Broken

While we were on the mountain, tragedy continued down in the plains.

Mrs. Langru has been having an affair with a thief. He is married and has his own family. She has not told him that she is HIV positive. After it became painfully clear that her other two children were going to die of neglect (having lost one already) we took the boy and girl and put them in the care of a loving couple who is looking after destitute children.

Mrs. Langru has been carrying another child from the man she is involved in. The child seemed to have some serious congenital problems.

This child too, is no more.

Mrs. Langru's partner is in jail. On Monday - despite needing to be hospitalised herself, Mrs. Langru went to a far part of the city to meet him in custody and give him food. Yesterday it all fell apart. She had a spontaneous abortion. This child will not see the day. It has departed before it was born. Broken.

With no one to turn to, Mrs. Langru contacted our staff, who rushed her to the government hospital. Sunita stayed up all night to be with her - as Mrs. Langru has no one else. Whatever relatives she does have do not want anything to do with her - and especially do not want to pay for her hospitalisation.

How very very sad to see the brokenness in people's lives. And how frustrating to know that Mrs. Langru can change - but holds all the more tightly to her present miseries.