised us that you would always be here but yet you left us”. 

Tears fell down from my eyes when I heard those words. I felt sorry for him for the fact that he was only three years old but he had gone through a lot. I hopped away from my bed and went to his but he wouldn’t go to bed unless I sang the song my mother always sang to him and it’s like this: “Hush little baby, don’t you cry, mommy is here If you have something to share, Mommy is always there.” 

Then the both of us went to bed. The next morning when I work up, my brother wasn’t there. I thought he had run away so I ran towards our principal’s office, Ms Chloe. 

As I opened the door  an English couple who wanted to adopt him. They were about to sign the adoption form but I kneeled down on my knees begging them not to take him away. 

I said if they wanted to take him, maybe they could also take me along. But then the principal stepped away from her desk and walked towards me. I was shocked when she slapped me and said, “You have to be thankful your brother is cute, as for you, look at you - you ugly, worthless girl.” 

Once these words entered my ears my brain couldn’t even interpret them and my heart filled with anger. I couldn’t bear to take it anymore so I answered back saying, Maybe one reason you’re still a Ms is because no man ever wanted to marry you because you’re heartless.” 

I’d said these words she beat me up, kicked me and my brother out of the house and told us to go away and look for a place to stay. 

It’s obvious and I know for a fact I shouldn’t have spoken to her like that. I’m sure my Mom wasn’t proud of what happened. 

We had no other option but to sleep in the mall near town. We begged people for money and then this couple said they were from an island called Samoa. I’d never heard of that place before. 

The couple were Willie and Tea. They said they were in France because they had a mission to do and they were really strong Christians. 

I told them our story and it seemed like they really understood our situation.  

And since they had always wanted children, they offered to adopt my brother and I. We were so happy when we heard those words. It was like God had answered our prayers. 

Two days later we went to their apartment. It was small but a house is a house.

We went to school for the first time.

I came first in Science and my brother came first in English. Our new parents were so proud of us. Willie always tells us that everything is possible with God . 

He will always look for a solution to our problems. He is truly the anointed one. 

Two years later I graduated from medical school and as for my brother, he was still in college. But my parents’ mission was over and they had decided to go bck to Samoa and to stay there for good. 

I said to myself that we would be able to make new beginnings and have a brand new life. Tea told us a lot about life in 

Samoa and I couldn’t wait to visit and see the island. My world before was filled with sorrow and pain but if you asked me what kind of world I want to live in my answer would be a peaceful world would do. 

We migrated to Samoa in 2013 and we stayed in Vaivase tai. It’s very peaceful here and the people are friendly and although I only have one eye they treat me like everyone else. 

At first my brother attended St Joseph’s College and three years later I became a doctor at Motootua Hospital. 

One night my brother picked me up from work and we went to the park facing the sea while we ate keke puaa. We had a nice talk about our world before. 

The fact that we had been through a lot you might think our world sucks. But although our journey had been rough we had learnt a lot from it, and that is for me to love and respect one another. 

I shouldn’t have treated Ms Chloe the way I did; that was disrespectful. I have to make use of the things I have. I shouldn’t have wasted the food we had because some people or maybe children in town or wherever are begging people for money in order to provide for their needs and trust me, I was once in their position. 

I begged people for money and it was hard. Lots of people looked down on us and laughed but we had no other option. And lastly, remember that God is a perfect timer and believe that one day he will wipe away every tear from our eyes. 

And be grateful that you have grown up with your biological parents and you have to respect and care for them because we don’t know what the future may bring. 

After eating our keke puaa, we went home and kissed our parents good night.  And we even said good night to our parents in heaven. 

Aren’t we lucky to have two parents? We surely are.  And we have to stop dreaming and start working but like I never thought we would make it this far but thanks to Willie, Tea and foremost God for having faith in us, things were possible because we put all our hearts and souls into it.

“Riches of this world are not important when it comes to family” is a saying. The world is a series of challenges but it is your decision to choose the path you walk.   

By Malnnie Nofoagatotoa 01 August 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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