Worries of a Sick Orphan in Attapadi (Part 1 of 2)

Worries of a Sick Orphan in Attapadi (Part 1 of 2)

If you were from a financially sound family, and you became ill, you typically worry mainly about your illness. But you have the confidence that you can go to the best doctors and get you illness cured.

Let's go one step backward. Now consider, you were not from a financially sound family and you became ill, you not only worry about your illness, but also about the cost of treatment. But you have the confidence that your parents will somehow manage to get the money for the treatment.

Let's go one more step backward. Now consider you were not from a financially sound family, you were an orphan and you became ill, you not only worry about your illness, the cost of treatment, but also about the absence of moral and financial support from your parents to handle the treatment. But you still can have the confidence that there are many good Samaritans around your orphanage and they will help you to get the money for the treatment.

Let's go one more step backward. Now consider you were not from a financially sound family, you were an orphan, you belonged to a place like Attapadi where there are not many believers and supporters to support your orphanage and you became ill, you not only worry about your illness, the cost of treatment, the absence of your parents, but also the source of money and support for the treatment.

In short a lot of things to worry about. Wondered why I would portray life as a struggle. Only because this is the cross roads where Sachu and Sneha, two orphans at the St. Gregorios Bala Bhavan, Attapadi stand, in the hope that Lord's Angels will help them take care some of these worries so that they can live a life that is at least closer to a normal life.

Sachu is 3 years old. Sneha is 5 years old. Sachu is the younger brother of Sneha. Their parents were from a very poor family. Sachu and Sneha where born with two birth defects: unable to hear (Deaf) and unable to speak (Dumb). Their parents knew it would cost a lot to treat Sachu & Sneha. Unable to live up to the needs of the family, desperation led to their parents ending up their lives. This brought Sachu and Sneha into the hands of the caretakers of St.Gregorios Bala Bhavan, Attapadi.

The caretakers of St.Gregorios Bala Bhavan, Attapadi had two choices. First, do nothing and let the two children suffer for the next 70-80 years. Second, treat them at a cost, that's unbearable by any orphanage. The only way they could have chosen option 2 is to pray to the lord and trust in the Almighty Father that he will show them the means. They trusted the Lord and they choose the second option.

They are planning to have a surgery and a cochlear implant for Sachu and Sneha. The total cost is estimated at 12 lakhs.

For a moment, let's put ourselves in Sachu and Sneha's shoes and think if this was one of our own children, which option, would we choose. We have the choice to become the Lord’s angels. Will we?

(To be continued...)

Thanks,
Rajesh
St. Gregorios Orthodox Church, Austin, TX


Source: ICON Article http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/12613