CHAPTER 61

Summary

• The chapter is set in 1964, in Parambil. Big Ammachi excitedly expresses her gratitude for a planned clinic and hospital in their locality, something she has long wished for. Her grandson, Philipose, questions her certainty on the location.
• Mariamma, Big Ammachi's granddaughter, finds herself proud of her affirmative grandmother. She also reflects on her interaction with a early teenage boy, Lenin, their relationship seemingly deepening during the convention.
• Mariamma shares her discomfort at having seen and fully recognized the beggars attending the convention. She realizes for the first time that these individuals were not always crippled or maimed, but could have become so due to disease. This realization makes her fear for her own health. Her grandmother reassures her, saying her compassion speaks well of her maturity.
• Big Ammachi explains to Mariamma her motivations for wanting a clinic and hospital in Parambil. She shares her past experiences of feeling helpless and scared in the face of others' sickness and suffering, and expresses her desire to alleviate such feelings for others in the community.
• Mariamma shares her thoughts to become a doctor to address human suffering and disease, influenced by her grandmother's words. She contemplates if this could be God's direction for her.
• By the time they reach home, Mariamma feels comforted and a sense of peace. She decides to silently ponder on her grandmother's words and pray for clarity in God's direction.
• The Hospital Fund created after the Maramon Convention receives a generous donation of land in Parambil, making it the likely location for the future hospital.
• More than a year later, Mariamma confirms her intention to study medicine, making her family proud. Big Ammachi gifts her a gold necklace and cross, telling her she had prayed for her grandaughter to take up medicine. She assures Mariamma that she will always be with her in spirit.