Words of Peace Global News
Report: Event in Miami Beach - January 22, 2012
[Wed, 01 Feb 2012]On January 22nd, Prem Rawat returned to the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach to speak to almost 2,300 people. It was the first event of 2012, and he asked those who came to make a commitment this year to their own personal peace and happiness.
Here are some excerpts from his talk:
I’m here to tell you it all begins with personal peace — not world peace. It begins with personal peace: peace within you. Is there one? Yes. Then the question is: What does it feel like? And this question can only be answered with a question. Have you never felt it? Because if you haven’t, you should feel it.
If I wasted today, I’m not going to waste another second lamenting that I wasted today. But I’ll come up with a plan for tomorrow. I will try a little harder, and that’s all it takes. That’s all it takes to be a little more conscious. To see. To appreciate. Appreciation begins — not from other people — but from within yourself. To appreciate first that you are alive.
Make a difference this year. Of all the years you have been alive on the face of this earth, make a difference this year. Light up that lamp inside, because that’s the only way there can be light on the outside. It’s not about what you have accomplished or what you are going to accomplish — it's about what is already there.
Inmates, Jail Authorities and Academics Applaud Peace Education at San Antonio Jail
[Wed, 01 Feb 2012]
San Antonio, Texas: A Peace Education Program (PEP), based on Prem Rawat’s message of peace and sponsored by The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF), has been one of the most popular classes at the Fabian Dale Dominguez State Jail in San Antonio. Jail authorities have reported a significantly positive impact upon the over 1,000 inmates who have participated in the program since it began in 2007 and a marked reduction in recidivism.
The success of the program in San Antonio has recently attracted the attention of the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Texas, San Antonio (UTSA), where particular attention is being given to addressing the problem of repeated re-incarceration of released offenders.
Last week, Prem Rawat spent two days in San Antonio, first speaking to the PEP class at the jail on January 25 and the next day at an event called Peace on the Inside, hosted by the Criminal Justice Department at UTSA. Speaking to the inmates who had written to him of their appreciation of what they had discovered for themselves through the PEP classes, Mr. Rawat said, “Ultimately, you did not give up on yourself. And that’s the only thing that’s going to allow you to transform and rise above like the phoenix from the ashes. Not crumpled or slightly burnt but from the ashes rises the phoenix. Be the phoenix.”
After his talk, Prem Rawat responded to questions and expressions from nine of the inmates.
Prem Rawat was the keynote speaker at the Peace on the Inside event at UTSA for professors, students and representatives of local groups with an interest in criminal justice. Panel member Dr. Michael Gilbert, an expert in the new field of restorative justice, said of the PEP program, “We think something very positive is happening here. Offenders seem to find clarity. They seem to find understanding of themselves and a personal sense of inner peace, all of which may be needed for them to break destructive cycles and behavior patterns that have led them time and time again to jail and prison.”
In his address, Prem Rawat spoke of how honored he felt to have been invited by the inmates at Dominguez Jail to speak to them and how moved he was by their comments. Asked by a UTSA student what advice he gave to the inmates, he responded, “Not to forget themselves, because while their liberty might be gone, their humanity nobody can take away from them. They need to make that humanity prosper in their lives, to make sure that it grows.”
At the end of the event, State Representative Joaquin Castro awarded Mr. Rawat with a state resolution and the title of Honorary Mayor of San Antonio in recognition of his work with the Dominguez Jail inmates and his continued work in helping all humanity.
TPRF-sponsored Peace Education Programs are taking place in 25 prisons in 10 countries with over 3,000 inmates participating each month, and there is a growing demand for the program internationally.
TPRF Supports Free Eye Clinics for India's Rural Poor
[Wed, 18 Jan 2012]
One day last November, Rajhardi, who lives in rural Patehria in Uttar Pradesh, India's largest state, walked barefoot for more than three miles to a neighboring village. He was headed for an eye clinic supported by TPRF and its counterpart in India, Prem Sagar Foundation (PF), where he was examined and fitted with prescription eyeglasses at no cost.
“Earlier my vision was blurred,” he said. “But now I am seeing much clearer.”
From November 5-December 4, in an effort underwritten by $30,000 from TPRF, volunteers from Raj Vidya Kender (RVK), an Indian service organization with ties to Prem Sagar Foundation, organized two-day clinics in five remote locations in northern India. At these clinics operated by volunteers, poor villagers could be examined for free by eye doctors and get eyeglasses, medicines, and referrals for further care as needed.
Organizers reported that 6,944 people attended the clinics. A total of 5,021 pairs of eyeglasses were given out, 6,152 eye-drop medications dispensed and 626 patients given referrals for cataract surgery.
For many of the clinics' beneficiaries, something as simple as getting a pair of glasses was a life-changing event.
“I am really feeling very good,” said a woman who attended the clinic in Bantoli, a tiny village near Ranchi in Jharkhand, where TPRF opened its first Food for People facility a few years ago. “Now I can cook with my own hands and even pass a thread through the needle. So nice!”
