GLIMPSES OF WORLDWIDE SAI SEVA.

[Guest guest]

GLIMPSES OF WORLDWIDE SAI SEVA

To commemorate Swami's 80th Birthday, we at Heart2Heart thought it would be

interesting and inspiring to give you a glimpse of Sai Seva that is happening

all round the world! The Sai Organisation, you would know, is active in more

than 175 countries spreading the Light of His Love and sharing His love. When a

Sai worker puts his/her hand to the field of service it is an expression of His

love; it is the guarantee that God is working to salvage our world and that His

instruments are ready and willing to play their part.

The Sai Global Mission of Service is helping to bring about the Golden Age and

we can all be a part of this renaissance. We bring you below accounts of Sai

Seva from a representative 15 different countries here; space is too small to

bring you all their details but we are sure your hearts will be warmed from

reading them. None of the reports reach the newspapers - but they should reach

you. You will be enthused when you read the kind of service being done even in

the poorest of African nations like Zambia, Malawi, etc. You will notice that

we have not covered India and similarly many other countries, lest the article

becomes too long. We plan to feature them in subsequent issues.

ARGENTINA

Did you know that a wonderful Community Centre has been builtby the Sai

organisation at Noccan Kani, Argentina?! The 200 squatter homes theer comprise

an Indian settlement which does not attract many outside visitors. But the

people that society ignores due to fear and ignorance, are just those whom

Swami has taught us to render service to. The Sai Organisation there has been

helping in incredible ways.

They hold periodic Medical Camps where activities include haircuts and even

removing lice from the children's hair! The latter practice really shows the

dedication of the volunteers. The ladies from the community have been taught to

sow from donated material, and now they make all the clothes for their children

and families , and thus they are helping to help themselves. This service has

really led to transformations in the people's lives.

 

 

 

 

BRAZIL

Water is a problem in most parts of the world, we know. But, did you know that

some Brazilian volunteers have come together and constructed a water pipe to

deliver clean water to a very poor community?! Their inspiration, undoubtedly,

was Swami’s massive drinking water projects. This pipe line required clearing

two kilometres of roadway grass (among other tasks), as shown in the picture.

It was accomplished by devotees and members of the community.

Just imagine all the planning that went into this project and the commitment

that the Sai workers had to have to see it through. In the beginning the

villagers just watched, but enthused by the sight of this Sai Seva, the

villagers later joined in the pipe laying work. How wonderful for the

volunteers to reflect on, that a whole community can have running water thanks

to them willing to be Swami's instruments.

COLOMBIA

Did you know that some Sai Youth from Colombia have been lovingly visiting an

old people's home regularly, singing for them and bringing cheer to their

lives?!

We know there are so many lonely and forsaken elderly people waiting to receive

care and love. Instead of wasting their time, the splendid Sai Youth from Bogot

, the capital of Columbia, regularly visit a home for the aged that bears the

interesting name “Fingerprint of the Grandparents”.

What has endeared the youth to the senior citizens is the fact that they not

only serve but also sing for the old people, bringing joy and cheer into their

otherwise dreary lives. For their part, the elders narrate interesting

experiences from the past to the enthralled youth. Altogether, it is a sweet

two-way traffic. Giving love costs nothing and the benefits ripple out to

others in so many ways.

 

 

 

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Did you know that Swami's followers in the Dominican Republic have been

developing a refugee camp and serve breakfast everyday of the week to the

school children?!

What you see beside is a scene from the refugee camp set up to assist those who

fled from Haiti some years ago. The devotees have accomplished some noteworthy

improvements to the facilities of the camp. They have built bathrooms and

carried out refurbishments to the primary school.

That is a lot of time and energy commitment but then serving itself gives the

needed inspiration. If only more people knew this and put it into practice!

EL SALVADOR

Did you know that the Sai Organisation in El Salvador, the smallest Central

American country (roughly the size of the U.S. state of Massachusetts), has

helped to rebuild a Catholic church, after an earthquake!

