Why does the child slumber in the grasp of beggars? Have you ever pondered this question?
Several months ago, I stumbled upon an article of unknown authorship. Despite the lack of attribution, we took the initiative to verify its credibility with our followers in Bangkok and Cambodia. Astonishingly, it appears to hold truth, and the plea is straightforward – extend assistance to beggars through food and water, not monetary donations. Any form of help concerning their basic needs is appreciated, but exercise caution, refraining from handing out large bills that perpetuate the begging industry. It is essential to discern whom to aid and how to assist, making decisions based on a thorough understanding of the situation.
A woman of indeterminate age sits near the metro station, her disheveled and grimy hair obscuring her bowed head, an aura of sorrow enveloping her. Seated on the filthy floor next to her is a bag, into which people toss money. In her hands, a two-year-old child sleeps, clad in a dirty hat and clothes.
The scene is reminiscent of the iconic "Madonna with baby," prompting numerous passers-by to contribute money. People, often empathetic towards those less fortunate, are willing to part with their last shirt or the final penny in their pocket without a second thought. Helping others feels like a virtuous deed.
For a month, I walked past this beggar, refraining from providing any money due to my awareness of it being a gang-operated scam. The funds collected by the beggar would ultimately benefit those controlling beggars in the area, who owned numerous luxury properties and cars. The beggar, in turn, received meager compensations, such as "a bottle of vodka in the evening and a döner kebab." However, a month later, a shocking revelation awaited me as I stood near the busy crossing.
Observing the baby in the beggar's arms, dressed in the same perpetually dirty tracksuit, I questioned the appropriateness of finding a child in a squalid underground station day in and day out. The baby remained consistently asleep, never crying or wailing, always burying its face in the woman's knee, presumably its mother.
Reflecting on the sleep patterns of children aged 1, 2, or 3, I realized the anomaly of this child sleeping all the time. In a month of daily visits to the underground station, the child never once woke up. As I scrutinized the tiny figure, I became suspicious and questioned the beggar about the child's perpetual slumber.
The beggar feigned ignorance, avoiding eye contact and burying her face in the collar of her tattered jacket. Undeterred, I pressed for an answer, but she responded with a dismissive "F *** off." A passer-by intervened, chastising me for questioning the beleaguered woman and contributing coins to her bag. The beggar, adopting an air of humility and universal grief, made a cross with her hand in gratitude.
Curiosity persisted, and I sought information from a friend, a Romanian man with a penchant for expensive cars despite limited education. To my dismay, he disclosed that the beggar was part of an organized business run by criminal networks. The children involved were either "rented" from families of alcoholics or outright stolen.
Desperate to understand why the baby was always sleeping, I learned the shocking truth from my friend. The child was sedated with vodka or drugs to prevent it from crying throughout the day. Children's bodies, incapable of handling such substances, often succumbed to the shock, resulting in tragic deaths, sometimes occurring during the "working day." The ersatz mothers were then obligated to hold another lifeless child until evening, following the rules of this macabre business. Passers-by, oblivious to the grim reality, continued to contribute money, thinking they were aiding a destitute mother.
The next day, armed with journalistic resolve, I returned to the same underground station. Instead of the same beggar and child, a different child rested in her hands. Inquiring about the child's documents and the whereabouts of the previous day's child yielded no response from the beggar. Passers-by deemed my questions ludicrous, and I was escorted out of the station in disgrace. Calling the police proved futile, as the beggar and the baby had vanished.
When encountering women with children begging in subways or on the streets, contemplate before parting with your money. Consider that without the constant influx of handouts, businesses like these would wither away. By withholding your contributions, you could potentially save children from the perilous effects of alcohol or drug-induced sedation. Look beyond the seemingly peaceful slumber of the child, and recognize the underlying horror. By reading this article, you now understand why a child sleeps in the hands of beggars.
Author: Unknown
P.S. If you choose to share this article, your friends will be made aware too. The next time you contemplate donating to a beggar with a sleeping child, remember that such charity could inadvertently cost another child's life.
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