In March ’99, soon after our wedding in India, we walked
into Vaidehi Ashram (Girls’ orphanage) in Hyderabad. We
spent some time with the kids and saw the kind of relationship
that these children have with each other and also with their
guardian.
From a materialistic point of view, all kids were well dressed,
appeared to be very happy and looked to be very well treated.
From a personality point of view, these kids possessed excellent
self-confidence in themselves and in their future. Those bright
and shiny eyes were not afraid of this cruel world. The girls
were very bright in their studies, very polite in their behavior
and extremely confident in what they wanted to be. We had
seen so many girls living in perfectly normal families, with
every chance to become someone great, but for some reason
or other didn’t have any real motivation or aspiration
to take advantage of their privileged lives. Due to the affection,
compassion and self-respect that these 29 girls were getting
in this little sanctuary, they are going to be successful
in their lives. After our visit, we felt that the money we
spent on Vaidehi Ashram was the best we had ever spent. Actually,
it is more like investing rather than spending. Investing
in the future of a child. The return on this investment will
be much greater and more satisfying than any other investment
we had ever made.
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