Guest Blogger – Nick Taylor

THE STORY OF PARVATI AND MALESH  

They are 6 and 16 years old and live in Bombay. Their story shook me.

In 2006, a drunk driver killed their mother, orphaning them (their father had died years before). They were separated and sent to live with different family members. The family Parvati was placed with treated her terribly; she was rarely fed and forced to live outside. Under these conditions she developed a serious case of tuberculosis which remained untreated. Once Malesh discovered her condition he promptly brought her to live with him and the family he was staying with. This new family refused to support two children, especially one who required medical attention, so Parvati and Malesh were sent into the streets of Bombay, alone.

With no money or guidance, Malesh singlehandedly cared for Parvati as her condition worsened. For over a year he fought to keep her alive, begging for food and money while they sought shelter in countless alleys, sidewalks, and slums. During this time, Parvati’s condition worsened to the point where she frequently lost consciousness as her tiny body began to fail.

One day, while they were both living on the beach under an overturned boat, a local fisherman discovered them and sent them to One! International. Tania raised the necessary medical funds through private donations and Parvati was admitted to a hospital. Upon admittance, her prognosis was grim as doctors didn’t think she would live through the week. But she did. One week turned into two; months passed, and she just got healthier and healthier until she was able to come home to the new family she and her brother had found at One! International.

Parvati stole my heart the second I met her. A happy, sprightly, little pixie with a gleaming smile who needed no introduction to climb up and into my arms. She spoke no English but with certain children you can communicate with just the right mix of jokes and gestures.

When I heard the story of her and Malesh my heart was frustrated with a kind of anger I had never felt before. I wondered how anyone could ever leave this little angel to die in the streets, and how many other countless children endured a similar fate throughout the world. When traveling in certain places, you can try to prepare for the tragedy you’re likely to witness but I never could have prepared for the despair I felt from hearing about her injustice. Its different when its someone you love.

The epic element of this story is that Malesh kept her alive on the streets for over a year, by himself, and, as a person, he is all smiles. One would think that this life would’ve hardened him into a loathsome mess, but he couldn’t possibly be a more genuinely sweet and wonderful person. If he doesn’t harbor any anger or hatred then how could I?

Their story struck me the way it did because it encompasses the very spectrum of humanity. Their experience definitely reflects the world’s potential for cruelty but at the same time this is really a story about kindness, compassion, and ultimately the triumph of the human spirit. The work of Tania, Marilyn, and the staff of One! is what makes these happy endings possible.