The Woman of Moravia

Glenda Simms, Contributor

Like many of my friends, family members and some acquaintances, I am a typical news junkie. Whenever it is possible, I find time to watch the 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. newscasts of two local television stations. It was within this state of addiction that I saw the details of the TVJ exclusive story of the tragic and inhumane conditions that are the reality of the life of the Woman of Moravia (Manchester) and her children.

Although I am definitely not into the commercial aspects of the festive season, my yearly Christmas retreat to the cool climate of the Santa Cruz Mountains no doubt always causes me to reflect on the lessons of hope and grace symbolic in the biblical account of the birth of Jesus Christ. These ideas were planted many moons ago in my early-childhood cognitive and emotional development while I was socialised every Sunday in the historic St Alban's Anglican Church in the district of Stanmore.

On that very cool evening during the festive season of 2010, the TVJ weekly news story forced everyone who watched the 7 o'clock news to view the squalid and impoverished living conditions of a poor Jamaican woman and her underfed, frightened, traumatised and nameless children.

The media house, through narrative and videography, portrayed this female-headed household as isolated and cut off from love and care of community, friends and family. In fact, this riveting story gave the impression that this 'lost tribe' was discovered by a female police officer in the process of executing her community-policing strategy. Without a good knowledge of the dynamics of rural communities, the viewer of this tale would be tempted to place the police officer in the same category of historical events such as the fallacy that Christopher Columbus discovered Jamaica. The Woman of Moravia was not discovered by the female police officer, because many people in her environment knew about her situation.

What is to be recognised is the courage of the police officer who afforded TVJ the exclusive opportunity to accompany her and record for the country the efforts to charm and encourage two cowering, poverty-stricken children to leave their comfortable refuge underneath a building not fit for rabbits, rats, dogs or wolves.

dramatic scene

It was in the midst of this drama that the overwhelmed, tired and distraught mother arrived to a most dramatic scene on her return from the village shop to which she had journeyed to pick up one or two items to ensure that her hungry children could have another bite of bad food before they crawled into their spot in the unmade bed in the one-room shack they were forced to call home.

As I watched this version of another human drama in our nation state, I experienced a series of emotions. As a black woman and a mother, I felt humiliated by the inhumane conditions in which this particular citizen had to raise her family. I was also saddened by the obvious neglect of this family by country and state agencies. Coupled with the sadness was a sense of anger that I could hardly contain. I felt like screaming at a world in which little children are allowed to suffer and be denied the simple amenities that can help them to develop to their fullest potential.

On the other hand, I found my thoughts turning to the meaning of the biblical account of the birth of Christ to those who define themselves as Christians. I thought of the promise of hope, redemption and our capacity of love for all people, including the least among us.

When TVJ did a follow-up story on this family, we learnt that many people knew of her extreme need and the desperate condition of her circumstances. In her own words, she informed the country that she became pregnant at 14 and this prevented her from getting an education. She cleaned floors, washed clothes and, over time, gave birth to 11 children for one man. According to her, it was a chop in her face that rendered her helpless. After this incident, her male partner moved on and it is reported that she intervened to prevent the justice system from laying the appropriate criminal charges against her assailant.

The situation of the Woman of Moravia solicited an outpouring of sympathy and financial support from individuals from a wide cross section of the Jamaican society.

The relevant government agencies were also embarrassed and made commitments to do the job they are being paid to do. There is obviously a need for such agencies to have the resources to map the families that are most at risk in every parish of the small nation. They must not be jolted on a regular basis by news stories.

IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE

I am no theologian, but a number of biblical stories fit within my world view of the status of women globally. Within this frame of reference, I see a parallel between the historical Woman of Samaria who met the adult Jesus at a well and the contemporary Woman of Moravia. According to the recorded account in John 4, the Samaritans were outcasts and were not well regarded by the Jews. Against this social and political reality, the Samaritan woman was quite surprised when this Jewish male sat down by the well and started conversing with her. In fact, he did not just chit-chat, he started asking her about her private life. She tried to con him, but he knew everything about her - even her deepest secrets

She realised that she was in the presence of a force beyond her comprehension and she did not hesitate to publicise the presence of her redeemer.

Our Woman Of Moravia was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support by the ordinary folk in the Jamaican society. She obviously acknowledged their kindness as part of the spirit of hope inherent in the symbolism of the birth of the Christ child in a humble stable designed for animals.

Glenda Simms, PhD, is a gender consultant. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.