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Posted on: Mar 19, 2013
THE MYSTIFYING GLOBAL SAI
A Conversation with Dr. Narendranath Reddy
part 02
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Sai - In the Americas and Africa
RS: Fantastic! In fact, in the Annual Report I read that a faculty member of the Institute of Sathya Sai Education in Mexico has been awarded a Human Values faculty position at the prestigious Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education. We are also going into regular institutions.
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NR: Yes! In Indonesia, which is predominantly a Muslim country, our Sathya Sai Organisation has adopted a school where they have introduced Sathya Sai Human Values. I visited the school and found that they have adopted the Sathya Sai Education in Human Values programme, and the school is rated as one of the ten best in Jakarta, providing character-building education!
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So, that is how Swami is making an impact in these remote corners of the world!
RS: And there are of course the regular Sai schools in Zambia (Africa), where the “miracle school” is going on.
NR: Yes!
RS: I have also read how the Sathya Sai School in Toronto (Canada) was rated as the top school out of 2,700 schools in the Ontario province!
NR: Yes!
RS: At least once a month, one of the television stations in Thailand visits the Sai schools, the report said.
NR: Yes.
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The Sathya Sai 'Miracle' school of Zambia; (right) Dr. Kanu and his wife receiving the prestigious Business Initiative Directions (BID) award at the 22nd International World Quality Commitment (WQC) Convention in Paris held on May 30, 2005. Go here to read the full account. |
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RS: I am so happy that the media is also recognising the value of propagating Human Values education.
NR: Yes.
RS: On one side, you have officials in the government recognising how it benefits the society and their country. And now the media is also taking note. It is important that these things spread, and it is really heartening to know that it is indeed happening!
Seva through Sai Education
NR: When you mentioned Thailand, one cannot help but think of Dr. Art Ong Jumsai. His work is commendable. Thousands of teachers are being trained in his Institute, and so many people are exposed to Sathya Sai Education in Human Values. His one-pointed commitment to the spreading of Sathya Sai Education in Human Values is really amazing and praiseworthy! He is doing wonderful work!
RS: I think a lot of teachers of the Institutes of Sathya Sai Education present in many parts of the world get trained there!
NR: Yes.
RS: There are 28 institutes of Sri Sathya Sai Education.
NR: Yes, and Dr. Jumsai is a pioneer in this field, having trained hundreds of teachers. As I said earlier, he too attended the conference in San Luis Potosí in Mexico and gave an excellent presentation.
RS: So, this is a glimpse on the education front. The other thing that struck me as I was reading the Annual Report is the work being done with respect to disaster relief.
NR: Yes.
RS: I saw some pictures, especially in Thailand, of people who were devastated due to the flooding. The look on their faces when they were receiving gifts and aid was very moving. Have you visited the disaster relief centres?
Disaster Relief - the Sai Way
NR: Yes! I have seen many. I can relate to one project where I was personally involved, in Haiti disaster relief. Fortunately, at that time we had direct divine guidance from Swami regarding Haiti relief work. Haiti had suffered a major earthquake on 12th January 2010. By Swami’s grace, the Sathya Sai Organisation was one of the first non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to start emergency relief work there.
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| Relief work by Sai Devotees in earthquake affected regions in Haiti | |||||||
There were many other NGOs who came to Haiti for relief work, but most of them left after six months.
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Children in an orphanage in Haiti with Dr. Reddy (left) and Narayana Seva for the needy in quake-hit Haiti |
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I am happy to announce that the Sathya Sai Organisation is still present there and providing services. We continue to provide food and water to the needy on a daily basis, provide support for the orphanage and also provide school supplies for needy children.
When I visited Haiti soon after the earthquake for assessment of the relief work, I visited the orphanage. Those children in the orphanage did not have much, but they were happy! They were singing songs in the Haitian language. I asked them if they wanted to eat ice cream. When we gave them ice cream, they were in bliss, and the kids were enjoying it so much they were jumping all over. It was such a simple act, but it was wonderful to witness how much joy it gave the children.
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Water Delivery Project - Haitians waiting to receive water, Sai Volunteers Giving Gifts to the Needy Children |
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RS: There was much need there!
Call Him, and He Will Come
NR: Yes! We also provided homes to those who had lost theirs in the earthquake. One lady shared an interesting experience. She is a Sai devotee. After the earthquake struck, she was buried under the rubble, and nobody could even find her or hear her!
She knew the Sathya Sai Ashtothara Shatha Namavali (108 names of Baba) by heart. As she was chanting it, when she came to the name, Asahaya Sahaya Namah (One Who is the Provider of the Forlorn), the rubble moved a little, making enough space for her to stretch out her hand. Somebody saw her hand and pulled her out. Thus she was saved by Swami.
