SAI SEVA IN EL SALVADOR

About 1985, the Sathya Sai Organization started visiting a group of invalids, (wheelchair people) who lived in a dilapidated house on the outskirts of town. The visits were infrequent in the beginning, and the devotees took mostly food items for distribution. The house was very inadequate for their needs since it had two floors and they had to leave their wheelchairs downstairs and pull themselves up the stairs to the bedrooms. About 1990, the Sai Organization found a one floor dwelling in the center of town where everything was close by. The house was very old, but it was much bigger than the one where they were living. The Sai devotees rented this place for the handicapped and the group increased to 20 at the new location. In 1995, the lady who rented this house decided to sell it, and one of the devotees was able to buy it and donate the same to the Sathya Sai Foundation.

It had become apparent after so many years of association with the handicapped that their biggest problem was to live, and work or study in the same place, as the wheelchairs are not adequate for moving long distances, or in traffic. The Sathya Sai Foundation decided to build a residence and workplace for them by tearing down the old house and making a new one with three floors. On the ground level were several workshops including sewing, computer center, watch repair, electric appliance repair, bakery, shoe repair, and wheel chair repairs and a kitchen and dining area. On the first floor were 11 dormitories and a social area. The third floor is a Sathya Sai Center. The building has an elevator and a large cistern for water storage. By Swami’s Grace, this new building was inaugurated November 23, 1997. About 20 handicapped are able to live there without paying any rent. They only pay for their food with the money they can make in the workshops, and from pensions which some of them have.

The Sathya Sai Organization has not made any efforts to convert the handicapped residents into followers of Sai Baba, but some of them have become interested in His teachings and voluntarily attend the Sai Center. One fellow, who had fallen from a tree nine years back had two long pins supporting either side of his spinal column. He could hardly walk with crutches, and used a wheel chair most of the time. The pins had become infected and pus was coming from an opening made by doctors. He had become interested in Swami and was reading some Sai books, including Howard Murphet’s “Man of Miracles”. A medical ship had docked at El Salvador, and specialists from USA were doing free operations on board. A devotee took this fellow to the boat, and one of the doctors, after analyzing his x-rays decided to take out the pins and treat the infection. When the patient was returned to home after the operation, he was unable to move. He was sleeping on the floor on a mattress for about two weeks. Then one night, Swami appeared in his room, sitting on the floor besides his mattress and asked him in Spanish, “How do you feel?”. The fellow could hardly believe that Swami was there in person. He told Swami that he was completely paralyzed and the operation had been for the worse. Swami told him, “You can now walk, get up”. Swami disappeared. The fellow got up without crutches and walked to the phone. It was 2:OOAM, but he called the devotee who had taken him to the hospital boat and cried over the phone, “I can walk ! Swami has come and healed me!” He was later able to reunite with his wife and assume a normal life. His character also changed for the better.

This labor of love has continued to this day by the Sai Organization. The youth group recently shared a Christmas dinner prepared by them for the handicapped members of this home.