Child from the home: His dream is to be a chef, but he cannot enroll, he is missing half a point

There is a young man, actually a boy, who finished primary school this year, and he had been coming to me at the mekteb for the last year. He lives near the mosque.

In the home for abandoned and neglected children on Bjelave. He is their ward. At the hatma prayers in the mekteb, he made an effort and learned a lot about prayer, and he performed the Eid prayer. He knew it well. However, this year he finished primary school, took the external exam, and decided to submit his documents to the catering school. He wants to be a chef.

That is his life's dream. Subhanallah, what else would a child from a home dream and fantasize about except nice and tasty food that he would prepare and cook! He got ready and headed straight to the City Hall, then across the Miljacka and towards the Catering School. All alone, without father or mother.

With papers tightly clutched in his hands. Within reach of his happiness and bread in his hands. He arrived at the school and entered, asking at the reception where to submit the documents for enrollment. He was directed to a specific office to a certain lady who does that job. He entered, greeted her politely, said what he wanted, and handed her the papers.

The lady took the papers and began to look them over and check them, and then, after a pause, said she was really sorry because she could not accept his papers since he needed at least 60 points to enroll in that school, and he had 59.5. She expressed her regret and apology, but she could not take them, as they had received instructions from the Cantonal Ministry of Education. She returned his papers, apologizing once more. He took the papers, left the school, and sank. He could not believe it. Just half a point. Totally disappointed. 

And who does a child from a home have now to push that through for him?! Who can he complain to?!

He returned to the home broken and disappointed. He sent me two messages on FB, in the first saying he had a problem and would like to see me, and in the second he just wrote: "There is only one Allah, my Muhammad!" 

It was Friday, I could not answer him immediately due to Friday and Ramadan obligations, I said I would get back to him later. After Friday prayers, a friend called me, saying we should meet to help a boy with his school enrollment. I told him I have many such requests, it is hard to fulfill them, the education system has set rules, everything depends on grades and the external exam.

He said it was a specific case, it was about a boy from the home on Bjelave and he was missing only half a point. He told me the whole story. Who does he have now to push that through for him! Subhanallah! I opened his last message again, which read: "There is only one Allah, my Muhammad!", and my heart broke into a hundred pieces. Well, of course, he has Allah on his side. Praise be to Allah. 

At the same time, that day we were preoccupied with news of three horrific and bloody attacks in France, Tunisia, and Kuwait. We were shocked. And I wondered about those guys - the brutal executioners, whether they too were once missing half a point or a point somewhere, so they had no chance at a normal life, good education, and a nice social environment. Surely they were missing it. And more than half a point. Much, much more. And this boy, from the home, is missing exactly half a point on the path to achieving his dream. To be a chef and prepare food for people. Perhaps, because of that half a point, his food will not be salty enough. But it can always be salted. 
 

P.S. I hereby call on the responsible people, who can help, to accommodate and assist this boy with his enrollment in this school.  Those children from homes are the responsibility of all of us and a trust for which we are accountable before Almighty Allah. I thank you in advance and send you all my warmest greetings!

Muhamed ef. Velić