Issue 13 - March 26, 2017
Editors Note...

 It is indeed our good fortune that God has given us an opportunity to do service. Like Swami often reminds us, the best way to please Him is to see Him in all beings and serve them just as we would like to serve Him. In fact and in truth, whatever service we do, we are doing it for ourselves.


Swami's message to the Sai youth around the world this week:

"It is your responsibility to lead your brothers and sisters in the right path. Help anyone who may cross your path. You are not helping some individual, you are adoring Me in that person. I am before you in that form. And if you need any help at any point in time, just pray to Swami. It will come to you. If the prayer is selfless, it has to be answered!

Till this body has breathe, one must engage in Seva. Love is born in the womb of service. When you engage in Seva it not only benefits others, but you also benefit. The day you become useless, and others have to do Seva to you, should you stop living!"

Yours in Sai Service,

Bhuvana Santhanam


Satsang and Service Updates
Second Funday – Perth, Australia
On February 26, 2017 the youth of Perth, Australia hosted the second Funday for 2017 with the children at Minnawarra House. After a healthy lunch was provided to the children, the youth engaged them in a variety of games and activities. This time the focus was on trying to stimulate their minds with games like Twister & Pictionary. A few of the youth also taught the children some origami, a few did some art with the children and a few played some sports.

The youth got the children to start interacting closely with each other as in the coming month, per Bhagawan’s command, they aim to begin weekly sessions with the children to teach life skills and self-confidence building through Human Values. Also on this day, sandwiches were made as part of the Food for Schools programme currently in place, providing sandwiches to schools for children who attend school without breakfast.

The youth of Perth, Australia are beginning to see some transformation in some of the children, comparing their behaviour to that of a similar time last year, the children seem to have a more calming and open nature, which can only be attributed to Bhagawan’s love pouring forth onto them.
 Service Opportunity at Toogoolawa School
Northern Gold Coast Service Opportunity at Toogoolawa School
The youth of Southeast Queensland had the opportunity to provide a dental healthy living session to the students of the Toogoolawa School in Ormeau (approximately 30 minutes south of Brisbane) on  March 6, 2017.

This school is an independent school of approximately 75 boys who have difficulty functioning in mainstream schooling and are basically given a second chance at obtaining education with the added bonus of a focus on character development.  

It was fortunate that a dentist from Health in Kind was able to deliver this dental session to all students of the school, which added much value to the overall delivery of the messages for the students. 
Be a Hero, Save Three Lives! 
The youth of Sai Prema Foundation embarked on yet another journey and this time to collect some much needed “liquid love” - blood. Being another first for the Foundation, the youth teamed up with the Fiji National Blood Services Department from the Ministry of Health and conducted a day long blood drive on Saturday, March 25, 2017.
 
This service activity was prompted in lieu of surgeries being conducted at the CWM hospital in Suva, the capital of Fiji, by a visiting team from overseas and therefore, considering the need of the hour, a blood collection drive was organised. 


Gift of Life Celebration 
On February 18, 2017 a very special event titled “The Gift of Life Celebration” was organized by the Sai Prema Foundation. This was in honor of the children who had free heart surgeries done in August 2016 by the team from Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital, Raipur, India.

The purpose was to celebrate the lives of the children who had congenital heart disease and were given a “Gift of Life” through the surgeries. It was an opportune time to celebrate not just the children who had surgeries but children all over the world with congenital heart disease, as February 7 to 14 marked congenital heart disease awareness week. And what bigger gift can you give someone, than the “Gift of Life”? 
Narayana Seva
"Earlier when Swami was in His physical form, one could serve Him by giving coffee, food etc. But now, when Swami does not have the physical form, how does one serve Him? By serving everyone!”

Divine Discourse, January 6, 2016 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
It is not duty nor an obligation, but mere opportunity blessed by our dearest Bhagawan. Little do the youths of Malaysia realise that this opportunity to serve the needy through cooking and serving nutritious and well nourishing vegetarian food is none other than the will of Bhagawan. 

The Master plans all this in His ways. Sai Ananda, Malaysia located in Batu Caves was not only graced by Bhagawan, but also blessed to serve the people around this area. 
Singapore Youth: COD Project
During our recent Youth Satsang on March 12, 2017 the youth updated each other on their progress on COD. Most youth shared how they have been ceiling on their material desires and therefore saved. However, some have also chosen to adopt the other pillars such as..

Contribution to Aruike Speciality Hospital
With Swami’s guidance, at the end of February 2017, the Singapore Youth managed to save money to contribute towards ASH. The funds were transferred to the hospital. Currently one of the hospital’s main concerns is drug procurement. The financial contribution was to help in this area of need. Father Charles sent the Youth group an email filled with joy.

Refurbishing of Sai Pooja Mandir
On the January 28,  2017 youth from Sai Pooja Ashram conducted a Seva activity at Sai Pooja Mandir. Sai Pooja Mandir was the previous Ashram, founded before the year 2000. It was the first place where Bhajans were conducted before at the Ashram. All of the activities, with the Sai family started in this small house together with the cramped stairs.

Before the refurbishment and cleaning, the youth of Indonesia were encouraged to remodel Sai Pooja Mandir. As most of the activities are now conducted at the new ashram (Sai Pooja Ashram) the youth were inspired to brighten the looks of Sai Pooja Mandir.

The members of the Ashram gathered and decided to renovate this older building. They started cleaning the building and eventually even painted all parts of the Ashram. The youths participated in this three days long activity. It is worthwhile seeing Sai Pooja Mandir almost as good as new.
Folding of Origami and Kusudama
In midst of excitement of Swami`s arrival to Japan in March 2017, youth along with enthusiastic devotees had prepared Origami folded crane and flower Kusudama balls to decorate the Darshan hall and offered their devotion and prayer.

Folded origami crane had been a form of prayer for the Japanese people for ages. They have been folding origami as a prayer for health and peace among people and the world. People usually fold, particularly crane origami as a prayer for peace and God`s protection. Especially in the past, when medical technologies were poor, when children could not grow healthy and when lives were lost in war and natural disasters. Folded origami crane are gifts to those people whom the prayers were sent to.