News from Dr. Goldstein, US Sai Organization

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Item#2 Update on Sai Organization's work on the Disaster Relief in South East

Asia To Regional Presidents, Please send this on to Centers in your areas. Many

thanks, Phil GosselinTo all Sai devotees. To be distributed by the Zone

Chairmen, Central Coordinators, and Sai Center PresidentsDear Brothers and

Sisters,Sai Ram!For those who have perished, let us pray for their souls. For

those who are suffering, let us pray and take action to alleviate their pain.

For ourselves, let us pray that the Divine Indweller will show us the way and

enable us to do what we must do. For the Sai Organization, let us pray that we

will all become united in a spirit of love and face the world catastrophe with

courage, determination, and discrimination.THE WORK HAS BEGUN!This letter is a

sequel to the prior letters of December 26 and December 30 to give you a

progress report on the work of the Sai Organization.WORK DONE AND IN

PROGRESSThe Sri Sathya Sai International Medical Committee of the Prasanthi

Council, working under the leadership of its Chairman, Dr. Narendra Reddy, has

sent task forces of personnel with the necessary skills to assess the needs of

victims and our own resources to address those needs.In Indonesia, a task force

of Sai devotee physicians and Sai workers have gone to three stricken sites,

including Banda Aceh. These devotees are distributing food, water, clothes,

medicines, and other needed materials to the victims of the disaster.

Substantial funds from the Sathya Sai Society Earthquake Relief Fund have been

dispersed to Indonesia.In Sri Lanka, Dr. Upadhyay from UK, a member of the Sai

International Medical committee has already visited Sri Lanka, made an

assessment of conditions there, and will be returning with a medical team soon.

In addition, Dr. Brahma Sharma, President of the USA Sai Medical Committee, is

leading a task force of Sai devotee physicians and Sai workers who will arrive

in Sri Lanka by January 9. Substantial funds from the Sathya Sai Society

Earthquake Relief fund have been dispersed to Sri Lanka.In Thailand, Lorraine

Burrows, of the Sathya Sai Institute, with a group of Sai devotees from the Sai

Institute and the Sai Organization of Thailand have gone to Phuket to give

assistance to the victims of the disaster. The Zone Chairman has communicated

with the Deputy Central Coordinator of Thailand to arrange assistance by

transferring funds to the Thai Sai Organization from the Earthquake Relief

Fund.In India, we have communicated to Bhagavan Baba that we stand ready with

personnel and resources to render whatever assistance He may deem

appropriate.WORK PLANNEDTask forces have gone to Indonesia to Banda Acheh, and

two other stricken areas in that country nearest to the epicenter of the

earthquake. A team of medical personnel and volunteers from Indonesia,

Singapore, and Malaysia will establish medical and rehabilitation camps.

Likewise, in Sri Lanka, a task force is going to perform the same function.

These task forces and the medical and rehabilitation camps will not be merely a

brief encounter where goods are distributed and the sick are treated. It will

be an ongoing interaction. In the acute phase we are treating illness and

distributing goods and materials that meet the needs for survival in the

ravaged environment. Then, having met the immediate needs, we plan to maintain

a presence of helpful Sai workers to assist in the rebuilding of the homes, the

rehabilitation of the community, and, finally, the achievement of

self-sufficiency.The theme of our 80th Birthday efforts: Service to

Individual, Service to Community, and Service to Humanity is dramatically

unfolding as a result of this unprecedented disaster. Men and women,

governments and organizations, people from everywhere are extending their

helping hands to the victims of this catastrophe. Individual victims are

treated and communities are being restored. These efforts, engaged in by our

Sai Organization, and all of the multitudes of selfless workers from all over

the world, demonstrate the love and compassion that is our true nature. Thus

the innate Divinity of man is manifested.Lovingly, in the Service of SaiMichael

Goldstein

 

"God has given you this body for the benefit of others. Till you see the Lord,

do service to man, do not give up. All the actions that you do gets transformed

into pooja(worship). The God whom you want to worship is present in your heart

while doing all these activities. Whether anyone else sees or not, God who is

omnipresent, observes all your actions and feelings." -- Sri Sathya Sai Baba

 

In service of Sai

Sathyam Choudhuri

Regional President

Sathya Sai Baba Centers of Northern California & Nevada