Even though many Catholic charities were active in this area and Cal-
cutta had a number of orphanages, the number of children on the streets
were growing too quickly for these groups to manage.SHISHU BHAVAN
To Mother Teresa, the sight of so many unloved children was heart-
breaking. It was not enough to rescue as many children as possible from
the streets, the gutters, the garbage heaps, and the alleyways. What was
needed was a refuge where the children could be taken, nurtured, and
loved. For Mother Teresa, these children were nothing less than a symbol
of the Christ child. Although other charities in Calcutta did their best to
deal with the problem, it was clear that they needed help. As with Nirmal
Hriday, Mother Teresa had once again identified a problem that was caus-
ing the city officials of Calcutta a great deal of embarrassment. As a result
of her previous successes, she received recognition and cooperation from
the highest offices in the city.
During one of her many forays through the city, Mother Teresa made
the acquaintance of Dr. B. C. Roy, Chief Minister of West Bengal and a
medical doctor. Dr. Roy often gave free consultations at his home office
and Mother Teresa lined up with the rest of the poor every day at 6 A.M.
More often than not, her requests were political, rather than medical. She
told the doctor about the needs for water or electricity in a slum area that
she had visited. Dr. Roy dutifully wrote memos to the official responsible,
informing him of the problem. In time, he began to pay closer attention
to the tiny nun who showed such great concern for the poor of his city. He
then told her to come to his office, where he helped open the doors of var-
ious city offices to her. Mother Teresa now could call on him freely; in
turn, Dr. Roy trusted her completely. With his help, she began to imple-
ment her latest project for the children of the poor.
And so it was on September 23, 1955, Mother Teresa opened the first
Shishu Bhavan, a home for children. Located near Creek Lane, and just a
short walk from the Motherhouse, the small unpainted bungalow was the
first of several children’s homes established by the Missionaries of Charity.
Like Nirmal Hriday, the sisters had to clean the house thoroughly to get it
ready for its new occupants. Though the house was small, it opened into a
spacious courtyard; Mother Teresa had rented the home from a Muslim
who had left the city.
When the first Shishu Bhavan was ready, the sisters went about in
search of residents. They did not have to look far; most everywhere they
went, they found children in need, many of them infants, some not even
80 MOTHER TERESA