Seva activities in Kazakhstan
A month had passed very quickly since the last service activity. All the youth felt in their hearts that it was time to go and meet their friends in need. As it turned out, their friends were waiting for them to come and meet them too! This month, the youth visited five families whom they support regularly as a part of the Seva activities.
It was a second visit to a family with four children. The mother is the sole breadwinner of the family because the father is disabled. They live in a small house in the poor district of Almaty. This time the mother was all smiles, contrary to last month, when she was under the weight of great sorrow and hopelessness due to life’s circumstances. Her younger children ran up to the youth and began to hug them as if they had met their old friends or relatives. The youth were invited to the house for a cup of tea, and they obliged.
The family began to share their news with the youth. Their eldest son entered a madrasah (Muslim College of Theology) for studies, where he was required to pay 170 thousand tenge per year. When the youth asked why they did not choose a free college, the mother and son answered in unison that it was his choice. When the youth tried to convince them about coordinating desires with opportunities, the 15-year-old boy answered confidently, "We gave everything to Allah! He will take care!" His answer surprised the youth who witnessed an example of total surrender to God. Leaving the worldly education, which could have been obtained free of charge, and after which it would have been much easier for the boy to get a job and earn a living, this boy had happily chosen spiritual education instead! And he is sure that God will take care of him! The youth had nothing left to say or do but to continue to support him.
Another interesting event happened to another family, whom the youth have been helping for the past three years. It was a family of a single mother with three children who had been kicked out of the house by the husband. Since then, the ex-husband had not helped them, instead he threatened the mother so she would not ask for alimony. She was scared to ask for any help from the ex-husband and was not confident. However, this time she looked very different, the youth barely recognized her. She was smiling and had confidence in her eyes. She informed the youth that after about a week of submitting her letter through the youth to their Teacher in India, she had a dream in which a wise grandfather in white clothes came and said to her, "Do not be afraid. I’m going to help you. You and your children will be fine." She woke up with a very good feeling. From that day on, she began to have important meetings with people who were willing to help her with legal issues for alimony and the admission of her daughter to a college. She believes that everything in her life will be fine now, and it is all thanks to the youths’ Teacher.
After listening to these positive impact stories of how life has been changing for the families, the youth are inspired to do more of Swami’s work, because it is He who helps them. They have also observed the ongoing transformation in the families and the children who have also started to have faith in God and believe that there is kindness in the world! By engaging in Seva activities, the youth observe transformation in themselves as they have become more compassionate and selfless. Seeing the smile on the children’s faces makes them happy and inspires them more. Now they are committed to do more Seva activities and are looking into the opportunity of feeding the homeless. The youth firmly believe that, with Swami’s guidance and grace, they will become His good instruments!