A villager from Hindipidi, Bihar, said, “I had blurred vision in both my eyes. I had been suffering from this eye problem for a long time, but due to not having money, I could not go to the city and get treatment. Doctors in the clinic checked and tested my eyes and gave me spectacles. Now I have full and clear vision, and I am really happy.”
Local officials praised RVK for providing much-needed services to people who live far from medical facilities.
“We all know that the eye is one of the most invaluable gifts nature has bestowed upon us, and therefore its care is of utmost importance,” said District Magistrate A.K. Singh Rathore, who officially opened the clinic in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh. “But due to ignorance, lack of facilities, and poverty, eye care gets neglected here, and people suffer. By getting needy people's eyes examined in this extremely backward area, the sponsors and organisers have done an exemplary job.”
The Hardoi clinic was held in the DSCL Sugar Mill, one of the region's large employers. “The eye clinic was very much needed in this area,” said Senior Manager B.L.Verma. He said more than 250 of his employees got their eyes examined.
Since 2003, when RVK began hosting the free eye clinics, TPRF has contributed $175,000 that has supported 34 clinics attended by more than 60,000 people.
Report: India Tour - Fall 2011
[Thu, 05 Jan 2012]
From late September to early November, Maharaji traveled India to speak about a very fundamental subject: peace. With the help of volunteers, formerly spare grounds were made festive with garlands, fabric and dyed powders, giving each event a feeling of joy and celebration.
Hyderabad — September 29, 2011
In preparation, the grounds are decorated by hand.
Brightly dyed powders form intricate patterns.
People grab every seat that they can, whether natural or man-made.
Many of his remarks seem to have a remarkable response.
Laughter ripples through the crowd.
Delhi — October 2, 2011
Vividly colored flags mark the landscape.
Maharaji uses an expressive gesture to illustrate his point.
A man reacts warmly to what was said.
Every square foot of space is occupied.
The night ends with celebratory song and dance. Many in the audience stand up to participate.
Kolkata — October 8, 2011
People begin to file into the auditorium.
Soon every chair is taken.
Maharaji teasingly addresses the crowd.
Both the audience and the speaker seem to be in high spirits.
Arms almost intertwine as people stand to cheer.
Mumbai — October 11, 2011
Preparations have begun for the event.
Guests arrive by bus, bicycle, motorcycle, taxi… every means imaginable.
What used to be an empty patch of land is suddenly thronged with people.
Quieter moments provoke serious contemplation.
Some have the chance to speak with him.
Delhi — November 7 and 8, 2011
A two-day celebration is about to begin. Some have decorated themselves with henna to mark the occasion.
Musicians take the stage...
...and many in the audience rise to dance.
When Maharaji begins speaking, the rowdiness dies down. People listen attentively.
Maharaji seems to be as joyful as the crowd.
TPRF Aids Water Purification Program in Drought-Ravaged Ethiopia
[Thu, 22 Dec 2011]
Only a third of residents in the Borena Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia's largest province, have access to clean and safe drinking water. A $20,000 contribution from TPRF is helping to fund a water purification program in the region. This program directly reduces the incidence of waterborne diseases among the local population, giving about 10,000 people a better chance for a healthy, productive life.
Leading the effort on the ground is AmeriCares, a nonprofit global health and disaster international relief organization, that delivers aid to people in crisis around the world. TPRF also partnered with AmeriCares to alleviate human suffering in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
Severe drought across the Horn of Africa continues to strain the resources of local and international relief organizations. In countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya, the situation is aggravated by the influx of some 7.5 million Somali refugees, fleeing political turmoil with little more than the clothes on their backs.
The Borena Zone is still struggling to absorb the 50,000 Ethiopian farmers from overpopulated areas selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2004 for voluntary resettlement. Persistent drought and famine have led to conflict between these new residents and the zone's native population.
According to Ethiopia's Central Statistical Agency, only 32% of the total population of Oromia, Ethiopia's largest province, has access to safe drinking water. Through its Africa Disaster Relief Fund's Clean Water Initiative, AmeriCares is mounting a large-scale emergency response.
With TPRF funds, AmeriCares will provide 2,000 households, or about 10,000 people, with two sachets per day of PuR, a water purification agent, for a period of three months. PuR is a powder that, when mixed with contaminated water, removes many pollutants, viruses, and bacteria.
“Two sachets will purify 20 liters of water, which is more than the minimum of 15 liters recommended by humanitarian emergency guidelines,” said Ella R. Gudwin, AmeriCare's vice president of emergency response.
She said PuR distribution will specifically target households relying on muddy pond water. AmeriCares' partners in the area will provide training and demonstrations to make sure that the recipients know how to use the sachets and will also contribute materials necessary to complete the purification process, such as pails and clean cloth to use as strainers. Monitoring is also in place to ensure that families are using the powder appropriately.