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| Relief being provided to those housed in a shelter post the tsunami in Japan, and (right) vehicle used for the relief work | |||||||
You might have heard about the massive earthquake in Japan that caused the tsunami in March 2011. The Japanese Sathya Sai Organisation sprang into action right away and provided much needed relief and supplied tonnes of material goods.
RS: Tonnes of materials?
NR: Yes, tonnes of food, clothing and other supplies were distributed by the Sathya Sai volunteers to the needy at the shelter. One interesting incident happened that touched me immensely.
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When our organisation members approached a lady who had lost everything due to the disaster and when asked whether she needed any help, she politely refused. When they further enquired whether they could help her in any way, she said, “I lost my mother in this disaster. I want to see her dead body, and that will give me peace of mind. Can you arrange that?”
The Sathya Sai volunteers replied, “There are thousands of people who have died; some of them have been washed into the ocean. What we can do, Madam, is give you a picture of our teacher, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He is God, for us. Please pray to Him, and we too will pray for you!” They gave her a picture of Baba.
So, she went and prayed, and within 24 hours, her mother’s dead body was washed ashore, and she found it. She was so delighted that right away she called the Sathya Sai volunteers and said, “Oh! Baba is God! He is really God!”
I recollect another incident that happened in Russia.
I went to Russia in May 2010 for a Pre-World Conference, and what I saw there was awesome. No wonder Swami loves Russian devotees so much! They have pure love for Swami! They are simple people. Some of them had travelled by train for 5 days, coming from long distances to attend the conference.
One officer from the local Sathya Sai Organisation shared his story, of how he had gone to a city called Samarkand, the second largest city in Uzbekistan, and was doing Sai organisation service there. During the course of that work, one elderly woman, more than 80 years old, wanted to know who they were. So, they showed her a picture of Swami. The moment she saw it, she started crying! They thought there was something wrong and asked her the reason for crying. She simply said, “I know this is God! This is God!”
RS: Spontaneously!?
NR: Yes! She had never seen or heard about Swami! Yet, see how Swami gives direct experience to people! That is what is so astounding and mind-boggling about these experiences.
RS: You may go out and work, but Swami will actually tell you that He has been doing His work, much before you can even think of it!
NR: Yes! These are the greatest miracles! We may think that we are spreading His message in some of these remote corners, but He has His own way of touching people’s hearts. That is what I have realised!
RS: In fact, in the Annual Report, I also saw lovely pictures of Sai Youth in Trinidad. They are constructing pre-fabricated houses for the poor!
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| Devotees in Trinidad constructing pre-fabricated houses for the poor | |||||||
NR: Yes.
RS: And the houses looked so beautiful! They have planned it well - the entire construction is done in one place, and then they dismantle it, move it and arrange it in another site where there is need. It conforms to all the housing regulations, in terms of safety and robustness. The houses look beautiful.
NR: They also helped during the Haiti Disaster Relief. They brought pre-fabricated homes to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and provided homes to some of the needy people there. They were also helpful to the people in the West Indies. They are doing a wonderful job!
RS: Talking about disaster, we recently heard distressing news about Hurricane Sandy in the U.S. I am sure the U.S. Sai Organisation would have gone out to help.
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| Images of destruction caused by hurricane Sandy, USA | |||||||
NR: Yes, you are right! This hurricane was one of the worst disasters in many decades! On 29 October 2012, this hurricane landed on the East Coast of the U.S. Within 24 hours, thousands of homes were damaged! Families in New Jersey, New York and Long Island were among the hardest hit, and there were power and fuel shortages. But by Swami’s grace, the U.S. Sathya Sai Organisation immediately sprang into action and provided food, clothing and transportation to the victims. They provided at least 600 hot meals a day to people, and visited them in shelters. As it was very cold, they also provided clothes and blankets, and planned for the intermediate and long-term needs of these people.
For example, they provided supplies for some schools, and also were involved in rehabilitation efforts. Yet, in other schools, they provided psychological counseling, because the students were distraught.
Swami’s divine intervention was visible again. A lady had lost her home and family, and volunteers could not communicate with her because she was speaking in Persian. So they prayed to Swami to help. Then, a Sai devotee from Afghanistan came up, saying he knew Persian! The lady was very relieved. She could finally ask for help! Swami makes things happen when we sincerely want to help.
We started a separate Relief Fund for Hurricane Sandy. We are not appealing for outside help, because fortunately, we have enough resources within our organisation in the USA.
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| Food distribution in Newark, New Jersey for those affected by hurricane Sandy | |||||||
The Sathya Sai Organisation of the USA is taking a very active part in various relief efforts nationwide. In addition to providing food, clothing and other supplies, all the regions in the USA coordinate with each other and have tele-conferences to discuss the supply, procurement and distribution of items to the needy in different areas.
RS: Fantastic! I also saw in the report how the youth in Indonesia reached out to people during a fire emergency that happened in September 2011.
NR: Yes.
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| Helping in relief work after a fire disaster in Indonesia | |||||||
RS: Those pictures moved me too!
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