We first met this girl in one of the slums where we had gathered the children together for Bible class and singing. In one of the meetings she came and sat with other children and we noticed that her feet were eaten by rats and her clothes were just dirty rags. Others told us that this girl had two brothers, but nobody was really taking care of them. Their father had died in a work accident and their mother Pramilla was mentally overwhelmed and unable to take care of the children. No relatives or friends were available to lend a helping hand. In the slum demolition of 2000, they lost their house. For a long time they lived out in the open, totally cut off from roof and root. Bastine’s younger sister, called Ujvala, who was a twin to Roshan, died while they were living without shelter, and ants came and began to eat her little body. When others saw this dead child, they did nothing to extend a helping hand. The other children were not old enough to understand what had happened to their little sister. Bastine’s mother became so emotionally disturbed, she was unable to function normally.
When we met her, we noticed she was weak and weary, and desperately struggling to survive. She was working on a building site, carrying concrete and cement sacks on head from one place to another, and sometimes even to the second and third floor. She was hardly earning 50 rupees per day and was not getting work every day.
Bastine went to work as a domestic servant in a house in the city, and also lived there. Her mistress severely abused her, and then brought her back to the street. Her mother did not know what had happened to Bastine, or that she had a T B infection in her spine.
Though we ourselves were struggling to survive, we felt compelled by the love of God to take these children in. So we took Antony, Roshan and Bastine to our home. When we brought Bastine to our house, she smelled of dirt, and had puss in the ears. Rats had been knawing at her feet, she had a cough, and she also had trouble breathing. She was not able to bend her body
because of severe stiffnesss in her backbone. We took her to our doctor to see about her cough. It was then that we discovered that T. B. had infected her vertebrae. She was sent for further examination, and the doctors said she needed spinal surgery as soon as possible. We admitted her to hospital on 17 th August 2002, and she was kept under close observation for some time. Finally, an MRI scan was done on 30th Sept. 2002.
We remember so well when the doctors told us “If we don’t do the surgery soon, she will loose her ability to walk, and will die because of the TB.” So.they asked us to sign a release, guaranteeing that we would not make any claim if the surgery was not successful, because it was so risky. There was no guarantee that she would walk again. We believed the Lord would bring her through this operation, and save her life.
The day of her surgery was October 25 th 2002. We prayed over Bastine before she went into the operating room at 8 a. m., and continued to pray all day until the operation was over at 4:30 p. m. It was a success. Bastine was cold and pale when she came out, but she was able to move her hands and legs on request. We praise God for this miracle. The Lord was evidently the real surgeon in this operation.
Slowly she started improving and was eventually discharged from the hospital. We brought her to our home and looked after her. She lay on a bed in the upstairs room for more that six months, after which she slowly started sitting up. Little by little her health improved and she started walking with supports. On July 14th 2003 she underwent a second operation to take out part of the steel support. After that surgery she was greatly improved in her walking and other activities. She started going to school, studied well, and passed the exams. She was supposed to go to the grade two, but we took admission for her in the fifth grade because of her age. She still has to go for another operation to remove the rest of the steel support from her back. In the mean time, she goes for a medical check up every two weeks. Last week she underwent some medical observation and blood test. Sixth July, 2004 she will be admitted in the hospital for the next surgery. Kindly uphold her in prayer for a successful operation and speedy recovery.
Please pray for the development of this girl in every walks of life – spiritually, mentally and physically.
Last year she passed the std VII. Now we have settled her with her mother in Kandivali East and she is studying in VIII.