This is the fourth grant TPRF has made this year to underwrite humanitarian initiatives in the Horn of Africa.
“The Horn of Africa famine has not attracted the kind of donor engagement that such a catastrophic event might otherwise engender,” Gudwin said. “I believe people see anything related to Somalia as a lost cause, and many innocent people both in Somalia and the surrounding drought-affected countries continue to suffer. For this reason, we are especially thankful for this grant from TPRF and the sense of hope that it inspires in desperate circumstances.”
Photos courtesy of Sonya Sagan/Oxfam.
European Parliament Welcomes Back Ambassador of Peace
[Thu, 01 Dec 2011]
The 1st Vice President of the European Parliament, the Honorable Gianni Pittella, hosted an international conference titled: “Peace and Well-being, addressing the founding values of the European Union” on November 28.
Against a backdrop of international uncertainty, including riots in many European cities, government change and continued unrest in the Middle East, an audience of institutional representatives and MEPs joined academics and business people from more than 25 countries to explore the most pressing issues facing Europe and the world today: peace and well-being.
Gianni Pittella and keynote speaker Prem Rawat were introduced by Dr. Anthony Seldon, political historian, author, journalist, and current Headmaster of Wellington College (UK). Referring to Ambassador of Peace Prem Rawat, Dr. Seldon commented, “Peace — what a wonderful country to be Ambassador for.”
Dr. Seldon then set the scene for the event by inviting the whole audience to pause for a moment of silent reflection, describing the feeling of peace as an “ineffable and indescribable experience, which is here now.”
Ambassador of Peace Prem Rawat spoke from the heart and without notes, focusing on the personal need for peace, “one day at a time, one person at a time.” He touched on the issue of conflict, pointing out that “wars happen because people lose respect for each other.” Emphasizing the human connection people have with each other, he added, “Every single being on the face of this earth is your neighbor.”
Referring to the recent low General Election turnout in one European country, Mr. Rawat commented, “Democracy is a few serving the many. Today, democracy has become the many serving the few. I’m not a politician, but I am a human being who holds very close to his heart the fundamental possibility of peace on this earth.” He said that “peace is in the heart of human beings, not in the mind of human beings” and concluded, “Peace needs to be given the chance to happen. We have tried everything else.”
Mr. Pittella and Mr. Rawat took questions from students from the Red Cross Nordic United World College, and then the EU representatives present were invited to show public commitment to peace and well-being by signing the “Pledge to Peace.” Inspired by the lectures of Prem Rawat and his message of personal peace, the Pledge to Peace was created under the patronage of Gianni Pittella. It is a call to action to do something tangible for peace in 2012 and beyond.
Mr. Pittella explained, “the Pledge to Peace is based upon the founding principles of the European Union, the core principles of the Lisbon Treaty 2009, and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. It promotes the development of peace and peace education to enhance the well-being of its peoples.”
After the Pledge to Peace was signed by Mr. Pittella and Mr. Rawat, the first signatory was Linda Pascotto, President of The Prem Rawat Foundation. The Foundation promotes Prem Rawat's message of peace and his vision of addressing fundamental human needs so that people everywhere can live with dignity, peace and prosperity.
Founding signatories of the Pledge included UN Peace Day creator, Jeremy Gilley from England; Mr. Seemanto Roy, son of Subrata Roy Sahara, Chairman of the Sahara Group in India; and the Honorable Nicolo Cristaldi MEP (Italy) and Mayor of Mazara Del Vallo, Sicily, who had recently invited Mr. Rawat to speak on the topic of peace in that region. Each took a few moments to explain to the audience why they were adding their names to the document, and their own projects in service of peace. Their signatures were followed by those of representative dignitaries from across Europe.
The Secretariat for the Peace and Well-being conference was provided by Associazione Percorsi.
Photos courtesy of The Prem Rawat Foundation.
TPRF Funds Well-drilling Program in Andhra Pradesh
[Wed, 23 Nov 2011]
The construction of bore wells in remote villages in southeastern India will help villagers lift themselves out of a persistent cycle of poverty and disease.
TPRF has given $16,756 to the Sri K. Pitchi Reddy Educational and Welfare Society (SPREAWS) to drill and maintain bore wells in 15 of the most water-challenged villages of Andhra Pradesh State. The project will benefit an estimated 7,500 families. SPREAWS, established in 1994, is a grassroots nonprofit that works towards the empowerment of low-caste, tribal and other indigenous, marginalized people in Andhra Pradesh through the provision of basic necessities and education.
Many of the challenges facing these villagers — hunger, poverty, lack of education, poor health — spring from a common cause: a dearth of clean drinking water. Andhra Pradesh is drought-prone, and remote villages frequently have no convenient source of drinking water. The task of fetching water has traditionally fallen to women and girls, who must often travel miles to fill plastic pots and pails with water for all their households needs.
