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Activities
 Humanitarian
Work
India,
April/May 2003 |
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Report from India Drought Relief and Well Drilling in Northwestern India
Nectar for the Body and Spirit Over the past few years, northwestern India has suffered from an ongoing drought, but the situation deteriorated this year as crops failed and people suffered from severe water and food shortages. On learning of the situation, Supreme Master Ching Hai directed fellow practitioners to carry out relief work in the villages near the four major cities of Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Pali and Barmer in the state of Rajasthan.
Toward the end of April, 2003, approximately 40 fellow initiates from the U.K., Singapore and Formosa arrived in India and quickly purchased large amounts of staple foods for delivery to drought victims. The volunteers worked in three groups to coordinate distribution of the provisions with local governments and related organizations. When the first group of initiates arrived in Jaisalmer to discuss the relief work with local officials, they were overjoyed at the torrential downpours that fell for one whole hour in the city, which had not seen rain for a long time! At the end of the visit, the officials happily posed for a photo holding one of Master’s books. During the first week of May, with the help of the cities’ mayors and local organizations such as the Red Cross and MMBA (Mahila Mandal Barmer Agor), the volunteers worked in scorching temperatures reaching 54 degrees Celsius to distribute the provisions to 10,500 families, thus temporarily resolving the local food shortage. The mayor of Jodhpur, Mr. Rajath Kumar Mishra, observed that it was the first time in many years that the region had received help and concern from a non-profit international organization. Before the relief team set out on its mission, he made special arrangements to hold a flag presentation ceremony to thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her help. In addition, on learning about Master’s loving instructions to render aid to his people, Pali mayor Mr. Arun Purohit immediately arranged for local residents to help the initiates and thus speed up the operation. Mr Purohit also expressed his encouragement by personally seeing the relief workers off on their journey.
Residents
of Rajasthan state happily receive food supplies.
When the relief work was completed at Barmer, the initiates learned that the local government had insufficient funds to build more underground water storage tanks and consolidate wells for the local communities. So the relief team immediately subsidized the purchase of materials to build 50 water tanks and consolidate 21 wells with the help of the MMBA. The water storage tanks in the community are designed to receive water from water vehicles in times of drought, and to store rainwater during the wet season. In order for local residents to be ready before the next rainy season, the construction work was stepped up so that it could be completed by mid-June, 2003. When finished, the project will benefit more than seven thousand people. The villagers were very thankful to Master for delivering them from the misery of having to walk more than ten kilometers daily across the desert to get water.
The Land of the Kings Bathes in the Grace of God
As discussed above, fellow practitioners recently conducted relief operations in the state of Rajasthan, which means "Land of the Kings" in the local dialect. There ancient palaces and castles built in fine, classical style continue to stand tall, and one can tell from such architecture that the region is a place of high spirituality.
When the practitioners arrived in Delhi, several young drivers from the area drove them to Jodhpur. On the way, one happily exchanged spiritual views with the initiates. During the three-week journey of relief work conducted by the group, the drivers were moved by Master’s love, and of their own accord donned the Association’s green vests worn by the fellow practitioners and pitched in to help with the relief operation. In the end, three of the drivers learned the Convenient Method while two received initiation and joined the Quan Yin Family. In addition to distributing relief materials, the fellow initiates brought along spiritual nectar – Master’s sample booklets. Some people who received the booklets immediately placed them against their wisdom eyes, and some began discussing them at once while others displayed them behind the windshields of their taxis. Children crowded in to obtain Master’s photo, and Master’s videos, originally broadcast indoors for the children, also attracted the attention of adults who were only too happy to stand and watch. Though life is hard for the people of Rajasthan, their longing for spiritual elevation is nonetheless intense. During the journey, the relief workers were scheduled to stay in a farmhouse known as the Raman Guest House, and the host’s brother-in-law was at the entrance to receive them when they arrived. He told the initiates that he had dreamed daily of Master in different forms and appearances, and also saw the fellow practitioners. So by the time they arrived, he was already looking forward to meeting these "old friends."
