a day old. The infants were brought back to the house, cleaned, fed, and
given medical treatment, as many suffered from malnutrition and tuber-
culosis. Those that survived were dressed in green-and-white checked
clothing, then placed in boxes, packing crates, or even on the floor.
Those who were too sick were held lovingly by the sisters until they
died. Like the home for the dying, Mother Teresa wanted these small in-
fants and children to be cleansed, held, and loved, even though death
was imminent. As crowded as the Shishu Bhavan was, Mother Teresa
never turned away a child, even if it meant that infants slept three to a
cot; for those fighting for their life, a box heated by a light bulb was
used.
By 1958, the Missionaries of Charity had established Shishu Bhavans
to care for more than 90 children. In addition, Mother Teresa accepted a
government grant that provided 33 rupees for each child. But after a few
months of working within the government guidelines, Mother Teresa de-
cided to stop taking the grant money. She believed she could do just as
well spending 17 rupees per child; this allowed her to take in more chil-
dren and provide them with the care they needed.
Besides seeking out children themselves, the Missionaries of Charity
also sent letters to all medical clinics and nursing homes in Calcutta, stat-
ing that they would welcome any child without a home. Periodically,
young pregnant women, many of whom had been cast out of their homes,
would show up at a Shishu Bhavan seeking refuge. The sisters took them
in, and the expectant mothers worked in the homes until they gave birth.
If for some reason the new mother could not care for her child, the sisters
took the child, but only as a last resort. The home also acted as an after-
noon high school for young boys who would otherwise have been on the
streets learning to rob and steal.CARING FOR THE CHILDREN
As with many of her undertakings, Mother Teresa chose a practical ap-
proach in overseeing the Shishu Bhavans. She firmly believed in teaching
the older children a skill or giving them a practical education that would
allow them to make their way in the world. Among the first things she did
when opening the home was to acquire some old typewriters. She taught
some of the older girls how to type with the hope that they could find sec-
retarial jobs. The sisters also taught carpentry for boys and needlework for
girls. Because Mother Teresa’s schools were not recognized by the govern-
ment, nor would the Calcutta schools accept the children unless they paid
tuition or fees, she depended on the largesse of benefactors to sponsor the
SHISHU BHAVAN AND SHANTINAGAR 81