Appreciation From Hindu

Making A Difference – Large-hearted Joseph and his family

The large Benziger family that has redefined love and care
June 15, 2011 07:15 pm | Updated August 17, 2016 09:20 pm IST

SOMA BASU

Several urban surveys show that modern-day couples are either delaying childbirth or think twice before having a second child. Many are content with none or one given either their busy work schedule that leaves them with no time for parenting or it boils down to the question of affordability.

But here is one individual, right in our temple town, who has two dozen children, has raised 473 children so far since 1987 and wants to bring up a thousand children. Joseph Benziger may not be the biological father of these kids but as a foster father his love and care for all these poor or orphaned children has been more than what these young hearts could have asked for. And he insists, that he “does not run an orphanage”. “It is my home where I bring them up. There is a difference,” he asserts.

Indeed. There are surprises in store when you visit the “Bethany Children’s Home” in Arasaradi.

It is like any other ordinary home where two dozen children make all the noise they can. But it is also a place where discipline too comes calling; Where love and warmth overflows; Where without any domestic help, each member of the family shares work and contributes in running the large family. It is a home that has connected and integrated children from the age of three to 16 years coming from different economic status into one large unit.

Watching them play, sharing their joy, helping their parents, it is difficult to guess that they are not siblings by blood. Just two months ago, they had an addition following a phone call from Karpayuruni police station wanting to hand over a three year old girl baby who can neither speak nor hear. She was found loitering near Pandi Koil when a nearby tea kiosk owner took pity on her. But she couldn’t fend her for long and sought help from the police

Joseph has named her Abhinaya and within no time, she has become the darling of the family, especially her father now dotes on her. He is making visits to ENT and neurosurgeons to find out whether the child can be treated for her disability.

Says Joseph with all humility: “My children get everything they want. We have never seen affluence but have experienced happiness.”

His wife, Rosary, like any typical mother, has taken upon herself the task of bathing and feeding the children, washing their clothes. She prepares breakfast and dinner for all her 25 kids, bathes them each morning and sends them off to school. “The morning rush hour is obviously one chaotic moment in the household, but the elder ones help the younger ones to get ready. They also help me in cleaning the house, cutting vegetables and other small errands,” she shares.

Their daughter, Amli, helps the children with homework and exam preparations after returning from office. Says Joseph, he was lucky enough to find this house with a Government-aided school (Rajam Vidyalayam) within walking distance. “I don’t have to spend for their transportation and they get their mid-day meal in school.”

When Joseph left pastorship in Thoothookudi and came to Madurai in 1987, his agenda was clear. Having joined the Catholic Diocese of Tuticorin at the age of 17 years, he wanted to “do something more tangible.” He had the opportunity of close interaction with the fishermen’s community learning about their nomadic existence with every good catch and how their children suffered good education and a good life because of this.

Joseph first arrived in Madurai with a 10 year old boy who had lost his father and his mother was too poor to fund his education and a girl from Rameswaram. He got them admitted to the school and took care of them as his own children. When they returned to their respective villages during summer vacation, they told all about their loving foster parents and in fact returned with half a dozen children more.

Gradually as the word spread, more children from Madurai started entering his family. “My landlord was very kind, when he saw my family expanding, he offered to sell his house. It was a boon as he let me pay the amount over four years. We modified it according to our requirements.”

At any given time, Joseph and Rosary have at least 25 children with them of all ages, who leave either after middle or high school in search of jobs. For the brighter children, Joseph even tries to arrange for their college education with the help of sponsors. All his elder children who were with him in the initial struggling years are now settled and occasionally send their “daddy” donations to continue to take care of the large family.

“Once I bring them here, they get everything free, food, shelter, education, clothes. I don’t expect anything in return from my children. My aim is to take them out of their misery and poverty and provide them with an opportunity to lead a good quality life. It is my dream to do so for 1,000 children.”

If there are more Josephs around with the same purpose in life, what a difference it would make to society.

(Making a difference is a fortnightly column about ordinary people and events that leave an extraordinary impact on us. E-mail to >somabasu@thehindu.co.in to tell about someone you know who is making a difference)