On July 13, 2015, the Sai Maa Vishnu Shakti Trust visited a village in Parmandapur, near the city of Varanasi, India to conduct its Just One program. In total, 234 children were fed a meal of vegetable curry, bread, and bananas.
When I arrived, the first round of children were already seated and looked up at me with curiosity. There were about 100 children in this first group, who sat in near silence as volunteers served them their meal.
When I arrived, the first round of children were already seated and looked up at me with curiosity. There were about 100 children in this first group, who sat in near silence as volunteers served them their meal.
Very quickly the children began to smile and one shook my hand. Then, as they finished their meals, many of the other children came over to shake my hand with joy, and a smile on their face. As a group of children began to gather, they told me about their homes and their families, including their brothers and sisters, with great excitement and joy.
For me, an important part of the Just One programs is to offer love, to see each child as the perfect being they are. In offering these children warm food and spending time with them – maybe by looking into their eyes, holding their hands, or smiling – there is a moment of care and tenderness that I can offer. For many this is a brief but meaningful moment of respite from the lack of physical comforts, their lack of clean clothes and basic hygiene, that is their daily world.
Many of these children, whose parents are field laborers or construction workers, don’t attend school. Those that do learn practical skills like tailoring that they could use to earn an income, rather than literacy skills. During the moments we spent together, none of this seemingly existed, instead there was just the experience of being together.
In thinking of this feeding, I am reminded how expansive it is to simply live a life full of love and service to humanity.
For me, an important part of the Just One programs is to offer love, to see each child as the perfect being they are. In offering these children warm food and spending time with them – maybe by looking into their eyes, holding their hands, or smiling – there is a moment of care and tenderness that I can offer. For many this is a brief but meaningful moment of respite from the lack of physical comforts, their lack of clean clothes and basic hygiene, that is their daily world.
Many of these children, whose parents are field laborers or construction workers, don’t attend school. Those that do learn practical skills like tailoring that they could use to earn an income, rather than literacy skills. During the moments we spent together, none of this seemingly existed, instead there was just the experience of being together.
In thinking of this feeding, I am reminded how expansive it is to simply live a life full of love and service to humanity.
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