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3 - Issue 9 SEP 2005 |
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WINDOW TO SAI SEVA SERVING WITH THE MIND
SERVING WITH THE MIND
Sai Baba once said, "I have come to repaint the signposts on the highway to God." The word 'repaint’ suggests that He is not telling us anything new - He is just making it easier for us to understand and live according to the wisdom that has been given already by the great spiritual teachers of earlier times. His personal example, His love and His teachings all play a vital part in guiding us in our personal lives. We would like to share with you a few examples of our understanding of what His teachings mean for us, starting with the healing power of love. A Sweet Story This is a particularly sweet story: There were two women, one with a new baby, who came up to us one day at Brindavan - they felt that Sai Baba had guided them to speak with us. We did not have time to see them in our room so they came to our rickshaw after Darshan. Many problems had suddenly come into their lives, and they asked us to pray for them. There was a lot of fear, particularly for the baby, and Sai Baba had told them to stay and not move on.
We advised them not to say to Baba how bad everything is; but have faith and tell Him that they trust Him and have faith in Him and to pray, "We know that You are with us. We know that You give us Your help. We know that You are total goodness, so all that You can give us is goodness. We know that You want us to stay here, and we have no doubt that You will make life flow sweetly for us and protect the baby." We were hoping that this would have helped them - it was just a few quick words, as we were getting ready to leave. However, one of the girls began to cry quite hysterically and said, "You don't understand." We were still trying to talk to her when we had to move - Sai Baba's car was coming and we were in the rickshaw inside the grounds of the College. We drove outside and parked, but in our minds we could still see her poor little tearful face as we had driven away. So we said to the driver, "Go back and find them. We have to get them happy before we leave them." “Warm Love, Love” When we have a problem, or when we are trying to think of an answer for someone, we touch our ring from Sai Baba and ask Him, "Help us to say the right thing," and then we just put love on people. We believe, no matter how angry or distressed somebody might be, if we pour love on them, a gradual change will come. So we were pouring love on her, repeating, "Warm love, love." The driver found her, and when she came back to us she was smiling and was quite settled down. We were surprised, but then realised that by telling her in our heart, "Love. Love. Love," it was much stronger than words. It is our belief that consciously sending love to people can have a wonderful healing effect upon them. We send love to many, many people every day, particularly when we are in India waiting for Baba - to our family, to many special friends, and to all the people at SWARA (Sunshine Welfare and Remedial Association). We always start with the sick ones - they get first priority. It is very important for us to see their face and, as we are good at visualisation, we can usually see people quite clearly. We talk to them, tell them we love them and send them Sai Baba's love and healing, as maybe our love alone is not powerful enough to heal them. They usually feel better after that, smiling and feel a loving connection with us. A very dear friend of ours is in hospital after having a heart attack and a stroke. We send her love every day, and people say, "She seems to be getting stronger, and she talks about you. She knows you love her and she's grateful for it." It is obviously helping her. We have a cousin who has a brain tumour - we try to send love and healing to her every day and she seems to be getting better. We hope we are helping her. Even if we cannot heal people, we can try to give them love and peace. The Toogoolawa School in Ormeau, Queensland, is a school for problem teenagers and we send them love, using a photo of them sitting on a verandah eating ice-cream. We have such a sweet feeling for them and long to make their lives better and successful. When someone is upset, our loving input seems to work. We like to put protection around people who are travelling. We think of Baba outside the car, plane or train in His beautiful robe shimmering with rays of light, covering the vehicle and the people so they are all wrapped up in His loving care and protection. We also do this for ourselves when we are travelling and always feel safe. If the plane begins to vibrate in bad weather, we imagine His beautiful hands steadying it and we visualise a golden protective glow around the pilot and the other people flying with us.