“Besides bringing domestic water, we have to work to earn family wages, and we have to do the hard, often tedious domestic chores of cooking, sweeping, cleaning, washing, rearing the children, collecting fire-wood, baby-sitting, buying the household needs in the markets, etc.” said Mrs. Rajeswari, a resident of Idupalapayi village.
The women trek across open fields and up thorn-covered, rocky slopes to reach the nearest water source, which may be a polluted lake or an unprotected open well meant for agricultural use. This daily task keeps the girls out of school and robs their mothers and aunts of hours of gainful employment. Chronic poverty and disease inevitably follow.
SPREAWS' solution is simple: drill bore wells to create a reliable local source of safe drinking water and train villagers in maintaining them. Well installation is accomplished in four phases: identifying water sources with the help of geologists as well as traditional water diviners; drilling the bore wells; well lining; and head works.
Next come maintenance and education. “The installation stage of a rural water-supply program is very easily achieved compared with accomplishing sustained maintenance,” says SPREAWS President C.J. Sajid Hussain. “The long-term success of any water program depends almost entirely on effective maintenance, and yet it is an aspect which is very often neglected.”
SPREAWS selects one “service-minded individual” from each village for training in maintenance and minor repairs of the bore well. For more complicated repairs, the nonprofit will help village leaders secure the services of an expert.
Using simple teaching aids such as flip charts, drawings, and photographs, SPREAWS volunteers educate villagers in hygienic methods to prevent diseases such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery, jaundice, and malaria as well as early detection of water contamination. This basic information helps villagers to regain health and gives them a practical hope of improving their lot.
TPRF Funds Healthy School Lunches for Johannesburg Teens
[Fri, 04 Nov 2011]
In the poorest sections of Johannesburg, balanced meals financed by a $30,000 grant from TPRF will give 500 high school students a better start in life. This is the second TPRF grant for the same program.
The ACFS Community Education and Feeding Scheme has been feeding Africa's indigent children since 1945, when Bishop Trevor Huddleston began distributing peanut butter sandwiches at schools. Today, the program goes much further, says Executive Director Phindile Hlalele. While school meals remains its core focus, she says, “we also work to promote healthy, contributing citizens who are economically viable and self-sufficient.”
ACFS targets the neediest children. Some are orphans or heads of families; others are not only malnourished but also infected with the HIV/AIDS virus. For all of these children, the health benefits are only the beginning. The promise of a nutritious meal encourages them to attend school regularly and makes it easier for them to concentrate on their lessons. Improved school performance builds self-confidence as well as skills.
Starting this month, meals will be cooked and served on-site from Monday through Friday. The TPRF grant will cover the program for six months.
“ACFS plans to offer these children who come to school with empty stomachs something to eat for the day,” Hlalele says. “For some of them, the meal we offer is the only meal until the next day.”
The menu combines carbohydrates for bodybuilding, proteins, and vegetables to protect against disease. Community health workers, nursing sisters, and social workers help to measure the effectiveness of this diet through regular visits to the school as well as interviews with the beneficiaries and their teachers, some of whom are also ACFS volunteers.
School attendance will be monitored and compared against rates of absenteeism before the program.
“Through this grant,” Hlalele says, “we will be able to feed children that come to school without even a slice of bread. Our assistance will make a change in school attendance, school performance and self-esteem, and also allow those who are on medication to take it on full stomachs.”
Photos courtesy of African Children's Feeding Scheme.
Report: Event in Brisbane - September 14, 2011
[Thu, 03 Nov 2011]On September 14, 2011, Maharaji arrived in Brisbane after two full weeks of touring the Pacific region. The event took place in the Chandler Theatre — one of the largest theaters in Southeast Queensland. Arriving guests piled into the hall, ready to hear Maharaji speak about a familiar yet profound subject.
Here are some excerpts from his talk:
The root word for ignorance comes from 'ignore.' So, for all the ignorance there is in this world, what does that mean? Well, it means we’re ignoring something. And what could that be? What do you think that could be? What is that one thing that we would ignore that would have the most severe consequence on our existence?
We ignore the obvious. What is the obvious? That your God is within you. Always has been, always will be. That your truth that you are looking for is within you — always has been, always will be.
You want to know there’s a God? Look at yourself. Not that that’s what God looks like. No. But for somebody to create this… does that power need a name? No. Need identification? No. But all that you see — from a butterfly to a cloud to yourself, to the tree, to the desert — this is all testifying to the presence of the same that resides within inside of you.
Changing Lives in Cambodia's Poorest Province
[Wed, 19 Oct 2011]
In the villages of Cambodia's Kampong Speu province, west of Phnom Penh, a pilot program sponsored in part by TPRF is restoring self-sufficiency and dignity to the poorest of the poor.
