by R. D. Awle
[Copyright 2001. Dated August 2001.
This material may be downloaded, reproduced and distributed
freely, as long as the source is clearly attributed.]
In addition to His ashrams, Sai Baba runs a vast network of
charitable organizations, including two of the finest hospitals in India,
where all services, including open heart surgery, are provided free of charge to all. The hospitals’ success rate is
phenomenal. Someone asked Baba, “Why do You build hospitals when
you can cure anyone with Your miraculous powers?” He replied, “Yes, I can cure any disease
instantly. But for that the person must have total faith in me.
Most people in this age have more faith in doctors and operations
than they have in God. So I give them what they have faith in.
But it is My hand that does the operations!”
(Hence the success rate!)
Baba's 'Super Specialty Hospital' in Puttaparthi
In addition, Baba has created a vast water
supply system for a draught-stricken area in South India, and also
founded an extremely
high-quality, comprehensive educational system, from kindergarten to post-graduate
levels, with all tuition
provided at no cost. Each year
the Sai Schools turn out the finest graduates in India, young men
and women not only established in academic excellence, but rooted
in self-discipline, integrity and spiritual wisdom.
There are also Sri Sathya Sai schools operating in a number of
other countries, and over five
hundred schools around the globe utilizing Baba’s “Education in
Human Values” curriculum. A
Sathya Sai School in Zambia has been dubbed “the Miracle School”
by the Zambian press, because it accepts only students who have
flunked out or been expelled by other schools, and yet
consistently turns them into the best students in the nation. How
is it done? The students do long periods of interfaith devotional
singing each day, receive a steady dose of Baba’s ‘human values’
curriculum, and are disciplined only with Love. (I'd bet they're
also receiving huge doses of Baba's Grace, wouldn't you?)
Baba has
recently constructed a beautiful College of Music near the Prashanti
Nilayam ashram. (Does
anyone else hear harp music?)