It’s worth noting that many members of the MMBA, after working with the initiates for nearly a month, accepted Master’s teachings, realizing that the development of wisdom and love is beneficial to their charity work. Eight members of the group received initiation and voluntarily began translating Master’s teachings in hopes of sharing the message of Truth in India. During
the relief operation in Rajasthan, the workers travelled more than a
thousand kilometers, more than fifty local residents learned the Convenient
Method, over twenty received initiation into the Quan Yin Method and
innumerable souls were elevated by hearing Master’s name. During
the Convenient Method session, many saw the inner Light of God, and
some experienced the Light form of Master’s manifestation. Everyone
had happy experiences, looking contented and swinging their heads vigorously
back and forth to tell fellow practitioners, "I have seen God!"
(Most Indians swing their heads sideways when they mean to express agreement.)
••••• Expenditures
for
News 144, Media Reports <Rajasthan Pathrika> India
Trucks Bring Timely Relief to Drought Victims [Jodhpur, April 29, 2003] City mayor Mr. Rajath Kumar Mishra granted permission for a relief activity sponsored by The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association to be conducted in the Jodhpur area, and soon trucks began carrying food supplies to impoverished and distressed families victimized by the recent drought. During the project, Mr. Mishra felt deeply grateful for the Association's assistance, and commended the activity as a noble and humanitarian effort. The SMCH
Association provides timely help wherever people are in need or suffering
from disasters. The ideal of the Association is to assist victims
who require aid, and its activities are not restricted by time or
national boundaries. Another governmental officer, Mr. Rajiv Jain,
said that the Association supplied five trucks bearing relief kits
to victims in the vicinity of Jodhpur, including Upkhand Jodhpur,
Phipad, Falodhi, Osian and Shorghad, thus aiding thousands of suffering
families in drought affected villages. Each truck carried eleven tons
of relief supplies consisting of wheat, beans and cooking oil.
News 144, While on the Path Here in India, I know You By
fellow initiate Pengfei, disaster relief worker in India For a long time before my initiation I had longed to know God. And when I saw all kinds of strange phenomena occurring in the world, my longing became more intense. Since meeting Master, I have had an indescribable and even stronger yearning for Master’s infinite love and a desire to understand God better. On the disaster-relief trip, we initiates went to India theoretically to serve and to "give" to others, but in reality, we were the ones at the receiving end. During the five-day 2002 Christmas retreat in Florida, Master patiently answered my question about such loving service. She said that when She serves children or takes care of animals, She feels a double sense of happiness: One is from within Herself, and the other is transferred from those She serves. Through Master’s loving answer, I came to realize that for most of my life I had been doing things with my mind, and so I became easily exhausted over the "endless" work I had to accomplish. Although I then discovered where the problem was, I still felt some regrets because I did not know all about the services offered by my local center and had little chance to experience the direct and simple opportunities for spiritual growth available there. Amazingly, this subtle feeling and wish in my heart, which I had not even perceived myself, was taken care of by Master and realized one year later while I was in India. Throughout the 40-day disaster-relief project in Rajasthan, the initiate volunteers rushed back and forth, overcoming countless difficulties before we finally delivered the food supplies purchased by the Supreme Master Ching Hai relief team to the starving drought victims. Also, we witnessed the completion of a reservoir and several wells, and the initiation of some local people by a Quan Yin messenger. During this process, I came to truly understand how God meticulously cares for Hiers children, and was overwhelmed by the vastness of divine love. Even though this activity was but a mere particle in the span of universal history, I sincerely believe that the seeds of love were planted deep in the souls of the Indian people through Master’s compassionate concern. Finally, I wish to offer my most profound gratitude to Master with these lines: Without
You, I would not have known of the existence of God; (Written in India)
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