The ‘appachan’ who picked him from road and gave him a life

By Express News Service
PATHANAMTHITTA: “I was eagerly waiting to take my four-month-old son Juvan to show him to ‘Appachan’ once the latter recovered from his poor health condition.  But today (Wednesday) morning, I came to know of the shocking news that I never wanted to hear. He is gone. I feel I am standing alone in a big street like a child who lost his guardian,” says T Subramanian, 30, a local of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. 

On Wednesday, He struggled to seek out phrases to explain the benevolence of Appachan — Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma Valiya Metropolitan. For him, Mar Chrysostom was his residing God. He saved Subramanian and his dad and mom from the streets of Tiruvalla, the place they spent sleepless nights because of the assault of drunkards. Subramanian and fogeys Siddaya and Seethamma reached Tiruvalla from their native place when he was simply 11 following household points.

“We lived the life of beggars. In the daytime, we begged in the street to satisfy our growling belly. I feared each night. Drunkards would come at night while we slept on the verandahs of shops. They would attack us and take away the money we got from begging. Living such a life had become impossible for us,” says Subramanian.

One day in 2003, their future was rewritten. It was only a week earlier than Christmas. “Authorities of YMCA Tiruvalla requested us to succeed in there as Appachan wished to offer meals and attire to the folks staying on the road. All of us reached there. Among us, there have been nomads talking Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. When we had been eagerly ready for meals, Appachan got here and mentioned in Malayalam that he wished to offer new attire and meals to us provided that we gave him half of its worth in a humorous method. The nomads from different states couldn’t perceive him.

But I knew Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada. I translated his phrases after which the folks, who got here with us, replied that they didn’t need meals and attire however solely wished what they obtained freed from price. I informed Appachan that these folks solely learn about receiving issues and never giving something to others. Then Appachan laughed at me and requested for my particulars,” he mentioned. 

“After a week, as per his invitation, I reached his office. I requested him for a house of my own. He bought a piece of land and constructed a home for us. He sent me to a private institution and I completed high school and Plus Two. He then helped me get a job in YMCA Vikas School. He also came and blessed me when I married Ancy Varghese, a native of Tiruvalla. My parents died because of age-related ailments. At present, my wife and I are staying with my two children in the house constructed by my Appachan,” concluded Subramanian, unable to battle again tears.