On April 30, 1976, a two pound baby boy was born on the streets of Calcutta, India. He was abandoned there by a mother who was likely starving, and certainly without any means to care for him.

Mother TeresaÕs Sisters of Charity had an orphanage there in Calcutta, and this tiny, frail baby boy was rescued and brought there, where the nuns named him Krishna. For the next five years, Krishna thrived under the care of these warm, patient, kind women, and at five years old, he was a healthy, beautiful child. However, he had cerebral palsy, and could not speak, or help himself in any way. This had prevented him from being adopted.

Mother Teresa herself took an interest in him at this point. She must have seen the sparkle in his eyes, the understanding within his weak little body. She held him on her lap on an airplane to an orphanage in New Delhi so he would have more of a chance to be adopted. He could not walk, but his eyes displayed much awareness. In his immigration photo, his eyes are wide with bewilderment and uncertainty. It was undoubtedly the first time his picture had ever been taken.

I had never given any thought to adopting a child from another country, because there are so many here. But at an adoption meeting, my friends who excitedly and successfully adopted from overseas were passing around pictures. When I saw this little boyÕs picture, and realized he had been waiting for five long years, all I knew was that here was a child of my heart. I could give him a better life. A good life. We would be just the family for him. He would fit in so well. Four of my children attended a school for the orthopedically handicapped, which was full of children from other countries. The school could deal well with a child from New Delhi, and help me communicate with him. The ShrinerÕs Hospital would give all his medical care free. I looked into every aspect.

I knew I could put him on S.S.I., but had no intentions of doing so. It seemed only right that we share with this little boy, without asking our country for anything. Just as if he were born to me. So I set out to adopt him.