Issue 160 - January 19, 2020
Inspirational Note...
In 2015 one of the Satsangs held in the divine presence at Torino, Italy A devotee seeks guidance on advancing ones spirituality.
 
Here is what Swami said:
 
If you travel from Bangalore to Puttaparthi, on the way, you will see Chikballapur. If Chikballapur does not come, it means you are not on the right road. Likewise, when you travel towards God and you are growing spiritually, certain destinations will come.
 
First, humility will come. Then, love for everyone will come. Then, a sense of sacrifice will come, to sacrifice everything for others’ sake. The final destination is peace and bliss. It starts with humility and ends with peace. Therefore, you must continuously ask yourself whether these destinations are coming or not. Self-confidence comes first, which is like the foundation. Self-sacrifice is the walls. Self-satisfaction is the roof. That which resides inside is Self-realization.
 
First, you will develop tremendous humility that comes to you with the faith that God is the doer of everything. Self-confidence is confidence in your Divine Self. So, the first destination is this confidence that will bring humility. As you progress, you must check for yourself, whether these stations are coming or not. If these destinations are not coming on the way, it means either the train is not moving or you are on the wrong train.
Service Update
Feeding Those in Need in Croatia
Swami’s directive of providing food to the hungry has resonated strongly in the hearts of the youth over the last two months of 2019. The youth of Croatia, with the help of devotees and other heart-driven volunteers have initiated and participated in several activities such as distributing 2,054 meals in this period!
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“Through the opportunity to serve our brothers and sisters, who are either homeless, sick or abandoned, we had the duty and task, unknown to us, of transcending our separation from other people. We have developed empathy and we have shared pain and joy with these souls.
Seva in Kazakhstan
New Year is a special time of the year and the group of volunteers in Almaty decided to make a present for the families they support.
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A few days before December 31, 2019, the youth invited the families they support and 13 new children from “Growing to be God” classes to have a meal. The new children were part of one family who has adopted 15 children, having five of their own. Now they have 20 children and live as a big friendly family!
Feeding the Homeless
In the past few months, the youth have embarked on a new project to feed about 32 homeless people at a new location in Eindhoven, Netherlands. We offer full meals, including dessert, of both Indian and International cuisine on a weekly basis. As a continuous improvement measure, the youth also gather feedback from the volunteers running this place to understand their needs and serve them better.
Inexplicable in words, the contentment one gets through this Seva experience is divine. On a personal level, being able to cook on two special occasions – Swami’s Birthday and Christmas – was indeed very humbling and gratifying!
Togetherness Through Arts and Crafts
On Saturday, December 7, 2019, the youth team prepared a fun activity of organising an Arts and Crafts workshop simultaneously in Seville and in Barcelona, so as to meet up once again and start preparing for Christmas. These workshops were offered to the whole community and for all ages. Children, teens and adults took part in them.
 
The atmosphere during the workshop was really endearing and moving. The meaning of Advent and the deep significance of Christmas was talked about along with the values that can be cultivated during this time of the year and what everyone was willing to give of themselves.
Helping Those In Need
Selfless Seva Trust Of Istanbul
The Selfless Seva Trust of Istanbul, Turkey, has continued with Seva in December 2019 and the first week of January 2020. Many people have been visited and provided with the following services:
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  • On Monday and Wednesday every week, the youth cook food regularly at the following kitchens of the Trust and deliver to several homes in need in Istanbul. Between December 1, 2019 and January 5, 2020, they served:
  • 800 meals in Sisli
  • 197 meals in Pendik
  • 560 meals in Ömerli...
From I to We to He
Since the spring of 2018, I have dedicated time to participate in the homeless service with the UK group. This is a weekly service, feeding the needy with home-cooked hot food in the heart of London.
 
At first, you would not think that the UK has a high proportion of homelessness, but in fact it is to the contrary. It reinforces the importance of carrying out this service.
Transformation
From I to Sai
Sai Ram to one and all! My name is Maria. I am 29 years old and I live in Naples, Italy. In this article, I will tell you about my transformation so far.
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Change frightens us. As human beings, we are too attached to our habits, especially bad ones. I am the first! But, a heart transformed by God is something else entirely.

When I look into their eyes, I receive a mix of emotions – sadness, loneliness, hope, anger, gratitude, a lack of affection, abandonment – and I suffer seeing their condition. But, at the same time, I also think that I can be with them again next Monday and Saturday, when I can give them love, food, warmth, smiles, words of comfort and whatever else they lack that Swami asks us to give them.
The Day Swami Protected Me from Drugs
It was at the beginning of 2013 that I went to India with a one-way ticket and no plans. At the time, my life looked like a crossword puzzle and I only had questions but no answers. So, after spending a month and a half in Swami’s Ashram in Puttaparthi – where I met many wonderful people and read a lot of priceless books from Swami and other...
This was just one of the countless times that Swami has protected me or saved me from getting into trouble. As He has been drawing me nearer and nearer in the years that followed, I realised that the more I focus on serving Him, rather than my own selfish desires, the happier I feel. Not only that, He makes sure that all my needs are fulfilled, without me having to worry about anything, as He takes care of everything! Our beloved Mother Sai!