ONE STEP AT A TIME

“He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge, his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalm 91

Take the road less travelled and sometimes one chances on an oasis. The Divine Home for the orphaned is one such place. Located on a plot of 5 acres of land, converted partially into a farm from which vegetables are procured, the openness and serene atmosphere makes it a paradise for the impoverished seeking solace.

Vincent Reddy who founded the Divine Charitable Trust in January 2005 is the perfect example of a modern age Samaritan. His father’s sudden demise led to the financial and emotional responsibility of supporting two kids onto his mother. Not well educated and with hardly any relatives willing to support, she turned all her energy and hope towards farming on whatever little land they possessed. The money she earned from this in turn was spent on their upbringing and education.

Vincent finished his primary schooling at the village he grew up in, under very stringent conditions. He completed his intermediate at Nidadavole. He graduated at a Government college in Warangal where he did his B.A. Literature and then started taking tuitions simultaneously to fund his own education. Later with the help of his brother he finished with doing a MBA in Satara, Pune.

Watching his mother toil so hard and having to deal with various adversities made him realize that he had to go beyond just being another face in the crowd. Growing up without a father figure, Vincent constantly felt the vacuum and spiritually turned inwards seeking a mentor. He realized that he could find a father in God and from then on he was at peace.

With his basic completion of education, Vincent took up a job with Kinetic Finance. His goal behind taking up a job was less financial and more altruistic. With the aim to purely help another needy being, even with an initial salary of Rs. 2,500 he went on to sponsor the education of a child from his village.

When he decided to get married, he was very particular about his partner being someone who could understand his philosophy and also blend in with his background. Aruna, was just eighteen when Vincent met her and was all supportive of his decision.

In 1993, he attended a Mother Theresa’s convention in Chennai, and her words “whatever you do for the poorest of poor is serving God” was inspirational enough and already a credo Vincent followed. But the message went on to become an echo in every step that he took in his life. In October 2003 he left his regular job to start up his own small time business and whatever profit he acquired went into the upkeep of the orphanage. Established in 2005, the Divine Charitable Trust became Vincent’s tribute to Mother Theresa’s words, which instilled a sense of responsibility in him towards those lesser fortunate.

Vincent went on to adopt widows, lepers and destitute people who had to resort to begging to get going for another day. He tries to reform them by providing with the basic amenities whenever required on a monthly basis.

One of the most touching sight was this man Rajanna they found on the street, who was without any memory and in an unhealthy condition. Vincent took him to his charitable home and helped him to become an identity, people would accept without looking away. Clothed and in good health, Rajanna today walks around with a sense of belonging at the Divine Home for the Orphan Children.

The Trust members conducts a survey on a regular basis and goes out and out to help people with absolutely no income or aid on any level. Most of them are actually ousted by society. The Trust periodically has various camps where they do medical check ups and also go out of their way in teaching basic hygiene.

Vincent lives by his ideology that, “we should live a life earning enough for our requirements and helping those less fortunate with at least 10 per cent of our earning.” Despite having two kids of their own, Aruna is also very emphatic about that fact that she is the mother to all the orphans they have adopted and look after! This orphanage feels more like home than an institution and is best stated by the happy, eager faces one sees around!
These children living in this home are looked after by Vincent’s Uncle Prakash Reddy and close relatives when he not around.

Confident and full of optimism, without resorting to any media hype or the usual public adulation, Vincent and Aruna’s ever smiling and warm disposition makes them a beacon of hope for just any destitute looking for angels in disguise.