If we cannot open our hearts enough to love someone who has done something cruel or hurtful to people, then we try to feel compassion for them. We remind ourselves that if they have done the wrong thing, they will have to pay for it through karma either in this life or the next. Thinking in this way allows us to feel sorry for them because they are not fortunate enough to know they will have to make recompense, and maybe later our compassion develops into love. Service with the Mind We know that everyone, no matter how unattractive they appear on the outside, has a core of love within them that has been overshadowed by the circumstances of this or previous lives. It is our belief that, by putting light and unconditional love around them, we can help to dissolve all that anger, bitterness or cruelty. We are confident that we have some success, because Baba said to us that we do "Service with the mind", and on occasions we have actually seen changes for the better in people. Sometimes a person might hurt our feet by walking on them at Darshan and instead of feeling annoyed or resentful, we pour love on them and they smile and say, "Oh, we really are sorry." Moyia said to Him, "We must have done something in another life, because we could never have done anything in this life that was good enough to deserve this." He just looked at us for a while and then said, "You two serve with the mind." He did not say "You make books for me" or "You run the place for disabled people." Apparently, the best thing about us is that we serve with the mind. Well, "Serving with the mind" is putting love on people; that is what we do all the time... - Dorothy and Moyia O’ Brien SEVA IN ST. LOUIS , USA
The doctors among you can serve the poor by treating them without
A total of 238 people, including 47 children, benefited from this camp. Dr R. Varadachari was the medical director of the camp and Dr. Chandra Varadachari was the medical camp service coordinator of the camp. They were supported by nine other core team members. Apart from the service that was rendered, one thing that the H2H Team feels needs to be mentioned was the meticulous planning that went into the camp, as evidenced from the plentiful array of graphs, result tables, instructions for trained and untrained volunteers and interpreters, room plans, duty assignments, original health questionnaires and consent to treatment forms. No wonder, the camp was a great success. We have picked just two sample room plans from the many in the report, just to give you an idea.
No doubt, such a camp must have necessitated months of planning and we can only wish that such endeavours are emulated all over the world. Here are some excerpts from their report. ST. LOUIS MEDICAL CAMP REPORT
EXCERPT FROM GUIDELINES As mentioned above, there was no aspect of the camp that was not covered during the planning process. There were guidelines made for attendees, doctors, volunteers... any group associated with the camp. Here we have a few excerpts of their guidelines, some ideas of which we think will be useful to anybody planning such a programme. GUIDELINES FOR ATTENDEES • All test results are entered manually in the H& P forms which the attendees take to every booth. • The attendees get the original page (top page) of the H & P forms and the back copy is given to the transcriptions hi the Exit Consult room to enter the results in the computer. • Infant car seat safety checks are done in the rear parking lot adjoining mammogram van. [Safety Kids St.Louis has tents in the area] • All attendees visit doctors' consultation booth [Room (Grade) 8] for an exit conference/ advice, before leaving the premises. • Even though no new attendees are registered after 4pm , we are obliged to render the service to all those admitted prior to 4pm . So be prepared to stay until all are seen. Everything is expected to be completed by 4.30pm . • Father Jack Schuler (Pastor) of the Church, Dr. Jack Feely (Regional President), Dr.R.Varadachari (Medical Director) and one patient (Chosen at random) will be asked for comments on Video T.V. GENERAL GUIDELINES • Faculty & Translators should always conduct themselves in a loving and courteous manner. • Dress should be modest. White lab coat for doctors, White Top for other Faculty & Translators. Badges are provided at the sign in desk next to the registration at the entrance. • Be prompt for the orientation - report to the Church at 8.15 AM on June 11. Those with afternoon shift report at 12 noon . • Please stay in your designated booth, for the specified time whether attendees come or not. Please inform Dr.Chandra Varadachari or one of the other coordinators, in case you have to leave the premises for an urgent cause. • Take turns for Snacks and Lunch Break, which are provided for all faculty and translators and volunteers in the Upper Level Staff Lounge. The afternoon shift will pick up their badges at 12 noon and then go to upper level for lunch, before going to your designated areas ( 12-1 overlap is provided so that everyone gets their lunch). • Interpreters should be prepared for any last minute reassignment made at the discretion of the team coordinators. • Please return the badges at the registration desk at the conclusion of your service at the Health Fair • Study the floor plan and be familiar with the designated areas of service. SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR FACULTY • Explain in simple language what you are doing and why. Educate them on the Diseases for which you are providing the screening test. Posters and pamphlets are provided at your desk for help. • Convey the importance of preventive Health Screening, good diet and exercise in providing better quality of life, cost saving & increase in productivity in the long run. "Service to Man is Service to God!" |
The Mid-Central region of the Sathya Sai Baba Organization of America conducted a Free Medical Camp at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, St-Louis, Missouri on June 11, 2005. This was the second medical camp in the St. Louis area by the Sathya Sai Baba Organization.
Those Who Served Vol 3 Issue 9 - September 2005 |
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