Chabad Emissary Finds Abandoned Infant in Kathmandu, Uncovers Mother's Distress
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Chabad emissary Chani Lifshitz found a two-week-old baby abandoned on a Kathmandu sidewalk with her distressed mother. The mother expressed an inability to cope despite loving her child, possibly due to postpartum depression. Lifshitz arranged for a neighbor to care for the infant and is also concerned about the mother's support. The story highlights the mother's struggles after moving to the city for work.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Chabad emissary Chani Lifshitz discovered a two-week-old infant on a Kathmandu sidewalk with her overwhelmed mother.
- The mother expressed deep love for her child but felt unable to cope with the demands of care.
- Lifshitz suspects the mother may be suffering from postpartum depression and needs support.
- An elderly neighbor has agreed to care for the infant for a fee.
- Lifshitz remains concerned about the mother's emotional and practical support.
- The infant had not yet been given a name by her mother.
Chabad emissary Chani Lifshitz encountered a two-week-old infant lying on a busy sidewalk in Kathmandu, Nepal, alongside her young mother. Lifshitz, who has been in Nepal for 25 years, was deeply affected by the sight of the baby on a thin cloth, despite having witnessed significant poverty. The mother, who moved to Kathmandu from a small village seeking work and had been living in a small rented room, revealed her profound struggles in caring for her daughter. She expressed love for the baby but admitted to feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope, stating, "I get up in the morning and I don't have the strength. She cries and I don't have the strength. I know she needs me, but I just can't."
The infant had not yet been given a name, with the mother explaining she intended to choose one "tomorrow" but had been unable to for two weeks due to her exhaustion. The mother recounted her difficult return from the hospital alone after giving birth and her despair, crying with the baby at night. When asked why she hadn't sought help, she responded with confusion, "From whom?" She declined to discuss the baby's father.
Lifshitz, suspecting the mother might be suffering from postpartum depression, recognized that both mother and child needed assistance. She took on the task of caring for the infant and began searching for a long-term solution. Lifshitz managed to find an elderly neighbor willing to care for the baby in exchange for payment, and the mother has a separate room in her dwelling. However, Lifshitz remains concerned about the mother's well-being, questioning who will support her and reassure her that she is not a bad mother for her current struggles.
Initially, Lifshitz admitted to feeling angry at the mother for endangering the child, but she later realized the mother also desperately needed to be seen and supported. The emissary shared the story on Instagram, hoping to raise awareness about the complex challenges mothers can face, even when they deeply love their children.