Welcome to Serve And Inspire - Workshop 2 Hosted by Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centre Of …………..

O God, Be in my mind and in my thinking O God, Be in my eyes and in my seeing O God, Be in my ears and in my hearing O God, Be in my mouth and in my speaking O God, Be in my hands and in my helping O God, Be in my heart and in my loving

A Quick Review…

2 Rules for Sai Volunteers Rule #1: Be a Good Role Model Rule #2: Follow Rule #1

Service of Need vs. Service of Convenience Examining Service of Need vs. Service of Convenience Let’s Discuss! Would anyone else like to share their experiences or examples of service of need vs. service of convenience?

Swami Karunyananda went to Mumbai with Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Swami Karunyananda went to Mumbai with Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Both of them stayed in the same building. One day Swami Karunyananda looked out of the window and saw small children and the dogs were eating the food from the garbage bin. This scene touched Swami Karunyananda’s heart so badly when he felt bad and thought about Swami. Lo and behold, Swami was standing behind him. Karunyananda asked Swami to look outside and asked why this is happening? Swami explained that they had a good and rich life in the past and ate according to their likes and dislikes. They snacked and threw the rest in the garbage and now whatever they threw in the past, are being picked up for satisfying their hunger in this life.

… Service of need means, performing service for those who are most needy and deserving, without thought to how it might affect oneself. For example, preparing and serving free community meals to homeless, spending time or assisting seniors/elders or assisting people with special needs can be considered service of need. Service of convenience means, performing service to others, only when it is easy and convenient to oneself. For example, giving leftover food from a dinner party to homeless is a service of convenience. One can see that the first example involves thoughtful intentions to serve those who need help. You must think of who you will serve and how you will serve them beforehand and your all your actions are made for this service. Pure Heart and Pure Intentions. In the second example the service involves only afterthought and the true purpose of Cooking is to entertain one’s friends and have fun. The food is only given to the homeless because it is convenient and not because it has been prepared with love for them. Check your Intention!

Service is a Gift of Love In service we must consider the needs of others. Service can begin at home but we can extend service of others in the community i.e. workplace, the environment or wherever there is a need. When one performs service, one should do so without the expectation of receiving anything in return or of receiving recognition.

Open Discussion “While performing service activities never consider yourself as a doer. Always think that whatever service activities you have undertaken they are for your own enlightenment. These service activities must be undertaken to develop self confidence, which will lead to self satisfaction, self sacrifices and ultimately to self realization, thus service is meant to realize your true self, it should never be considered as help for others”. - Sathya Sai Baba

Jai Sai Ram

Skills of Membership The members of the center have many interests and skills. Their skills range from caring for elders, to teaching to acting and cooking. Their interests range from working with special needs children to helping improve the environment. Let us examine.

Jai Sai Ram Break

How May We Serve? In House

Service Wing partnering with the Spiritual Wing Ask the Spiritual Wing coordinator, How can we help? Set-up and clean up before and after Prayer meetings (in Silence) Conduct Study Circles (2 - 3 per year) Manage the book, audio/video Library Manage Silence before and after Prayer meetings Model ideal behaviour etc.

“Always find a quiet corner after My dharshan, where you may enter the stillness and receive the completion of My blessings. My energy goes from Me as I pass you. If you proceed to talk to others, immediately the previous energy is dissipated and return to Me unused. Rest assured that whatever My eyes sees becomes vitalized and transmuted. You are being changed day by day. Never underestimate what is being accomplished by this act of dharshan. My walking among you is a gift yearned for by the gods of the highest heaven and you are daily receiving this grace. Be grateful”. - Sathya Sai Baba

Service Wing partnering with the Education Wing Ask the Education Wing coordinator, How can we help? Hallway monitoring before, during and after SSE classes Maintain Safety of children Parking Lot management Help setting up with special events i.e. Hall management, audio/video set-up and operation, etc. Model ideal behaviour

Service Wing Current Activities… Park Cleaning - Three times a year Blood Donation - Twice a year Tree planting - Once a year Free community meal in partnership with Ladies Wing Collection of non-perishable food and other items required by the local food bank Organize Centre Picnic in partnership with Education & Youth Wings – Bonding activity etc.

Why Park Cleaning is impotent? Cleaning a local park solves the problem of pollution in our community. There are many problems that can harm a community, such as poverty and violence. Remember, Service of Need vs. Service of Convenience

Why do we Donate Blood? One unit is required in every 2 seconds. One bag of blood can save 4 lives.

Every two seconds, someone needs blood Every two seconds, someone needs blood. Each day, across the nation, 32,000 units of red cells save lives. No one understands the importance of "giving the gift of life". You see it in every day: platelets given to chemotherapy patients, plasma for burn victims, red cells for transplant patients. The list goes on and on.

Why Don't People Donate? Excuses, excuses! we've heard them all. A few of the most common reasons people not donating blood: I can catch a disease if I donate. I don't have enough blood to give. I'm too old. You don't want my blood. Someone else will donate. I'm too busy. It will hurt. I'm afraid of needles.

Blood Donation

Why is tree planting important? Because of the benefits that our planet and ourselves get from trees, such as trees being oxygen filters, providing shelter and food for humans as well as other animals and their influence on the climate ; it is essential that we make sure we make up for all the trees we loose or use. If performed properly tree planting can ensure the successful restoration of a deforested area, hence creating ecologically sustainable resource use.

A single mature tree can release enough oxygen back into the atmosphere to support 2 human beings Benefits Wildlife and the Environment

Importance of donating food

What Can We Do? Very few formal mechanisms. Local organizations such as food banks, food rescue organizations, and volunteer groups collect and distribute wasted (surplus) food As individuals/family important to consciously minimize food wastage and spread awareness of hunger

The Power of Team Work Share stories of: The Geese Red Wood Trees

Jai Sai Ram

“All hands are His All feet, all eyes, all faces and mouths are His He works through all hands He walks through all feet He sees through each eye He eats and speaks through every mouth He is everything Everything is His Every look, speech and act is His”. - Bhagavad Gita

“Hands that Serve are Holier than Lips that Pray”. - Sathya Sai Baba

Love All, Serve All