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Issue 7 - February 12th, 2017
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It does not matter if we are on the path of life, trying to fulfill our duties and responsibilities. What truly matters is, how we touch, inspire and give hope to those in need. Swami has always reminded us that there is no higher austerity and nothing more rewarding than serving others.
Swami’s message this week for the Sai youth around the world:
“Keeping faith in God, you must undertake service activities. Purity of intention is important. All that you have to do is take the first step towards service, and God will send thousand more hands to help. But that first step is important.
Everything will not happen by a wave of My hand. Well, it can. But I give the opportunity so that you may transform your self. Rama could have created a bridge by the wave of His hand, but he decided not to do it. Instead, He gave the opportunity to the monkeys, so they could redeem themselves.
Swami inspires people to help others, so that humans become God. God becomes human once in a while, but more importantly humans should become divine. My wish is that, having seen a trouble, you should not close your eyes. You should do what you can. It may not be possible for one person to do everything by himself or herself. God helps you to help others. ‘Whatever I have belongs to God’, should be your thought. That selflessness is born out of the pure faith that God is there. The core of the spiritual discipline of service is to see everyone as yourself, and yourself in everyone. You are not doing service to others, you are doing service to yourselves, to the God in you, the God who is equally present in others.”
Let us ask ourselves one question every single day - Have we made a difference to someone today?
Yours in Sai Service
Bhuvana Santhanam
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Satsang and Service Updates
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We came to Bhagawan’s most loving divine fold around two decades ago. From that blessed moment He has been our Divine Father guiding and guarding us. My sister Reshmi and I always referred to Bhagawan as our “Divine Father” because he had gifted us a physical father who was an expression of unsullied love. Our dearest physical father drenched us in his infinite love and care. We grew up safe and secure untouched by the outside world under his protecting wings. He was our role model and we emulated him in our life. He was the most humane and compassionate human we have ever seen in our lives. He left lasting impressions of his impressionable character in the hearts of all those who were fortunate to come in touch with him. My sister and I imbibed numerous values of life from him. Life thus rolled on...
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As the country faces increasing financial difficulties, more and more people, including the refugees, are left without access to basic healthcare services. In order to help these people in need, the youth bought a large van, refurbished it on the inside and equipped it with high-quality medical equipment.
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"Ananda"
Ashram Design
Nigera Doctors’ Apartment Quarters as well as School for 600 orphans
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One of the youth brothers, who is responsible for creating the architectural designs for the “Ananda” Ashram in Greece (as guided by Swami), created an office with a team of 4 full time architects and a part time engineer. Along with his team, he will offer his services free of cost to design the doctor’s apartment quarters at the newly built hospital in Nigeria, as well as a school for 600 orphans
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Sai Alone is Our Refuge
Caring for the Homeless
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With the number of refugees & homeless people on the rise, the need for the provision of food and basic necessities is increasing. The Greek Sai Youth would meet every Wednesday at a brother’s house, cooking and packaging 120+ meals along with fresh bread and chocolate.
They also bought 100 blankets, 200 woolen beanies (winter hats), 200 thick gloves, 200 scarves and 200 winter socks, to be distributed over the next month.
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“Nectar of Love”
A place for the newly founded NGO
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An NGO was created in order for the youth to be able to expand their Seva activities; they also found a place where this NGO will be based. Many forms of Seva will depend on this newly founded place, such as the mobile medical unit & the medical camp, the Greek version of Sanathana Vani as well as the organizing of events that will attract more youth towards Seva.
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'Osteopathy for social sphere'
Osteopathic treatments for Emmaus
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“We don’t possess a resource to benefit from it, but to be able to offer it”, said Abbè Pierre, founder of the international movement “Emmaus”. In this spirit, Emmaus communities try to help those who live at the borders of society, and have started the project “Osteopathy for social sphere”, that involves the educator Dr. Salvatore Iozzia and future osteopaths Ilaria Tanini, Simone Fabri, Dr. Ivan Leggeri, Antonio Furfaro and Daniele Salis, in Zagarolo community, Rome. In fact, for the first time, a group of Osteopathy students, since the beginning of 2016, has given series of free treatments to people who live in the community.
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Emmaus hosts homeless people and gives them a place to sleep, food and a job.
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It was asked me to share my personal experience at the “Emmaus” Community, in Zagarolo, during the last months. Here I got involved in group service, but obviously feelings are personal.
In this reality I just respected my duty as human being giving myself to others. But what could I offer? When, in June 2016, I had the opportunity to join the activities of the "Emmaus” Community I accepted immediately, even though I didn't know how I could help and contribute in this Seva.
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The Unsung Heroes of the Elderly
The story of Christa
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We all think that helping out for an hour or so, each week is of great service, and don’t get me wrong, doing Seva is great but how should we take our Seva to the next level? I interviewed an elderly couple, my neighbours, who always inspire me to do more.
For anyone who knows them, Christa and David tend to make you smile, instantly, just by looking at you. I met them when I moved house to New Malden. 2 doors away from us, they took the time to come meet us and get to know us.
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