White Mountains: An ordained Catholic priest in southern India has teamed up with locals to open the “House of Onions,” a house for orphaned children of all religions. Most have terminal diseases like HIV/AIDS.
Father Yeruva Lourdu Marreddy, who currently serves for the Andre Pradesh Guntar Diocese, was visiting his home diocese in India a few years ago when a woman approached him with a bowl of onions crying and telling him that this small offering was for her son. She told Father Marreddy that the onions bring out the flavor in all food preparation and like these onions he brings out the best in the Catholic parish by blessing them with the Holy Mass and communion.
She stated that her husband had already passed from HIV and it was likely that within months she was going to die also. She told Father Marreddy that she too had HIV and was leaving behind her son who also had HIV.
Soon after, the woman died; the priest and the nuns of the church took care of the child until he died at 6 years old.
With this idea planted by this woman in his parish, Marreddy began saving money to purchase property as a building site for what he had already named “The House of Onions.”
Marreddy contacted his close friend and White Mountain local Carl Dye for support and guidance on how to start a process to house children who are orphaned and ill and have no one to receive assistance from. Marreddy served at the San Rafael Church in Concho as a missionary where he met Dye. Dye said the parishioners viewed the priest highly and they felt saddened to see him go back to India.
When Marreddy told Dye about his plans, Dye immediately jumped onboard.
“The story that he shared with me regarding this family of HIV was both sad and inspiring. I was more than willing to take on this challenge. I felt an immediate need to help sick and orphaned children who are most likely living on the streets,” Dye said.
If this organization can just help a child out for just one day and have them checked medically by doctors and nurses, I feel this would be a worthy organization to be a part of. Giving the children the attention they deserve can give them a few better years of life.”
Dye began to research how to best help financially and reach out to people to join in this courageous act by Father Marreddy. Dye, a former Army officer and West Point graduate, did not have in-depth experience with building a not-for-profit organization so he sought help from close acquaintances.
Dye said he has always been pretty close to his religion but the driving force for joining this effort was his great friendship and trust with Father Marreddy.
“This priest is an exceptional person. I have known several hundred priests and this is one of the holiest priests I have ever met. I call him my little brother, Father YL,” Dye said.
Dye and his new board officially formed the organization as a 501c3 nonprofit so that all donations are tax deductible.
He didn’t stop at filing a not-for-profit organization; he then decided that it was best to create a website to attract donors and as many people as possible. He worked with a local web designer to create the website which launched on Dec. 24. Since then they have been able to raise a significant amount of money.
“We started local and within our own parish. We were able to gain about $15,000 since 2014 to today,” Dye said.
Dye serves as the board president and other board members include a retired appellate court judge from Louisiana and a local practicing attorney, Cris Candelaria. Dye and his fellow board members now spend a majority of their time seeking new and better ways of coordinating various fundraising opportunities and visiting local parishes.
“Our local religious organizations of all faiths will continue to be our primary focus in the coming months,” Dye noted.
Now that they have received some money, Dye said they will put out quarterly reports. Well drilling has already begun and structures will soon follow.
Father Marreddy and Dye suggest that the initial estimated costs for construction, which includes walls, common halls for sleeping and recreation, bathrooms and toilets, dining halls, kitchen and pantry, chapel and prayer room, a nurse’s station and an office will cost about $30,000.
Ongoing estimated expenses will cost about $100 per child monthly. This would include three meals a day, medicines, utilities and salaries.
In a statement, Dye said, “The coming months will, hopefully, bring about the completion of the home and the beginning of staffing for the several positions necessary to handle up to 30 homeless orphans, many with terminal illnesses.”
They are getting to the point where a steady flow of money will be needed to meet their goal of $3,000 per month to operate, breaking it down to about $100 per child.
If interested in donating or becoming a part of the project, visit www.houseofonions.org or contact Dye at 928-337-3319.
(This appeared in wmicentral.com on July 26, 2015)