Pavan Anthony . J- HK 98

A Light into the Midst of Darkness! Hi, I am Pavan Anthony .J and I am hereby happy to express my gratitude to my sponsor, ASHA Charitable Trust and Caritas Hradec Kralove. My success itself is the gratitude to them.

I am a son of a poor farmer. My life was in the midst of troubles and difficulties. I was like a frog in the well. I was finding difficult in figuring out the world through studies. There came the "Asha Trust and Caritas Hradec Kralove" who lifted me and provided a great support in my life.

I finished my 4thstandard in my native village called Harobele and shifted to Tiptur for my Primary School. My parents were poor. Slowly my family found it difficulty in supporting my studies as my brother and sister too join the school. I thought that my study life would end because my parents were not affording to pay even half of my fees. So mentally I was prepared to discontinue my studies. At that time my life was on a two boats waiting for my parents to take decision of my life. The in charge of my boarding was about to send me to my village like a punched ball thrown to dustbin. I was called to meet her and I expressed my sufferings to them, she was deeply touched and asked me go to chapel and pray to God to help me out through this sufferings. I cried bitterly in front of him and I think my tears washed some of dirt on the floor. After some hours of praying I went to have my food. My friends were pity on me because I travelled too long for my studies and my effort would go in vein.

After few days some fathers and sisters came to my boarding, after finishing my school hours I went to boarding and saw them. My boarding warden called me and introduced me to them, they heard all my story as it was filled with mixture of joy and sorrow. They had pity on me and asked my native place and the reason to travel so long to study. I said them that I was there to achieve something in my life and should stand among others without underestimating me and my family. They came to know my difficulties and they happily accepted to help for my studies through ASHA Trust which is run by our Archbishop with the help of some good foreign donors.

I was thrilled to know that I would be helped by them to continue my studies and it was an awesome experience for me and suddenly a proverb came to my mind that is "Live for nothing and Die for something". Immediately I rushed to our boarding warden and thanked her and went to chapel to thank God for hearing my humble prayer and granting me study, through ASHA Trust. Immediately a thought came ‘Have a vision. It is the ability to see the invisible. If you can see the invisible, you can achieve the impossible’. This thought struck me and encouraged me to achieve my dreams in my life. From then on my aim was to excel and I should be completely dedicated towards my studies. This was all because of ASHA Trust and Caritas Hradec Kralove which made my burden less.

I got good marks in my Primary School and came to Bangalore to study my High School. Here also I was encouraged by ASHA Trust and Caritas Hradec Kralove in my studies. I was very grateful for them for providing me an opportunity to enjoy my childhood days. Because of the help I got I could stand among others, and I got dignity among the other students. I was never ignored or ill-treated because ignorance is always afraid of change. ASHA staff was happy to help me and also other children of the trust because ‘happiness is in heart, not in the circumstances’.

"Ideas shape the course of history" this was true in my life because the idea of our Archbishop changed the course of history to many of children like me. I finished my 10thstandard and went to seminary which inspired me from my childhood especially after joining the Asha Trust it became more as I was keen to help others as I was helped by my sponsors. Now I finished my PUC and studying the degree course and after that I will be joining major seminary for my priestly studies

I was like a candle without fire, like Sim without currency, like the food without salt and the child without parents, but after Asha Trust and Caritas Hradec Kralove came into my life I was brightened among others and got the ability to withstand among the crisis of my life.

I am humbly very grateful and thankful for our Archbishop who is the founder of ASHA Trust as well as the staff who looked after us as their own family and provided us time to time financial and arranging some camp for get-together which made more friends for me all around Bangalore.

This was all because of God given donors who are very loving towards us and providing their help to us in their savings. I thank them for their support and wish them a great success. Let God shower his blessings on them and be with them all through their life journey as they were following his teaching and spreading the good news through arms giving.

Thanking you for all your support and please continue to help children like me.

Pavan Anthony .J

HK- 98