S l ow l y s te a d i l y I l e a rnt bus ine s s , b e hind m y s tre e t
s h op th e re w a s a Chine s e s hop a nd tha t us e d to
be o pe n ti l l l a te night, I w e nt the re a nd a s k e d for
j ob, the g uy ov e r the re look e d a t m e , I w e nt the re
to th e e x p e c ta ti o n of c le a ning of ute ns ils but he
ga v e m e the j ob o f c hopping c hine s e foods ..
Th e s e a l l w e nt for fe w m onths , a nd I s ta rte d
e a rni ng s om e m one y but I r e a lly w a nte d to
up gra de m y s e l f, a nd I w a s pe rs is te ntly doing it.
I n 1 9 9 7 M c Don a l ds c a m e in to India , Firs t s tore got
op e n e d i n Ba nd ra link ing roa d, I r e a d in ne w s
pa pe r a nd I w e n t for J ob the re ..
BC: How w a s y ou r journe y a fte r y ou got firs t
a r ti fi c i a l l i m b ?
V R: The fi r s t thi ng I le a rne d a fte r ge ttin g m y
a r ti fi c i a l l i m b w a s c y c le , I le a r ne d it in jus t 4
da y s . . As I w a s l i v ing in NG O , s o I u s e d to ge t
e a r l y , the r e w a s a ne w s pa pe r s e lle rs ne a r m y
NG O , I w e nt the r e a nd a s k e d the dis tributors , I
w a nt to d i s tr i b ute ne w s pa pe rs , He a gre e d a nd I
s ta r te d di s tr i b uti n g ne w s pa pe r s , b ut tha t w a s n't
e n ough the n w i th ne w s pa pe r s I s ta rte d
di s tr i buti n g m i l k a ls o, but a fte r a ll this a ls o I
w a s n't e a rni ng m uc h a nd I w a s n't a ble to
c o ntri b ute m uc h to m y fa m ily .
Th e n I m e t o ne G uja r a ti fe llow w ho ha d one s tre e t
s h op, w he re he u s e d to s e ll s oc k s . I s ta rte d
s e l l i ng tha t s o c k s , initia lly tha t w a s tough but
tha t guj a ra ti fe l l o w took m e to othe r s tre e t s hops
a n d m a k e m e te a c h how to s e ll s tre e t produc ts .
S o on I s ta rte d m a k ing good m one y a nd m y life
c h a nge d a fte r th a t.
Th e re w a s a form s y s te m in the r e , w hic h I ha d to
fi l l up , i n tha t for m the re w a s a tic k of Able a nd
Di s a bl e , s o I ti c k e d Dis a ble . As a pr im e a nd
re pute d fa s t foo d c ha in the y didn't w a nt to hir e
a n y di s a b l e d pe o ple , s o m y for m got re je c te d
w i thou t e v e n i n te rv ie w ing m e . But be for e I le ft
th e re I g a th e re d c oura ge a nd I m e t tha t la dy s ta ff
w ho w a s i nte rv i e w ing, I a s k e d he r to giv e m e a
c h a nc e a n d tr y m e for a t le a s t one w e e k , a fte r one
w e e k i f y o u d on 't fe e l I a m fit for job the n s a c k m e .
S h e l ook e d a t m e a nd a s k e d y ou look w e ll, w ha t's
y o ur di s a bi l i ty ? I pulle d m y le ft le g je a n up a nd
s h ow e d m y a rti fi c ia l le g, s he got s tunne d, a bd
s a i d b ut y o u l o ok pe rfe c tly ok a y , only if y ou s a y
s o the n o nl y p e o ple w ill c om e to k now a bout y our
di s a bi l i ty .
S h e de c i de d to tr y m e out a nd ga v e m e job. By
G od 's g ra c e , I s ta r te d e x c e lling in m y job a nd s oon
a fte r a l m os t a y e a r I got prom otion a s w e ll a nd
a l m os t the n othe r c olle a gue s of m ine c a m e to
k n ow a bo ut m y d is a bility .
Be l i e v e m e w i th G od's he lp a nd ble s s ings m onth
a fte r m onth a nd y e a r a fte r y e a r I s ta rte d e x c e lling
a n d be c a m e a go od hum a n.. onc e u pon a tim e of
ga ngs te r to a w hi te c olla r guy .
W h e n I c a m e to k n ow a bout the c hine s e s ta ll
w he re I u s e d w ork for food, w a s on s a le , I a s k e d
th a t guy , ho w m uc h y ou a r e s e lling in, he s a id in
1 0 0 0 0 RS , I i m m e d ia te ly pa id him 1 0 K a nd be c a m e
th e ow ne r o f th a t s ta ll, the n the journe y of
bu s i ne s s s ta r te d.
Lo ok i n g a t m y p rogre s s , dire c tor of m y NG O ,
de c i de d to s e n d m e to Por tugue s e , I a gr e e d
w i thou t e v e n k no w ing w he re the Portugue s e is , m y
fri e n d tol d m e tha t it m us t be G oa Por tugue s e , but
I d i d n't k no w m y dire c tor w a s s a y ing a bout
P o rtu gue s e c o un try . He he lpe d m e to m a k e m y
pa s s p ort a n d boa rde d the flight in 2 0 0 0 to
P o rtu gue s e . W he n I w a s in flight, m y e ntir e life
c a m e i n fr ont of m y e y e s lik e fla s he s .. I s ta r te d
c r y i n g l i k e b a by a nd tha nk m y Lor d a bout this a nd
re s pe c t w h i c h I ga ine d from m y life . BIBLE SAYE "I
W I LL TAKE Y O U TO THE END O F TH E W O RLD TO
S HARE M Y G O S P ELS" I c ould s e e tha t w a s
ha ppe ni ng w i th m e . I c a n only s a y o ne thing
"J E S US S AV E D M E " AND I THANK H IM FO R THAT.