Mohammad Latif Khata and his wife Salima, from Jammu and Kashmir in India, have been enjoying every moment with their new baby daughter. Ulfat, which means love in Urdu, was born naturally at home, in Reasi district, on November 10, weighing a healthy 5 pounds 5 ounces.
As soon as Latif held his new daughter, he quickly looked her over to see if she had any marks on her body that he could see. But the new parents were very happy to find out that their little girl was healthy and had no marks on her. Latif said: “I was very worried about how my baby would look. When I saw that she was pretty and healthy, I felt a great relief. She has a beautiful face, like an angel.” Latif explained that his new daughter has brought happiness into his life after many years of sadness because of his own disfigurement.
Latif has a skin disorder called Neurofibromatosis. This means he has many flaps of skin covering his entire face, making him almost faceless. He said, “I want to forget about my past life. Being a father is a new chapter in a man’s life, and I am embracing every second of it. I will enjoy it, and I’ll now be a lot more worried about her than myself. I don’t care so much about me anymore.”
When his wife Salima found out she was expecting, the pair suffered many sleepless nights worried whether Latif would pass on his condition. Salima, who was born with just one foot, married Latif in August 2008. Latif struggled to find a wife for many years but when he met Salima, they bonded over their disabilities and finally agreed to marry.
Latif said, “We always wanted children, but we were always too scared. In the end, we took a chance, but I prayed throughout the pregnancy that we had a healthy child. I didn’t care if it was a boy or girl, as long as they didn’t have to hide their face in shame. When I finally heard my daughter’s cries, it was such a special moment, my heart was full of happiness.”
Latif and Salima would like more children, but their financial problems might not allow it. “I thank God for blessing me with a beautiful daughter, and we’d love more children. But I don’t earn enough. No parent would want their child to suffer any health problems, but they do not want them to suffer financially either.”
Latif has to ask people for money because he can’t see well enough to work. He goes to Sri Nagar, the capital of Kashmir, every year for a few months to earn money for his family. He doesn’t want to leave his daughter, but he doesn’t have a choice. He’ll have to leave in the spring to earn money for his family, and begging is the only way he can do it.
Salima thinks Latif is a great husband and will be a wonderful father. She loves being married to him and doesn’t regret it at all. She accepts him just the way he is, including his appearance, because she believes it’s how God made him.
“But thankfully, it wasn’t the same wish for our daughter. Our prayers were answered and our baby is fine. We refuse to spend any more time worrying about it now. We will live our lives happily.”
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