El Salvador , you might not know, is in an area which is very much prone to

earthquakes. In fact, in 2001 when Gujarat (in India ) was hit with a massive

quake, El Salvador had to face the brunt of two. Inevitably, Sai volunteers

rushed to help, and among other things conducted six Medical Camps with the

help of several doctors and volunteers.

In the months that followed, they also made arrangements for water supply to

three communities where the existing system had been destroyed. Just think of

all the man-power hours that accomplished all that work - incredible!

 

 

 

GREECE

Did you know that Sai devotees in Greece have helped to stave off many an empty

stomach? God is Love and since God is Omnipresent, so is Love. And since

Swami’s message is Universal, it is not surprising to see the words LOVE ALL

SERVE ALL, all over the world on banners, on scarves and of course on T-shirts

as in this picture. We see here devotees in Greece preparing for a Narayana

Seva (feeding the poor). You can see the care with which the food is prepared

in the ladies' expressions.

Such scenes have become quite routine and standard in all continents, and thus

many can receive at least one good meal that day. This is the power of Swami’s

Message and example. Yet consider this small point - how many people would have

gone hungry but for Swami’s example? One can extrapolate this in so many ways in

the other fields of His mission, such as those who would have gone without clean

drinking water. The numbers run into millions!

 

JAPAN

Did you know that Japanese devotees have answered some of their own less

fortunate countrymen's need for food?

There is a popular belief that hunger is a problem found only in poor and developing countries.

Not true, as this picture taken in Japan show. Japan is the world’s second

largest economy, but due to disparity in wealth distribution and income there

are people living on the streets here as well and people often go hungry. But

how happy they become when served hot meals as we see Sai volunteers doing in

these pictures? They are bringing some cheer to at least a few people, warming

other's hearts with the love from the Lord.

 

 

 

KENYA

Did you know that devotees from Kenya are taking the message of Educare to their

younger brothers and sisters?

Many imagine that rendering service consists of distributing food, running

Medical Camps and so on. Not entirely so; yes, food and clothes do have to be

distributed to the needy but grooming young minds is an equally valuable

service. Swami has stressed that the 'End of Education is Character' and that

character gets developed only when students adhere to the Basic Human Values.

As the picture shows, students and teachers in Kenya are taking Human Values

seriously and with great joy too, thanks to dedicated service by Sai devotees.

Consider that these children are probably learning about human values for the

first time in their lives.

MALAWI

Did you know that thousands in Malawi (one of the poorest nations on Earth) have

received medical care from Sai devotees?

It is Swami's Love that directed the medical team to go there to serve the most

needy. The picture was taken during a 5-day intensive Medical Camp run by a

group of UK doctors and paramedical staff, consisting of about a dozen people -

this being just one of the group's regular service activities. The Camp was run

in two local hospitals with wonderful co-operation from the local medical

staff.

Those who benefited must have wondered at the unique care and love they were

shown, which was simply Swami's Love expressed through His instruments.

 

 

 

 

MEXICO

Did you know that Sai Youth in Mexico spend their valuable time picking up rubbish!

God gave us a wonderful and beautiful planet to live on but, through

carelessness and thoughtless actions we are polluting the planet in innumerable

ways - throwing garbage is one of them. People crowd to the beaches because they

are beautiful and inviting but having gone there, they carelessly leave rubbish.

Thanks to technology, most of the polluting material is non-biodegradable, which

makes matters even worse.

But instead of viewing the beach solely as a place of fun, the Sai Youth in

Mexico have ideas more of their civic responsibilities and collect the garbage

littered on the beach. A group of twenty or so collect about 40 bags of rubbish

during the weekends and leave them at a designated area for garbage trucks to

pick them up on Monday mornings. If more people had such feelings the world

would be a blessed place.

NEW ZEALAND

Did you know that elderly people need so much care - care that Sai devotees are keen to offer.

