SAI SEVA IN DIVINE HOME...BY SUSANT

[Guest guest]

SAI SEVA IN DIVINE HOME...BY SUSANT. The Future is in His Hands There are 12 boys in this divine home. “What are your future plans for these boys? How long would you support them?” I asked Susant. “We generally think of supporting them up to X or XII grade. Then we will give them vocational training, and set them up in a job. But if we find anyone really worthy of pursuing a higher course, and Swami enables us to support him, we will gladly do so”. “Aren’t you thinking of expanding this little place, and giving them more space to grow up?” “Of course we would very much like to. This place does not belong to us. A benevolent Sai brother has allowed us to use this house of his rent-free, until we build our own campus. We need at least 5/6 acres of land to build our own house to serve around 25 children. All this would cost us 40 to 50 lakhs. But all in its good time. When Swami wills it, He would help us expand.” Excited at the excursion - On a visit to a zoo... A glimpse of the animal park Being led by an enthusiastic well-wisher Inside the park - lost in an animal spectacle Silently listening with us to this beautiful story of love and service,

was Dr. Mohapatra, a self made artist and sculptor, a senior Reader in Commerce at Ravenshaw College , a deemed University in Cuttack . He immediately offered to come to the ashram at regular intervals to teach the boys art and artistic values, and help them in some handicraft projects. We were very glad. Bhagavan’s Hands were visible. The All India President congratulates, inspires and shares much love Mr. V. Srinivasan appreciates the contribution of the dedicated couple who provided space for the project They felt the unseen Presence of the Lord even more when, all of a sudden, the All India President of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Mr. V Srinivasan, paid a visit to this Sai home of service on January 18 this year

(2008). It was a memorable day for Sai Anandam. The distinguished instrument of the Lord spent about 45 minutes with the inmates, and even delivered a short address to the inmates and the people gathered there. Before he left, He generously contributed to their resource-pool and also distributed T-shirts to the boys. The All India President seeing the Sai Anandam brochure Heartily appluading the service being rendered by Mr. Lala Sushant and other Sai Alumni Hand in Hand with Love and Service “You said you have a paid employee at the ashram. What does he do, and how much do you pay him?” I asked Lala Susant. “Is he single or married?” “He is married, with a daughter who

is six years old, and we cannot pay him more than Rs. 2,000 a month. He looks after the boys, stays with them the whole day, eats with them, and returns at night. Sometimes his wife also comes to help with the boys.” “But this is very meagre. How does he manage with such a small amount?” “We know this, but he insists on coming. Both of them say, ‘You give us less than what we need. But we get great satisfaction in working for God’s children’.” I met the young man. Dukhishyam has done his XII grade, gave up his earlier job in an iron and steel company to join Sai Anandam. A tall youth, with a well defined face, always eager to learn how to be more useful in moulding the boys into useful citizens. This is the only way he could serve Swami, and hopefully get closer to Him, he says. I met

three other local young men who help with the boys in various ways. One of them is doing a Bachelors in Computer Applications, who teaches them bhajans and mathematics. Kalindi is a graduate, associated with the Home from the beginning. The Sai children with the State President of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Orissa The 'white brigade' with their dearest friends, guardians, supporters and care-takers, majority being Sai Alumni He is paid Rs.1,500 per month, stays most of the time in the ashram, and does any odd jobs. He is happy to be associated with this home of love and service. He says he has improved spiritually to a great extent after joining the ashram. Rakesh is doing his graduation, and pursues videography as a profession, but spends all his spare time with the

boys, teaching, and looking after them. A happy and carefree young man, he is grateful to Swami for his association with the Sai students, which saved him from the usual evil ways of the modern youth. It is a great love story, I thought. Sai - The Eternal Inspirer They are now

reaching out to their dreams...with Sai in their hearts, nothing seems impossible Mr. Vivekananda Sahoo, an alumnus of Sri Sathya Sai University, who too visited this nest of love, reflecting later on this ennobling experience, said, “These children, like tender saplings, need a protective fence. What they need, more than food, clothing and shelter (though they need these too, desperately) is to feel wanted. It is their label ‘outcast’ that imposes upon them the most agonizing frame of mind. Denied of love by the world around, these saplings perish. A few who live through all harsh reality, bearing the deep scars which are the gift of their cruel home, are often deemed misfits in society. Who is to be blamed: The tender saplings or the merciless world around them? Are we a part of this cruel world or can we make a difference for these

less fortunate blossoms? “On a cold winter night, it seems, a man saw a child shivering on the road. She was hungry and her clothes were in tatters. The man was very angry with God for letting this happen to an innocent child; why isn't He doing anything about it? That night He came in his dream and quietly said, ‘I certainly did something for it. I made you!’ “The Sai Avatar has taken three vows: 1) To foster all mankind and

ensure for all of them lives full of Ananda (bliss). 2) To lead all who stray away from the straight path, again into goodness and save them. 3) To remove the sufferings of the poor and grant them what they lack. “Eighty years and more, and He has never sat down and slackened His Work to fulfill these three vows. The more I look and read these promises, the more it dawns upon my heart the purpose of our lives and the reason why Sai Anandam was born. We are the miracles of Life here to make a difference in the world! That is our Mission! To make His life our message, the above vows are ours too. And as I left the compound of Sai Anandam, I knew He was smiling at us. His children were emulating Him and walking in His

footsteps. The Journey had begun and this is far more wonderful than the reaching of the destination.” As I pondered over what I saw and experienced, and the reflections of another inspired Sai student, I realized why the world doesn’t end with a bang, though it is said to have started with one. It is because such love stories, amazingly designed and developed by the Divine, never end. The good and kind Lord lives in His devotees, who live for Him. ----------------- Ram ChuganiKobe, Japanrgcjp