Life in a time of Bandh

Our junior rabble-rouser was arrested today. And the city shut down. All 20 million folks in greater Mumbai. No autos and taxis on the streets. Skeletal bus services. All shops shuttered.

This is the fear that we live in these days. Our rowdies have total control What protection can the government give to the shop owner who wants to sell his wares? If his shutters are open, a couple of motor-cycle riding youths will show up, shout filthy abuses at time and throw stones. We saw it when last year when junior Hitler-wannabe was threatened with arrest. This morning was the real deal.

But HIV does not stop and wait for political ripples – big or small.

This afternoon a child was born A special precious child.

The parents are both HIV positive. 1.5 years ago they lost a child just before the delivery date. They were devastated. We counselled, prayed and wept with them.

Over the course of this pregnancy we have prayed with Mr. and Mrs. Shristhi. The due date was Oct. 18th. The baby was born this afternoon in the middle of the ‘bandh’.

Alas – life seems very cruel at times. The child has not cried. They are in the hospital as we speak. Will he be put on a ventilator? Who will listen to the prayers of this family tonight?

Daniel is with them now. He has been with them all day. Our prayers are with this dear family as the darkness of the night falls on our town.

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p.s. 9 .10 P.M.
We just got a call from the father. The baby is fine and with his mother in the hospital. The father has gone home to get some cloths for it and start it on feed as they do not want to transmit HIV to the child through the mothers milk.

The night has fallen - but it has fallen on answered prayers - Baby Shrishti has come into this world - borne on prayers...