Hope in the Heart of a Child
It is always amazing how children raised in horrific circumstances can display admirable resilience and courage. The smiles on their faces stand in contrast the more blasee attitude of wealthier people...
I met Madhipul (12) and his little brother Deepak (7) at the Bawana Tuition Center of HOPE worldwide just outside Delhi. The tattered rags on their backs belied the infectious joy on their faces and the devotion they show in their studies.
Madhiphul seemed very protective of his younger sibling, a phenomenon I have observed countless times as I visit the slums of India. Families stand together in the face of incredible poverty. The older kids protect the younger ones. Madhipul's story broke my heart and also gave me hope...
The two brothers come from a large family of 10 children. Their father is in bad health (andnot surprisingly battles depression) so he doesn't work. Their mother contracted tuberculosis several years ago and so is very weak physically. She cannot work either, not that this would be a possibility anyhow in this very traditional community. Women are not encouraged to work outside the home.
Madhiphul shared with me another reason the family might be grieving. A couple of years ago the brothers were running to catch a moving train. This is a very common practise here in India, and yet extremely dangerous. On Mumbai trains alone 17 people die every day. As the boys were running Madhiphul's older brother slipped and fell under the train. His body was cut to pieces right in front of his siblings.
What struck me about Madhiphul was his spirit. He had a constant smile on his face and Manoj his teacher told me how dedicated he was to his studies. Due to the fact he has never had any formal education Madhiphul has to sit in the first standard class with his younger brother. Hs infectious joy is a sight to behold. I wanted to cry as I heard Madhipul's story but I couldn't allow myself to do so as I looked into his eyes. They were full of hope.
You see, Madhipul wants to become a doctor. Whether that happens or not depends a lot on the hope living in his heart right now. I have witnessed so much determination in the lives of people here in India, so nothing would surprise me. The odds are great, but who knows?
Our encouragement, our support, financial or through volunteerism, can make a huge difference to children such as Madhipul. It gives them a running start. The rest is up to them.
It is always amazing how children raised in horrific circumstances can display admirable resilience and courage. The smiles on their faces stand in contrast the more blasee attitude of wealthier people...
I met Madhipul (12) and his little brother Deepak (7) at the Bawana Tuition Center of HOPE worldwide just outside Delhi. The tattered rags on their backs belied the infectious joy on their faces and the devotion they show in their studies.
Madhiphul seemed very protective of his younger sibling, a phenomenon I have observed countless times as I visit the slums of India. Families stand together in the face of incredible poverty. The older kids protect the younger ones. Madhipul's story broke my heart and also gave me hope...
The two brothers come from a large family of 10 children. Their father is in bad health (andnot surprisingly battles depression) so he doesn't work. Their mother contracted tuberculosis several years ago and so is very weak physically. She cannot work either, not that this would be a possibility anyhow in this very traditional community. Women are not encouraged to work outside the home.
Madhiphul shared with me another reason the family might be grieving. A couple of years ago the brothers were running to catch a moving train. This is a very common practise here in India, and yet extremely dangerous. On Mumbai trains alone 17 people die every day. As the boys were running Madhiphul's older brother slipped and fell under the train. His body was cut to pieces right in front of his siblings.
What struck me about Madhiphul was his spirit. He had a constant smile on his face and Manoj his teacher told me how dedicated he was to his studies. Due to the fact he has never had any formal education Madhiphul has to sit in the first standard class with his younger brother. Hs infectious joy is a sight to behold. I wanted to cry as I heard Madhipul's story but I couldn't allow myself to do so as I looked into his eyes. They were full of hope.
You see, Madhipul wants to become a doctor. Whether that happens or not depends a lot on the hope living in his heart right now. I have witnessed so much determination in the lives of people here in India, so nothing would surprise me. The odds are great, but who knows?
Our encouragement, our support, financial or through volunteerism, can make a huge difference to children such as Madhipul. It gives them a running start. The rest is up to them.
Madhipul and his little brother Deepak
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