FW: Earthquake and tsunami

[Guest guest]

Another message forwarded from the Monterey Bay satsang.

------ Forwarded Message

Andrea Bonsignore <valsala108

Earthquake and tsunami

 

Dear all,

 

There is so much to say about what has happened in this part of the world. I

will start with the most useful for those that don't want to take the time with

this email. Amma came out at the AICT, where some of us are being house after

being evacuated, and Her simple message to us was to pray for the ones who have

lost their lives, here in India, in Sri Lanka, in Indonesia.

 

In Amritapuri, we had little warning of what was to happen on the day after

Christmas. It was a Devi Bhava day and Amma was giving darshan in the temple

building. Thank Goddes for that because as Amma said later, if She had been

giving darshan in the huge structure behind the temple, there could have been

mass panic there and a stampede where people would have been injured and some

could have died. As it was, by Amma's grace, practically no one at the ashram

of thousands of visitors that day, was injured.

 

Just before lunch time, I was walking out by the Kalari and saw a devotee

running towards the Kali temple. i thought, how lucky, as the only time i see

women running around here is when Amma is coming out or is calling them to Her

side. Immediately after, I saw a group of people all running towards the temple

and i thought, is Amma going to do something special, like dance? i asked one

woman and she said, "a tidal wave is coming and Amma asked everyone to come

inside the temple". i also ran at that point and simultaneously a rush of water

came over our lower legs spreading throughout the ashram grounds. When i went

in the temple, Amma was standing where She was giving darshan previously

motioning for everyone to come inside the temple. People were being told to go

upstairs under the green roof and pray. i saw some devotees were out in the

increasingly deep water helping some of the villagers and devotees to safety. in

some places, the water reached above wasteline and we knew

that this was extremely serious for the villagers and their children who lived

between the ashram and the ocean.

 

Amma left the vicinity of the Kali temple and went up the spiral staircase. The

waters continued to rise. I have heard that Amma took her sari and in prayer,

offered it to the ocean so that the waters would stop coming in. The waters did

eventually stop rising and eventually Amma came out as beautiful as ever in Her

swim dress to check on all Her children. Initially, Amma was giving very strong

warnings to everyone to stay up high in the buildings as She, Herself waded

through the waters. Still some devotees were being brought to safety in the

temple. Eventually, the waters began to recede. Amma, taking advantage of this

as we had heard another wave could be on the way, stood at the bottom of the

temple steps, seeing that each of Her devotees that had come for Devi Bhava were

safely escorted out and to the boats to cross the backwaters and take refuge at

Her schools in Vallikavu. After, the westerners, brahmacharies and bramacharinis

were all safely taken into Vallikavu.

Amma said She wouldn't leave until everyone, including the animals (cows and

elephants) were safe. The elephants were taken to the Ayurvedic College in

Vallikavu and the cows took up residence in the main area of the Kali temple.

 

There are many stories of Amma's compassion spreading itself through the

devotees during the incident. For a long time during the flood of water

devotees were out wading through the water searching for people who needed help.

One devotee told me he picked up two children who were about to be overcome by

the wave while playing near the ocean. Ropes were attached to the temple so

people could grap hold to make their way into the safety of Amma's sanctuary.

 

Amma has since set up many, many refugee camps and medical care, not only for

the devotees as the government asked for the evacuation of the area, but for all

the thousands of villagers who were left homeless and lost loved ones in this

sad incident.

 

I pray that we all find inspiration and strength to continue to hold tight to

Amma's precious feet and to strive to serve Her in these times and always.

 

with love,

 

Valsala

 

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