The Cambodian Sao Sary Foundation (SSF), dedicated to building strong communities that will impact positively on the standard of living of poor and vulnerable people, is combating the demoralizing effects of poverty through an immediate infusion of nutritious food and clean water coupled with education in efficient farming methods, sanitation, and financial management.
“Our village is so green now. There are gardens in every home,” said a villager in Kraing Rohong, the first village to benefit from SSF's comprehensive approach. TPRF has contributed $21,200 to help SSF spread this successful initiative to other villages.
After years of political turmoil, Kampong Speu province is now suffering from severe drought. This has led to chronic failure of crops and depletion of livestock, depriving farmers in the area of their traditional sources of income. More than half the households in the area live below Cambodia's established poverty line of US$1.25 a day. Rice and drinking water must be purchased in other, more fortunate villages, where merchants often charge exorbitant rates — and many families have nothing left to sell in order to buy food and water. Adults have tried to support their families through logging or domestic work in neighboring cities and countries, where they are often exploited and end up working without pay. Desperation has forced some to sell their young daughters into the sex trade in order to survive.
Under these conditions, development among the villages of Kampong Speu has been severely impeded. About 90% of households don't even have a sanitary toilet.
To these overwhelming conditions, SSF brings a simple, pragmatic solution. It begins with immediate food assistance and the building of wells in water-scarce communities. Local families are provided with training, tools and seeds to plant home gardens, which will give them long-term food security and a source of income. The training includes farming techniques such as intercropping that will increase yields and harvests, as well as basic financial literacy to guide families in the management of income generated by their gardens.
TPRF's grant allows SSF to extend this program to Thlok Downsok village, where it will benefit 85 families, or about 560 individuals.
In expressing his appreciation, SSF Executive Director Vichetr Uon said, “You truly did a wonderful thing.” One year after SSF began working in Kraing Rohong, he said, “This village has gained significant improvement in terms of human trafficking reduction, women empowerment, increase in livelihood and a decrease in hunger as well as sending the children here to school... additionally, SSF has managed to convert their financial habits of borrowing from loan sharks to self-sustaining loans from community-led rice banks and animal banks.”
Report: Event in Melbourne - September 11, 2011
[Wed, 12 Oct 2011]On September 11, 2011, Maharaji flew to Melbourne to continue his tour of Australia. During his talk, he discussed the uniqueness of every person, the uniqueness of the blessing of the breath and the need to recognize that blessing in the present moment.
Here are some excerpts from his talk:
By its nature, peace is something that brings a lot of joy. It’s beautiful. And it is something that we need. It’s not a concept, it’s not an idea, it’s not a luxury. This is a necessity. The desire for peace does not come from thoughts; the desire for peace does not come from hopes. The desire for peace comes from every single human being.
Inside of you, of course, there are questions. But inside of you there are answers, too. Inside of you, there is the possibility of feeling pain. But do you know that there is a limitless possibility of feeling happiness, joy? You have no limit for joy. Your tolerance for pain is very small. Your tolerance for joy is off the scale.
Did you know you are unique? As unique as the snowflake? As unique as the flower? Do you know that? There’s no one like you. And there will never, ever again be anyone like you. Never. Ever. The way you smile, the way you think, the way you laugh, the way you cry, the way you sleep, the way you are awake, the way you think, the way you are when you are generous. The way you are when you’re kind. The way you love. The way you receive. The way you understand. There will never, ever be another one like you on the face of this earth. Never. What does that mean to you? You’re precious.
Emergency Water Saving Lives in Ethiopia
[Tue, 11 Oct 2011]
Herders and agricultural workers in Ethiopia's Dollo Bay and Dollo Ado areas, near the epicenter of the worst drought to afflict the Horn of Africa in 60 years, are getting relief in the form of clean, safe water through a partnership between TPRF and International Relief and Development (IRD), an Arlington, VA-based nonprofit known for its rapid response to international humanitarian crises. TPRF approved a $25,000 grant to IRD to help provide emergency relief to about 24,000 people.
“This morning when we woke up, five different villages in Dollo Ado were completely out of water,” Scott Webb, IRD's relief officer in Dollo Ado, reported recently. “By this afternoon, they will have water. IRD can hold its head high that we did the right thing today and acted quickly in an emergency to save lives.”
The severe drought conditions in the area are aggravated by political factors. Dollo Bay and Dollo Ado are on Ethiopia's border with Somalia, where for the past year rebel forces have foiled most international relief efforts. As a result, refugees are pouring across the borders to already fragile host communities in Ethiopia and Kenya.
IRD is trucking water from the Ganale Dorya River, the only nearby perennial river, to 16 villages identified as most at risk. The water will be purified, treated and stored in 10,000-liter water distribution tanks that will be established in each village. IRD is working with or setting up community water management committees to oversee water distribution, use, and management. While the immediate aim is to increase access to safe water for drought-affected families, IRD is also disseminating information for improved health and sanitation to avert and mitigate waterborne diseases such as acute diarrhea, to which children are especially vulnerable.
