GREAT HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITY: A TRUE STORY OF AN ORPHAN AGEING
Ramana
With a bagful of Corns and a heart filled in with humanity, Lakshmi sells corn burnt on charcoal (open fire) sitting on the beach road. She lives depending on this income for her livelihood and survival. Humanity springs from such hearts from where God lives. This is what was proved with her humanitarian act of embracing a mentally handicapped child several years ago from her neighbor’s family.
It was almost 18 years ago, I was driving the car on the beach road and stopped getting tempted to eat the corn. Corns burnt on direct fire brings an inexplicable taste and sounds very special if consumed at ease and in a most relaxing mood. Sitting in the car I asked for the corn and the lady was busily engaged keeping the corn on the open fire. Suddenly my attention was caught on the boy sitting and peeling off the corn petals, in a most irregular manner. I felt that he is not normal. At a glance seeing his behavior, I found that he is mentally retarded and needs training at Lebenshilfe. I got off the car and walked down to the woman for more details about the boy. She apologized for the delay. I said that I can wait for a while and advised her to take care of her son. Then she said he is not her son but an orphan. His parents were her neighbors. Pity was his father left his mother and went somewhere leaving his wife and found no where till today. His mother left this boy to his fate and went elsewhere. In such a situation I took him into my arms and started giving him some rice juice, food etc out of humanity. Said the lady. With her eyes moisturized. She continued telling that his parents working on daily wage were quarreling with each other for no reason every single day for the retarded child and suddenly disappeared leaving the child to his fate. Since then I accepted his responsibility to bring him up. It was her day routine to take the child to beach road for selling the corn, her only source of income for supporting her family. As the child has no stability and disturbing her work all the time she was losing the customers quite often she added. Despite rejection from her family she continued keeping the boy with her. Slowly she started engaging him to play with the skin (petals) removed and has trained him to peel off the same which later turned into a meaningful activity. I advised her to bring him to Lebenshilfe for necessary training and thus her burden was transferred to Lebenshilfe 18 years ago. Even till today Ramana is bashful and keeps himself quiet all the time. Speaks less and follows instructions. Never disturbs anybody and very cooperative. Ramana is growing to age and being trained for a life of non-dependence with more relaxation.
Ramana, making an expression of inner feelings as he speaks only a very few words.
“I am found on seashore. Dad left my mom and mom also left me. My neighbor, a corn seller has accepted my burden and started giving care out of humanitarian grounds. Madam Sarah of Lebenshilfe accepted my total responsibility. Now I have a home (Lebenshilfe) a huge family (at Lebenshilfe) and an affectionate Mom too. (Sarah) I claim my status ‘I am not anymore an orphan’ .Lebenshilfe has taken up my responsibility and trying to give me a life with reasonable quality and human dignity.”