“I too contemplate on him incessantly but why is the proximity to the divine enjoyed only by you” quizzed a confused Vibhishana to Hanuman. “Service! That is the difference in our devotion. I yearn to serve the lord at every opportunity. Mother Sita has been in your city since months. Did you ever go to comfort & console her.”

Saluting the spirit of service, love in action brings to you stories of service from various regions in India where our brothers are joining hands with the local wings of Bhagawan’s organisation & doing wonderful work to please Him.

In the northern plains of Noida alumni undertook key responsibilities in organizing health camps and in conducting “Sarva Dharma Sammelan” – a unique conference on the unity of religions. Learned and eminent speakers from different faiths shared their wisdom with the audience underscoring the fact that each religion essentially stands on the common pillars of love & unity. The learned speakers discoursed on Christianity, Sikhism and Islam showing each religion as a pathway to one God. Close by in Gurgaon, inspired by Bhagawan’s call for village service, seva activities are being carried out in the village of Gadoli Kalan, Dist. Gurgaon. Alumni are playing an active role in serving this village which houses 250 families, with a population of about 1,800 people. Seva activities in the village include the organization of a mega medical camp in which a team of six doctors looked into the health status of more than 220 people. Further, balvikas & cleaning of village temples too has been taken up. Touched by the work done, the villagers have promised full co operation in the village integration programme. The assessment of the medical status revealed problems like flurosis in teeth, scabies and other health hazards among women indulging in smoking. Sai youth have pledged their services towards removing health challenges plaguing the village.

At Mahaboobnagar in the south, an innovative “Job mela” was organized by alumni. With the help of the local employment officer and potential employers, attendees were taught the proverbial fishing skills, instead of being given fish as preached by Jesus. 1,300 participants from various villages of the district benefited from the programme. Participants were divided according to their qualification and guided towards the employment opportunities available through the employment officer and other employers.

Service with a loving heart and a creative mind can really contribute to make the world a better place. It’s heartening to learn of instances where Sai youth and alumni put their heart, head to explore new opportunities to serve. For instance, a mini water project is underway in Kolkata, where the alumni and the seva samithi have joined hands to provide the traffic constables much needed respite from the summer heat. Cops in our country and seldom appreciated and cared for. The traffic police were in for a pleasant surprise when they saw members of the Sathya Sai Seva organisation provide them with cool water and energy boosting glucose packs. “At least some one cares for us” was the reaction of the cops, a smile lighting their heat backed faces. The modus operandi involves two vehicles loaded with water packets and Glucon D taking rounds in the afternoon sun distributing the ‘prasadam’ to beat the summer heat. The physical, financial and infrastructure support is being jointly organised by alumni and the Sai seva organisation.

The efforts by our brothers are heart warming and we sincerely pray to Swami that he continues to inspire and guide his children in being part of His work.

USA

Life is quite certainly cast in the form of a quest. The quest forms the keystone, and it is the journey that determines the fabric of our lives as it ripples through and sets into being. Therefore, our most Beloved Lord has time and again emphasized on the importance of the formative years of youth. Eager to please their Lord and to make sure that the quest does not become nebulous drowning in the cacophonic sounds of the materialistic mundane life, youth from all across the USA flocked to the city of Chicago propelled by the love for their Mother and buffeted by their responsibility to society for the first National Youth Conference (NYC).

The NYC was blessed by Swami to be conducted from May 29th to 31st in Camp Duncan, Chicago. More than 400 youth got together for this grand event. Alumni played a big role in organizing the conference. Twenty five alumni attended this event, which promises to happen again in the future. The wheels were set in motion almost six months ago and meticulous planning bore fruition in the form of flawless execution making it a memorable experience for one and all. Alumni helped in organizing the workshops, laying out the plan for the entire proceedings and ensuring smooth flow of the various events.

The conference commenced on May 29th, with official registration of all the delegates of the conference. The organizing team worked with clockwork precision and efficiency for various young adults were arriving both by air and road. Pick up and drop from the airport had to be arranged based on different arrival times. The first events served as a warm up, appetizers to the wonderful two days that were in store. The highlight of the evening occurred when Prof. Anil Kumar engaged the youngsters and answered with aplomb various questions posed to him by the young seekers.

The next morning embraced everyone with pleasant weather and the well rested delegates rejuvenated their minds by morning prayers and bhajans. Sri Shitu Chudasama, the international youth coordinator delivered the opening address. Dr. Goldstein, the president of the International Sai Seva Organizations also sent his words of advice and wishes in a letter for the delegates. An alumnus who was one of the plenary speakers in the morning session, highlighted the theme of the conference – “We are One with SAI”. Various workshops had been organized to improve one’s personality and mould it in the way Swami wants us to. Topics included “Making smart choices with our human vessel—the journey with Swami to physical and emotional well being”, “The amazing race- Following Swami’s teachings through the game of life”, “Managing the ebbs and flows: Self-Confidence and you”, etc. These were at once both enriching and enlivening. The participants absorbed everything quite well since it was activity based and well organized. This was followed by an energy packed speech by Prof. Anil Kumar urging the youth to take their roles in society and serve humanity. The evening session was surcharged with verve and vigor with an excellent cultural program of varied styles depicting the various aspects of the American culture and heritage, with spiritual undertones.

On the second day, a spirited group engaged itself in Nagar Sankeerthan announcing the arrival of the morning at the break of dawn. Everybody assembled in the prayer hall for the second day’s main program. An alumnus from the Anantapur campus was the plenary speaker of the day. After that was a very interesting symposium wherein youth from various parts of the country showcased the service projects they typically undertake. These included mentoring children through Bal Vikas, helping them academically while also stimulating the intellectual thirst for both worldly and spiritual knowledge through various activities. Interestingly enough, there is an in house celebration for graduation which included the traditional Shikshavali chanting and Bhajans. Moreover, service projects undertaken were also discussed. Aptly enough, alumni in the United States join other Sai youth in leading by example in various projects. The most interesting discussions centered around improving delivery of existing projects and expanding the roster of seva projects.

All in all, the retreat was a memorable and rejuvenating experience. Participants left filled with determination to engage themselves in seva and lead increasingly spiritual lives.