“We are so grateful to The Prem Rawat Foundation for its generous support of this critical effort,” said IRD's Richard Wagner, who is in Ethiopia directing IRD's response. “Water and sanitation are essential to saving lives and readying communities for longer term relief and recovery. This grant allows IRD to help the international community fill critical gaps in the emergency response and make a difference.”
The grant to IRD is one of several TPRF is making to organizations working to help East Africans survive this crisis and regain their fundamental human right to live with dignity, peace and prosperity.
Photos courtesy of Scott Webb, IRD.
Report: Event in Sydney - September 6, 2011
[Mon, 03 Oct 2011]After a brief stay in Amaroo, Maharaji began a tour of three major Australian cities. On his first stop he visited the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, a modern building located directly on Cockle Bay. Many of the audience had only heard him speak before on television — it was their first chance to hear him live.
Here are some excerpts from his talk:
You want me to tell you the biggest myth in the world? The biggest lie? The biggest lie is that, if you started pursuing joy and happiness in your life, that’ll be the end of your job. You will become a vegetable. You will have no interest in men or women. You will not want a car. You will abandon all luxuries of life. It’s a lie.
The time has come in your life to be the warrior you are. The time has come to put down the disguise of ignorance and put on your shining armor. You — I know some of you — are waiting for the angel to come and rescue you. Put all that is wrong right. And I say to you: that angel has come. And that angel is not me. That angel is you.
You are the angel who will banish darkness from your life. You are the angel that will bring light to the land of your heart. You are the angel who will kill the dragons of doubt. You are the angel that will triumph — triumph over all that you cannot tolerate.
Water Brings Hope to Kenya's Driest Regions
[Thu, 29 Sep 2011]
The families of nomadic herdsmen in Kenya's remote Wajir province, where in some areas it has not rained in three years, will have a better chance at a healthy future thanks to an immediate infusion of emergency supplies of clean drinking water.
TPRF has made an outright grant of $25,000 to Mercy Corps (MC) and up to $10,000 more in matching funds to help address the immediate life-threatening situation as well as to take steps to help avoid such devastation in the future. The matching funds will be at 50 cents per dollar for funds raised on a TPRF campaign on Facebook.
Thanks in part to this donation, MC will be able to improve the ability of 7,500 households—about 45,000 people—in Wajir to cope with and recover from these natural and man-made disasters. In addition to trucking in water, MC volunteers will ensure that target communities have rehabilitated and functioning water supply systems, appropriate sanitation facilities and increased access to information about health and hygiene. Overall, Mercy Corps is helping an estimated 195,750 people caught in what has been called Kenya’s worst drought in more than 60 years.
Wajir, bordered by Somalia to the east and Ethiopia to the north, is Kenya's second largest county, covering more than 35,000 square miles—about the size of the state of Maine. As many as 70% of its residents depend almost entirely on livestock for their livelihood.
For centuries, drought has been a fact of life across the Horn of Africa. Local herdsmen, who rely on rainfall to replenish water supplies and grow crops to feed their families and herds, have developed a nomadic lifestyle to cope with it. But this traditional response is insufficient in the face of a constellation of new factors.
Whereas major droughts used to occur perhaps once a decade, giving the land and its people time to recover, climate change has greatly accelerated the pace. Now drought descends on the region on average every two years. Abetting these climactic challenges are widespread political turmoil and corruption.
In Wajir, this has resulted in the collapse of the local economy, decimating purchasing power at a time when its people have little or no livestock left to sell. Concurrent inflation puts safe drinking water beyond the reach of many. Herdsmen are traveling farther and farther from home in desperate attempts to keep their remaining animals alive, leaving their women and children to fend for themselves.
This is the third Mercy Corp initiative that TPRF has helped to fund. Earlier this year, the two nonprofits teamed up to ameliorate the aftereffects of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan; at the end of 2010, TPRF helped fund MC's response to the cholera outbreak in Haiti.
Photos courtesy of Erin Gray and Mercy Corps.
Report: Event in Amaroo - September 3 and 4, 2011
[Tue, 27 Sep 2011]Over the course of two days, Maharaji spoke extensively at the Ivory's Rock Conference Centre outside of Brisbane, Australia. From formal talks to impromptu interactions, attendees had many opportunities to listen — whether those opportunities were officially scheduled or not.
Here are some excerpts from one of his talks:
Do we view our life by the bad things that happen in it? Or the good things that happen in it? Both are going to happen — both. There’s absolutely no question about it. There are things that are going to happen in your life that you are not going to like. And there are things that are going to happen in your life that you are going to be blown away by. Both are going to happen. Are you ready for both of them? Or not? Or, are you trying to gear yourself up for only one?
