SAI INSPIRES - Sept 07, 2024

Your Connection to Prasanthi Nilayam

SAI INSPIRES Zone 1 Bulletin Sept 07, 2024

Sai Inspires - Latest Updates

Loving Sairam Dear All,

Please find some of the exciting programs taking place within SSSGC Zone-1(USA, Canada and West Indies).

Happy Ganesh Chathurdhi

Happy Vinayaka Chavithi wishes to all...

O Lord Ganesha, remover of obstacles, grant us wisdom and illuminate our paths with your divine light. Bless us with success in all our endeavors, and may your presence be our eternal strength.

The Center For Human Values, SSSGC-Zone1

Bridging Gaps Through Conversation

A Unique Community Service Offering

As scores of refugees line up the streets of New York overwhelming city resources and shelters, last year the devotees at SSSGC Hempstead, New York sprang into action to address this surge. With Swami’s mission in mind, and Swami's Love in their hearts, the volunteers quickly galvanized and enthusiastically helped to provide clothing, food and essentials, such as hygiene items and blankets, to those in need in New York neighborhoods, particularly in Queens, Long Island and Manhattan, NY. With Swami’s guidance, the SSSGC Hempstead NY president, brother Amit Palicha, spearheaded this noble effort and feels humbled to be given this opportunity to serve. One day, while listening to a Swami Discourse, and walking outside in the early morning hours, he felt that something else could, additionally, be done for these immigrants, and that is, learning how to communicate in English, so that they can get a basic job, and then an opportunity to leave the streets or shelters. Amit believes that this thought was given only by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, while listening to His Divine Discourse.

Communication, particularly verbal, is a challenge for these mostly non-English speaking immigrants who are from various parts of the world. With no jobs and no source of income, many of them spend time loitering the sidewalks, wasting time and some also falling into bad company. Sleeping on park benches, staying in makeshift tents or crowded shelters is a part of their everyday life. They need a different kind of help that would make them self-reliant.

Understanding and speaking the local language is a basic requirement for becoming a part of a community, and for work! This motivated the volunteers to teach English to the immigrant population. Multiple flyers and registration forms in various languages such as Spanish, French, Wolof (African), and Mandarin were created and customized by the Outreach team to target adult refugees in the area. We also helped some of them to register as they didn't know how to register.

Swami gave an auspicious inaugural date, Guru Poornima Day, 2024! Members of the CHV-Center for Human Values, SSSGC USA and tutor volunteers were blessed to inaugurate the first Zoom for ESL tutoring on Guru Poornima Day, the 21st of July 2024. Our ESL tutors consisting of Adults and YAs quickly galvanized into action by developing lesson plans, and by dedicating themselves to teaching classes on Mondays and Thursdays from 7:20 pm – 8:20 pm, matching with the availability of the immigrant population.

The first official session was an orientation and welcome class. From initial discussions, the students expressed that they wanted to learn to read and write, since they felt that these skills would help them to find jobs and thereby foster their much needed independence.

The classes are now tailored to meet this need, with the tutors first starting with the mastery of the English alphabet. The classes are technology friendly - students were taught how to navigate Zoom. To enhance efficiency and proficiency, breakout rooms are used to facilitate the different competency levels of students. Future classes will delve into reading, writing, and conversing.

Swami has said “Why Fear, When I am Here”. Thank you Swami, for your immense grace! We hope to help the refugees cross the language gap towards English literacy through the ESL classes.

So far, dozens of immigrant adults have registered in the program, and the student pool continues to stabilize on a weekly basis. With Swami's Grace, we have added an additional Wednesday class to accommodate a student's work schedule. Thanks to our selfless SSSGC Tutor volunteers, including our Young Adults, and the supporting team across US/Zone 1. Swami has blessed us with this wonderful and noble Seva/Service opportunity in our communities and we thank Him for all His Love, Support and Grace on us and this ESL Program. 🙏

There are a couple of ways you can be a part of this CHV initiative and support the noble cause, if interested:

Be an ESL Tutor. Register here: https://www.sssgc-zone1.org/volunteer-login
Outreach in your local community to enable more people to leverage this opportunity.
Support Team member

Please contact us for more info: chv@sssgc-zone1.org

SSSGC-CHV Website: Link

Remember that with every step, you are nearing God; and God too, takes ten steps toward you when you take one step towards him - BABA

Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. V111. pp 38-39

Sadhana (Spiritual Practice) Hour

Baba's Centennial Birthday Celebrations initiative

Sairam All!

Our next Sadhana Hour sessions will be on Sept. 13th(Study Circle) & 20th (Rudram)

Zoom Meeting link: https://bit.ly/SSSGCUSASadhanaHour

Catch up with the previous sessions - Link

Inspired by Sri Sathya Sai

Insights and Reflections with Dr Axay Kalathia

NEW Podcast Series

We are excited to share the premiere of Inspired by Sri Sathya Sai - a new podcast series from Sri Sathya Sai Global Council. Sri Sathya Sai Baba says - My life is My message. Inspired by this Divine Dictum, Sai devotees from 125 countries across the globe spread across 9 zones are engaged in selfless service activities with the aim of personal transformation. This podcast series will take you across different zones and countries and share the experiences of devotees and the activities that are being undertaken around the globe.

We pray this new podcast series will inspire, engage, and unite everyone on the quest to discover their true self from every corner of the globe.

In this episode, we are blessed to have Dr Axay Kalathia, Chair Zone 1 Countries (United States, Canada and West Indies) who shares his Insights and Reflections in his journey as a spiritual aspirant, key projects across Zone 1 countries and his message to all Sai devotees.