By Maria Isabel Garcia, Rappler, March 1, 2020
Jean and Mona are identical twins, but their fate began to split in early childhood. They both lived in the same house in Negros Oriental, in a very poor family with 6 other children. Neither of their parents cared for them in any significant way. Jean’s father, a drunk, once poured gasoline on a sleeping Jean when she was about 6, and lit a match that burned her. Mona was raped by her own brother when she was only 8 years old.
However, Jean, for some reason, as early as when she 5 or 6 years old in school, was close to her school teacher. She would stay with her for as long as she could each day. She became very close to her teacher, who was very nurturing. Mona, however, was not close to this teacher, and especially after being raped and not being able to process it, became very distant and indifferent to school or to any other adult who could help her.
Now, both of them are 17. Jean has the maturity and learning capacity of a 10-year-old, and so does Mona. But Jean has stayed in school and is building her life, and is now living with her grade school teacher, while Mona has long left school and is nowhere to be found.
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