David Messias studied English at Universidade Pedagogica in Maxixe, Mozambique. The story Better materially poor than mentally taken is the third in a series of stories called Let it Be. Let it Be because David was told he might not succeed in writing stories. Although he had doubts himself, David decided to let it be and see what would happen.
Some are born in poverty and others fight not to become poor. When I was doing my grade 11 in Chibuto, Gaza Province, Mozambique, I knew a lady who was probably an example to not follow. The issue of poverty can be compared to colonization: it is better to be exploited physically than mentally because in the latter case you will never progress.
Personally, I believe that no one was born to suffer. Everything has its end and it is just a matter of time but some people really believe in the impossible. With all these statements, I just want to refer to the issue of spiritual or mental poverty.
In the neighborhood called 25 de Junho there was a lady who had problems to draw her life plans. She was poor, orphan and living with her two kids. Instead of thinking about how she would raise her kids she was much concerned about getting more children. If at least the boys who impregnated her could look after the children that would be nice but they were just impregnating her and would then abandon her. Despite all these consequences, she couldn’t learn.
When she had the fourth one her cousin told her to stop for a while and think about the future of the kids and like a great liar she promised to do so. The cousin was working as a miner in South Africa and would regularly send her some goods.
It took just a year to show her insanity, when she was impregnated by a young man who was just a student of grade 9. He was still spoon-fed and this was heartbreaking for everyone who knew her.
After five months, the cousin got the information that she was pregnant again and decided to leave her with the life she had chosen. By the year of 2013 she was 23 with 5 kids but she looked like a 48-year-old woman and that reminded me of a quote by Professor Albus Dumbledore in a Harry Potter movie: “It’s our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are. Far more than our abilities.” We are what we choose to be and it’s true, her poverty was not material but mental.
By David Messias