It is not those changes that matter — it is the constant. Your firmness to adhere to understanding that blessing every day — that’s going to make you who you are. That is your strength. Deviating from that understanding, deviating from that clarity is your weakness. You’re good at it. I am good at it. That is our weakness, and holding steadfast to that understanding, to that clarity, to that gratitude, to that focus, to that beauty, to that blessing, or an acknowledgment of the same is our strength. Those are the things that can allow us to endure the impossible.
Appreciate the ones you love. And love the ones you appreciate. If you can love that blessing, and appreciate it because it means everything to you — doesn’t it? Everything. Without it, you have no relatives. You have no business. You have no entity. You don’t have an identity, you don’t have problems, and you don’t have anything good. Nothing. But does ignorance rule you? Have you been ignoring the obvious? Because it’s time to stop ignoring. Do not be ignorant. Don’t.
TPRF Partners with Mercy Corps, Causes and Socialvest
[Wed, 21 Sep 2011]
TPRF is teaming up with Mercy Corps, Causes and Socialvest to help the people of East Africa overcome an extensive and devastating famine. Mercy Corps recently sent the following message to over 300,000 people asking for help — all fans of the TPRF: Food for People Cause on Facebook:
Mercy Corps is very excited to be partnering with TPRF and the members of this Cause (TPRF: Food for People Cause within Facebook), whose enthusiasm and engagement have made this one of the most successful of all Causes.
Mercy Corps and TPRF share a wide range of common values, including the acknowledgement that peace is a human need as basic as food and water. Now the spirit behind TPRF's Food for People program is fueling our joint effort to help the people of East Africa, who are facing the worst famine the region has seen in 60 years. The situation is dire; over 12 million people are at risk of starvation. TPRF has already granted $25,000 to support Mercy Corps' efforts in the region, and together we're conducting a Causes-based effort to raise an additional $30,000.
TPRF's matching program means that every dollar you donate now to TPRF: Food for People is worth $1.50 to Mercy Corps and to the people of East Africa. If the campaign reaches its $20,000 goal, a total of $30,000 will be raised. Naturally, Mercy Corps is also promoting this program to its own Cause members and through its own Facebook presence. But we asked TPRF for this opportunity to reach out directly to the members of this extraordinary Cause, express our gratitude for all that you have accomplished up to now, and ask that you consider taking part in this vital campaign to support those who deeply need our assistance in East Africa.
Thank you,
Megan Zabel, Online Marketing Officer
Mercy Corps
Help Mercy Corps and TPRF by contributing to their matching fund drive through Causes. You can also sign up for Socialvest — a free, socially-conscious shopping platform that will donate a dollar for every new subscription.
Photos courtesy of Joy Portella and Mercy Corps.
Report: Event in Nadi - August 28, 2011
[Fri, 16 Sep 2011]On the western side of the main island of Fiji, locals gathered to hear Maharaji speak on August 28, 2011 in the city of Nadi. Among other topics, he addressed the need for each person to consciously write their own story — so that each person has the chance to make their story good.
Here are some excerpts from his talk:
In the middle of the battlefield, are you, too, not fighting? Are you not also engaged in a battle? Yes. Do you have a need in you to feel peace? Yes. And where did this need come from? Understand this one point: where did the need for peace in your life come from?
If the need for peace is like the need for sleep, if the need for peace is like the need for food, if the need for peace is like the need for water — if. If so, then you will not be able to live without peace. You cannot live without water. You cannot live without sleep; it’s torture. You cannot live without food; you will die. You cannot live without peace. You will walk, but you will not know why. You will wake up, but you will not know, 'Why am I awake?' You will look up, and all you will see is just a sky. You will look down, and all you will see is dirt.
You want to see a miracle? I’ll show you how to see a miracle. Stand in front of a mirror and open your eyes. And you will find a miracle looking right back at you. You’re a miracle. Don’t you think so? Dirt talking? Isn’t that a miracle? Dirt walking? Isn’t that a miracle? Dirt dancing? Isn’t that a miracle? And the dirt can love. Isn’t that a miracle? Open your eyes and you will see a miracle everywhere.
Nomads in Niger, One Year Later
[Thu, 15 Sep 2011]
About a year ago, TPRF made a grant in response to a food crisis in Sahel, a semi-arid area near the Sahara Desert, in the West African country of Niger. TPRF’s partner was Rain for the Sahel and Sahara (RAIN), and their recent report on the difference this support has made for people of the area is both informative and heartwarming.
Sahel was once a flourishing crossroads for many cultures, where traders from Europe and the Middle East exchanged goods and ideas. It slowly deteriorated into what some call “one of the poorest and most environmentally damaged places on earth.” As the Sahara desert expanded and crept nearer, it became even more so.
The intense drought of 2010 had the greatest impact on Sahel’s nomadic tribes in the region of Agadez. These people rely heavily on rainfall for their sustenance. Their herds suffered greatly and securing a food supply for the animals as well as themselves became a serious problem. Children were kept out of school as the nomads kept on the move.
