Carpe Diem

Baga, The father in this image, is a remarkable man.

 

Two of his children are very ill, the little girl lying in his arms has suffered terrible side effects from Dengue, she has been left almost blind, and her heart has been damaged.

 

The little boy with the bald head suffers from water on the brain, or hydrocephalus and is in need of a very expensive operation to inset a shunt to drain the water away. Neither child is expected to reach adulthood.

But Baga explained these facts to me in a calm, accepting way. He spoke of how extraordinary his children are, and what they have bought to his life, and how he is determined not to miss a moment of their companionship.

 

Padman,(with his arm on his dad's shoulder) his older boy, is thankfully fit and strong. It was Padman, who sought me out, hearing there was a photographer visiting the settlement. Being photographed appears to a singular treat here, the thrill of seeing their image on the camera's screen second to none.

 

There is a lesson in Baga's attitude..few people in life could have it rougher than him, he has hardly anything in the way of material posessions, two of his children are not expected to live, and his wife only just cheated death from the dengue outbreak herself, and was still to weak to speak with me. But Baga relentlessly focuses on the positive, dosen't lean on the bottle as so many might, but keeps his head clear so that his memories of his children may also be.

 

His last words to me as I left were 'Miss Laura...don't make my story a sad one...I am a happy and a blessed man'

 

* Please,please please no 'comment codes' - they are my pet hate! if you like my image, or even if you don't,please spare a few of your own words to tell why..I value that more than any award*

Done