In olden times, elders, especially parents, were looked after in old age by

their sons and daughters. But such is the nature of so-called progress that

today, even the elderly have been forgotten. In rich countries, those who can

afford to move into special senior citizens centres but those who are no so

lucky face a hard time.

However, they are not entirely forgotten, for the loving God sends His devotees

to serve such people and bring at least some cheer in their dreary lives. Such

Sai Seva goes on silently in all parts of the world all the time, the picture

from New Zealand being one example of it. Sharing one's time and energy with

elderly people is possibly the most easy and rewarding seva to practice - have

you found this to be true?

 

 

 

 

NIGERIA

Did you know that the Nigerian Sai Organisation have been regularly running

leprosy camps for over TWENTY years now?

Leprosy is a curable disease but courageous people are needed to overcome

prejudice and serve the sufferers. Sai volunteers in Nigeria are doing

precisely that. Thanks to this many lepers have been cured and even

rehabilitated.

Incidentally, when patients come to the clinic, not only are they bandaged and

given medicines that are a part of Multi-Drug Therapy, but are also given

fruits and snacks as a token of Swami’s Love.

 

RUSSIA

Did you know that UK Sai devotees have conducted medical camps in Russia?

What is now Russia was the centerpiece of the erstwhile USSR. The Soviet

Republic was officially wedded to atheism, and the practice of religion in any

form was frowned upon, as well as discouraged. The sudden collapse of Communism

changed all that, and literally overnight, Sai awareness expanded dramatically

all across Russia. This is indeed a miracle, especially considering that no one

like Hislop or Murphet specifically took Baba’s Message to Russia. The deep

yearning was there in Russian hearts and Swami responded in His own way.

One major benefit has been the Medical Camps now being conducted by UK doctors

in Russia. Once, it was the State that provided health care but now the sick

are left to fend for themselves as best as they can. Luckily, many have been

able to experience His Love via compassionate service rendered by Sai devotees,

as illustrated in the picture.

 

 

 

 

SOUTH AFRICA

Did you know that South African devotees regularly visit slums and serve the indwellers?

For decades, Swami has directed the attention of His students to rural service.

There was a time when He physically used to take students and teachers to

villages to join Him in doing such service. Since the year 2000, rural service

has assumed a new format via the famous Grama Seva. As Swami says Grama Seva is

Rama Seva, meaning that service to man is really service to God. Inspired by the

wonderful Grama Seva now being done every year by Swami’s students, many

devotees overseas have started doing the same.

Here we see an example where devotees in South Africa are bringing groceries,

vegetables and blankets to the residents of a slum near Johannesburg, this

being a regular feature of their service activities. This again needs time,

energy and money commitment - all inspired by the Lord.

ZAMBIA

Did you know that the Zambian Sai Organisation has a big programme to help street kids?

Street kids are a problem even in affluent countries. It is no surprise then

that Africa has it share, in fact more than its share, thanks to AIDS which has

made thousands of children orphans. In Zambia, Sai devotees are caring for

street kids in many ways, one of them being periodic distribution of not only

food but such necessities as soap and toothpaste, quite scarce in Zambia,

indeed in Africa in general.

Of course when winter comes, the kids all receive blankets, whereupon they break into a loud cheer.

 

There are many thousands of people who have been inspired by Swami's Love and

are working for the good of the world. What we have collected are only

snapshots in time. They were not performed for the publicity camera or done as

a one-off. A multitude of service activities are continuing right now as you

read this, all over the world, fulfilling a variety of needs. So let us not

forget that when we are serving, thousands are serving with us!

If you know of such inspiring happenings in your town or country, please do

share it with us at h2h (AT) radiosai (DOT) org.

Jai Sai Ram!

- Heart2Heart Team

(Sharing with Sai Love) Ram.Chugani

 

You can write to us at : h2h (AT) radiosai (DOT) org

Vol 3 Issue 11 - November 2005

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