Serving the Children of Kashi
With thanks to Sai Maa’s brahmacharis, last winter we had the opportunity to spend some unforgettable moments in Varanasi (Kashi), offering service to this sacred city’s poorest children. Once a month in Sai Maa’s ashram, the Sai Maa Vishnu Shakti Trust offers a bhandara (meal) to those living around the Ashram. Children often attend with family members, but not always their parents. Instead older siblings look after the younger ones. The meal at the Ashram consists of puris (a type of bread), subji (vegetable stew), water and kheer, a dessert made of fresh milk, rice, sugar, spices, raisins, seeds and nuts (the children love it!). We had the unique opportunity of offering our love and our light whilst carrying out this service.
The Sai Maa Vishnu Shakti Trust also collaborates with other local organizations to serve meals in some of the many slum villages in Varanasi. We had the privilege of accompanying Krishna Das and Mohan Das along with members of the catholic foundation ASMITA (Association for the Socially Marginalized Integrated Therapeutic Action) to one of these slum villages, where we served in excess of 200 meals to the children of the village. We witnessed the extreme material poverty of the families living there and despite the difficult living conditions (dilapidated and dirty homes, minimal food supplies, no access to education, no work, lack of hygiene etc.), we could feel how full their hearts were. We were so touched by the depth of the look in their eyes, how full their lives seemed despite their lack of earthly possessions, by their respect (greeting us with their hands folded in ‘Namaste’, touching our feet), by their purity, and their smiles. We were surprised at how joyous these children were to be photographed. Their greatest joy seemed to be looking at themselves on camera. It was great fun to be with them.
The work of the organizations making programs such as these available is admirable, their task immense in the face of the extreme poverty in Varanasi and its surroundings. Seeing them at work in the love and pure joy of serving is for us a great source of inspiration and appreciation.
Looking back at the photos of the children in Varanasi, we find ourselves back there with them and tears coming to our eyes. We feel again the presence of these beautiful beings and carry them in our hearts.
The precious moments we spent with these beings gave us the desire to be more involved in Sai Maa’s humanitarian projects, which as well as serving meals, provides cataract operations, a center and shelter for women, and provides warm clothes to the needy in winter. Being present onsite, we became aware of how much there is to be done and the urgency of our doing our part to help these people.
In the joy of service,
With all our Gratitude,
Louise Arseneau and Christian Parent
The Sai Maa Vishnu Shakti Trust also collaborates with other local organizations to serve meals in some of the many slum villages in Varanasi. We had the privilege of accompanying Krishna Das and Mohan Das along with members of the catholic foundation ASMITA (Association for the Socially Marginalized Integrated Therapeutic Action) to one of these slum villages, where we served in excess of 200 meals to the children of the village. We witnessed the extreme material poverty of the families living there and despite the difficult living conditions (dilapidated and dirty homes, minimal food supplies, no access to education, no work, lack of hygiene etc.), we could feel how full their hearts were. We were so touched by the depth of the look in their eyes, how full their lives seemed despite their lack of earthly possessions, by their respect (greeting us with their hands folded in ‘Namaste’, touching our feet), by their purity, and their smiles. We were surprised at how joyous these children were to be photographed. Their greatest joy seemed to be looking at themselves on camera. It was great fun to be with them.
The work of the organizations making programs such as these available is admirable, their task immense in the face of the extreme poverty in Varanasi and its surroundings. Seeing them at work in the love and pure joy of serving is for us a great source of inspiration and appreciation.
Looking back at the photos of the children in Varanasi, we find ourselves back there with them and tears coming to our eyes. We feel again the presence of these beautiful beings and carry them in our hearts.
The precious moments we spent with these beings gave us the desire to be more involved in Sai Maa’s humanitarian projects, which as well as serving meals, provides cataract operations, a center and shelter for women, and provides warm clothes to the needy in winter. Being present onsite, we became aware of how much there is to be done and the urgency of our doing our part to help these people.
In the joy of service,
With all our Gratitude,
Louise Arseneau and Christian Parent
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