FS: Amita’s Listening Ear

Flat Sujata is a little girl who, like Flat Stanley, is as thin as a piece of paper because she got flattened by a box of mangoes. Flat Sujata moved to Mukti Mission where she loves her new life and all the friends she has made. These stories will help you understand what life is like for children at the Mission – children about the same age as YOU! We hope that you enjoy these stories of Flat Sujata and her friends so that you can pray for them every day. *Note: These stories are inspired by real-life stories from Mukti Mission.

Six-year-old Amita* is a bright girl, but her classmates and Mukti sisters, including Flat Sujata and Sami, found her to be difficult. While other children were playing, learning, and cooperating, Amita was picking fights, interrupting, and stealing. Even though her teachers and other staff tried talking to Amita, she refused to listen to them. Even Sujata and Sami were feeling discouraged.

“What can we do to change this?” Sami wondered aloud.

“I don’t know,” answered her best friend Flat Sujata forlornly. “But something has to change soon!”

But as everyone knew, there was one person who would not give up on Amita, and that was her housemother, Mrs. Pawar. Mrs. Pawar believed with faith and never giving up, Amita would change over time. Mrs. Pawar made sure she showed Amita love, but she also gave her timeouts when she misbehaved. Mrs. Pawar did not like grounding Amita, as that would mean Amita had to sit alone to think about her actions and calm down while Mrs. Pawar spent time with the rest of her Mukti daughters. Mrs. Pawar spoke to the teachers and other staff and asked them to do the same to help Amita understand the power of her actions.

“Mrs. Pawar means well,” Flat Sujata mused one day. “But Amita will never change!”

“I know,” grumped Sami.

But, amazingly, and finally, after a couple of months of displaying this love to Amita, a new change occurred!

“Would you like to come in, Amita?” Mrs. Pawar asked Amita, seeing her at Mrs. Pawar’s bedroom door with tears in her eyes. 

“Yes, Mother Pawar,” Amita replied as she entered. “I am sorry for how I have been acting. Everyone is trying to love me, but I have been thinking. I see now that I was not listening and always wanted to have my way. I am sorry for hurting you and others. I want to change and make friends. How can I do this after how I have been acting?”

Mrs. Pawar gave a big smile, got up from her chair, and gave Amita a big hug. “Amita, people are imperfect. No one will do everything well all the time. But what matters is choosing to be a better person and seeing yourself as someone who is lovable and good. When you are yourself around people, they will like you. You just need to take the time to value them too. That’s why it is important to listen to what others have to say.”

With that in mind, Amita started behaving kindly to others and listened to what others had to say. Flat Sujata, Sami were dumbfounded.

“What’s come over her?” Sami asked.

“I think she is changed,” Flat Sujata stated. “We should forgive her, too”

Over time, the teachers and staff began to praise Amita for her good attitude, and she made many good friends!

*Names changed for privacy and security. Images representative.