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For those of you that don't know me or Roger, you're probably wondering why I've made a webpage devoted totally to him, so I'll tell you why. Because this man is not like anyone that I've ever met before, and would venture to say that you haven't either. We have become very good friend's through the Internet and he call's me "Kathi Diddi" which means: 'Sister' in Hindi.
If you're interested in hearing about his story, read on.
Roger was raised in a very influential family from India, but he & his parent’s had moved to London. He worked for the Christian Missionary Society in Africa for a period of 18 years. He is married and blessed with two daughters. His wife & two children left for Africa and was never seen or heard off for the past 24 years, therefore Roger was so devastated and decided to return to india where his roots were. Eventually he found his daughters on 2006 (Story). Roger's ancestors migrated to India in 1768. They first settled in Dharwad and then traveled to Bangalore, Mysore, Madras, Goa, Bengal and other towns and cities around the country. On his fathers side his family originated from Cork in Ireland. His Great Grand Father the Late James William Hayes, Senior, was so widely known in Mysore Province that his name & career become welded with the progress and prosperity of the Bangalore cantonment and the city with the progress and prosperity of the Mysore province.
On January 26, 2001, a horrible earthquake hit Bhuj, Gujarat, in India, and it was then, that was told that he must leave and go help the children that had been orphaned by this horrible act of nature. He has since, adopted 168 children and taken them under his wings, giving them shelter, food and clothing that they have so desperately needed. He has become like a father to these little ones that had no more father. Though he has helped them, mostly with all of his own, personal funds, he has also been helped greatly, by becoming a part of their lives!
To me, this has been such a wonderful and inspiring act of courage and love that I can barely contain it all! It has showed me that if we CHOOSE to sit and feel sorry for ourselves, we can do that, if that’s how we want to spend our lives, or we can choose to reach out to others with help and love. By helping others, we tend to forget about ourselves. We can have meaning, once again, as demonstrated by this wonderful human being. It has shown me that if he can overcome such great adversity in life, that we ALL can do the same, but only if we CHOOSE to! Life doesn’t have to be a burden, if we don’t want it to be.
The human spirit is much stronger than we know, and I think that if we would all take the time to examine our lives, we would discover ways that we, too, could make a difference in the world and transcend ANY adversity’s that comes up against us! I don't believe that God does thing's to us or punish us in any way, but I believe that he gives us the tools we need to grow when great tragedy's strike our lives. Please remember this story, as you walk through life, and if you ever feel that you just can’t go on, remember Roger and how he turned his life completely around with love and compassion for all of mankind. We ALL have an inner saint dwelling within us if we would only seek it out!
1. Roger
2. Roger's Daughter Samantha
3. Roger's Daughter Kadijah
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