Devotee's Experience - Contributed by Vijaya, California, USA

[Guest guest]

Devotee's Experience - Contributed by Vijaya,

California, USA

 

Sai Ram To All

 

I have been a Sai devotee since 1993, which is when I

was first drawn to him. It was in that year that my

grandmother passed away. She had always been the

person to whom I was closest as a child, and who gave

me the most love. Sai knew that I needed a replacement

and immediately took me into His fold. Since that time

Sai has consistently taken care of my family and me

during difficult times in our lives. Throughout my

life, I have cultivated the habit of praying to Baba

as soon as I open my eyes every morning. I also give

thanks and prayers before going to bed, regardless of

how the day may be.

 

In the summer of 2006, my daughter went to East Africa

as a visiting medical student. She had a wonderful

time, both working with the population and visiting

many different regions. It was a thoroughly

magnificent experience for her. While touring various

cities, she had a 30-hour bus journey on a road made

of sticks and stones. The ride was no less than

miserably uncomfortable. But the worst came at the

Kenyan-Ugandan border.

 

After spending nearly ten minutes finding a " restroom "

(which was essentially a hole in the ground, around

which rodent and insect visitors gathered), she walked

back out onto the road just in time to see the tail

lights of her bus disappearing in the distance. Her

stomach sank as the bus carried everything that she

owned with the exception of twenty thousand Tanzanian

schillings, a roll of toilet paper, and her passport.

 

Before she realized what was happening, she started

sprinting in her flip-flops and skirt, just as the

tears started rolling down her eyes, as she was

cursing herself and her small bladder, a man on a

moped drove up next to her. She jumped on, they

finally made it to the bus, got their attention and

the bus stopped. In a daze of adrenaline she hugged

the man who saved her life, handed him her Tanzanian

schillings and toilet paper, and climbed on the bus.

The driver and passengers all looked extremely annoyed

at her, since she was also the passenger who had to

have the bus stop 4 times previously to use the

restroom. She was so happy to be back on that bus and

needless to say she did not drink another drop of

water for the rest of her journey.

 

After this horrifying episode, she sent me an email

narrating this episode. While reading that email I

developed heart palpitations and by the end I had

tears in my eyes. I instantly realized that this man

who saved my daughter that day could only have been my

beloved Sai. It was a true manifestation of his

pledge, " I would cross seven seas to help my

devotees, " which is a tenet that I have read in Sai

Satcharita several times. Sai truly does prove his

love for his devotees. He has affected my life in

innumerable ways and I am confident that he will

continue to express his protection over my family and

me for years to come…

 

 

Vijaya,

California, USA