Something in their eyes...

When we walked back to the car yesterday, after summer school, we came across this cute little baby boy. He was in his mother's lap and surrounded by 5 or 6 women.

 

Sometimes it is hard to tell whether a baby is a boy or a girl. This one is wearing what I would consider a girl's top and the ankle bracelets would hint towards a girl too, but as you can see, it is a boy. An innocent new life, born in a slum in Bangalore, too soon to now what he will become in life, too soon to know if I should feel sorry for him. For all I know he could be the future prime minister of India. He could be the one that makes a difference. Let's pray he is, despite all the odds against him!

Just a bit down the same road these children were asking me to take their photo. The older two had lost the innocence in their eyes that little ones still have. These children looked and behaved like street kids. They were in my face and quite demanding. What has happened in their lives that they have become this way?
It is too easy to just blame life in the slum, but I do think it is a large part of it. The children here see and hear too much and have to grow up very fast. They have to look after themselves a lot of the time. No money, no food, no toys and even no education for some. Life is not pretty.

There is something in their eyes that changes over time......