RAIN took a two-fold approach. One goal was was to establish a food distribution program in the Agadez Communes of Iferouane and Gourgaram for five of the most needy schools serving nomadic children.
Millet, rice, beans, sugar, oil and salt were delivered to the schools. According to RAIN’s report, notables of the village, the school management committee, the teaching staff, parents and students were all present when the supplies were delivered. There was also an opportunity to speak to the local population about the importance of sending their children to school. Once the lunch programs began, more and more families came to enroll their children in school, far exceeding the original prediction.
Ibrahim Boubacar, a spokesperson for RAIN, wrote, “These (local) authorities heartily welcomed the food contributions of The Prem Rawat Foundation, and asked us to relay their gratitude to you, with the message that you are making an important contribution to the education of nomadic children.”
RAIN’s second mission was to install four animal feed centers in the region and supply feed at cost. Keeping animals healthy encourages reproduction, helping the nomads rebuild their herds after heavy losses from the drought. Construction of animal feed centers got underway at the end of 2010. Young men in the community made the mud bricks, while a professional mason constructed the buildings. RAIN and The Prem Rawat Foundation provided the sand, doors, materials for the roof, and windows.
The feed was then moved to the new storehouses, which also contain local shops. Committees trained to manage the sale of food and animal feed created a continuing enterprise that will help the community with its food security.
One young man from the Young Men’s Herding Association, a partnering organization with RAIN, said, “The storehouse is a legacy from RAIN and The Prem Rawat Foundation for all time.”
Photos courtesy of Rain for Sahel and Sahara staff
Pakistani Flood Victims, One Year Later
[Thu, 01 Sep 2011]
It was one year ago, on July 28th, that the South Asian country of Pakistan reeled from the deadly blow of a monsoon that left twenty percent of its land under water. This was the most devastating flood in generations, and twenty million people were displaced — many of them children. More than a thousand people died.
Those most affected by the flood were small farmers and unskilled laborers who were already living below the poverty level. In this crisis, the minimal infrastructure of hygiene and sanitation in their communities collapsed and the health of the residents, especially the children, deteriorated from diarrhea and gastrointestinal diseases.
To help alleviate their suffering, TPRF joined forces with WaterAid, a British charity that specializes in providing clean water, hygiene, and sanitation to the world’s poorest populations, often in crisis situations.
Rebecca Lloyd, Head of Private Giving at WaterAid, explained, “The Prem Rawat Foundation was incredibly quick to respond to our call for help, and the immense generosity demonstrated by the Foundation and its supporters undoubtedly saved many thousands of lives. On behalf of the people who now have access to safe water and sanitation in Pakistan, thank you so much for your generous support.”
TPRF’s donation of US$100,000 helped WaterAid provide critical services to 133,861 people, including: 10,000 gallons of safe drinking water; 678 low cost latrines; 670,620 water purification tablets; 10,360 hygiene kits; 15,540 mosquito nets; 250 water coolers; and 560 health and hygiene lessons. Also, 112 new hand water pumps were installed and 500 pumps were repaired to working order.
Basria, 27, from the rural village of Choki Drab, is a health worker whose own home was reduced to rubble from the floods. She set up camp in squalid conditions on the grounds of her destroyed home and continued working for the sake of her community and her family. She said: "In the early days of the floods, almost everyone in Choki Drab was suffering from fever, scabies, diarrhea, eye infections and malaria because of the contaminated water. Organizations such as WaterAid helped educate people about the importance of clean water, encouraging people to either boil it or use tablets and told them they must wash their hands, especially before eating. The water is cleaner now and people have gone back to using the water supply from their own hand pumps." Due to these efforts, no further major outbreaks of diarrhea were reported.
To mark the flood’s anniversary, the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) has posted photos on its website http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-14289931 showing the help provided by WaterAid.
Photos courtesy of WaterAid/Asim Hafeez
Report: Event in Los Angeles - August 6, 2011
[Mon, 29 Aug 2011]On the second day of the event in Los Angeles, many had the chance to speak with Maharaji face to face. Before the first person took the mic, Maharaji spoke of our desire to appear sophisticated, even though simplicity is what we're truly after.
Here are some excerpts from his talk:
You have heard this again and again and again. You have to have the heart of a child. Do you have the heart of a child? We don’t even know what that means. We want a mind that is complex. We want people to give us credit for being sophisticated, when that’s not a good thing. Simplicity is better.
Simplicity is the order in this incredible chaos — even in this universe, there is a simplicity. Everything obeys the law of nature. That’s it. Now, do we understand all those laws? No. So does it sound sophisticated to us? Yes. But it’s all very simple.
You can know that you are blessed. Under no uncertainty, you can know. That’s what Knowledge is. That’s why this is such a beautiful message. Because it doesn’t dive into beliefs. And this is why it’s so confronting for people. 'Who... what?' It throws everything out the window.
(Last check for latest updates: 11 hr 44 min ago)courtesy: WOPG
