Pilgrimage to Sai in Haiti
With Swami’s grace and Blessings, I took a pilgrimage to Sai in Haiti as a part of Team # 12 from April 24 to May 1, 2010. This was a total spiritual experience where I made just a small effort and He took care of every little detail. In fact it was about the realization, “How God in one body serves God in the recipient’s body.” Let me share with you some of His infinite glory in this Haiti pilgrimage.
Following the earthquake, a team of doctors went to Haiti on a fact-finding trip, to assess the situation and come up with plans to help the victims. On their recommendations, Sai World Foundation decided to send a medical team every week to serve the victims of the earthquake. Subsequently, my son, Jaysai, went to Haiti with Team # 5. After he came back he cancelled his plans to go on pilgrimage to Puttaparthi in summer 2010. He said he felt like he just went to Puttaparthi. This inspired me to submit my name as a non-medical volunteer to the Medical Camp organizers.
Sai decides for me
After waiting for about three weeks for confirmation, I was thinking of getting out of this seva [service] trip. My mind was vacillating, as I was worried about the dust allergies, hardships, and discomforts. One day, I talked to my youngest brother, Dr Mahesh Ghayal, discussing all the reasons for not going to Haiti.
The next day, early in the morning in a dream I saw Swami sitting on a chair. I was sitting on His right hand side. He was addressing devotees in front of Him. Suddenly He raised His right hand and pointing at me said clearly to devotees in front, “He claims he has allergies, but he is going to Haiti.” In effect, Sai had made the decision for me. I was going to Haiti no matter what. A few days later my name was confirmed as a volunteer.
Extra luggage
After the dates were fixed and tickets purchased at a discounted price, I decided to inquire if we could take extra luggage as part of the Sai Medical team. My doctor brother was my inspiration as his team # 5 took 83 pieces of luggage. On his suggestion, I decided to contact two congressmen representing Ocean County, NJ. At the same time, one of the team members, Anita Shankar, managed to contact Delta Airways and got permission to take four pieces of luggage each with maximum weight of 70 lbs. There were four of us travelling together from JFK airport, New York, so we could take 16 pieces of luggage.
However, the USA national Medical Camp organizers wanted each member to take at least three boxes of medicines. Since we had a lot of items from our centers, devotees, and family members, Anita contacted Delta Airways for permission to take more luggage. In response, a representative from the Delta Airways Marketing Department sent us an e-mail stating that we can take five pieces of luggage weighing not more than 70 lbs for each passenger. Swami’s grace!
Besides the three boxes of medicines, I had three more suitcases. My wife Geeta and my youngest son, Jaysai, packed all the collected items into three suitcases. They were extremely heavy. As the maximum weight allowed was 70 lbs., I pleaded with them to have mercy on the suitcases. All my efforts met with the responses, “Have faith in Swami. Leave the rest to Swami. He will take care of everything.” So I had to go along with their directives.
Rendezvous at JFK Airport
It was planned that the four passengers namely, Anita Shankar, Rajendra Lawton, Glenn Mannheim, and I should meet at the Delta Air terminal 2 at 6:30 a.m. and check-in with the 12 boxes of medications.
Brother Rajendra came from Baltimore and picked up Glenn from Princeton. However, they got delayed on their way to the JFK airport. We started the check-in process at about 7 a.m.; they came in and dropped their luggage with us. Brother Rajendra then went to park his car in the long-term economy parking lot. Unfortunately, he had difficulty in finding the place.
Check-in at the terminal
The check-in clerk, Joanna, was very friendly and courteous. She enquired about the Medical Camp, and we gave her all the details very enthusiastically. Jaysai entertained her with his experiences with Team # 5. She was overwhelmed by what she had heard and lovingly worked with us.
After the fellow travelers Anita and Glenn had checked-in, it was my turn. Straight away Joanna rejected my three suitcases as they were far in excess of the allowed maximum weight limit. Jaysai quickly rearranged the packing with extra items shoved into my empty carry-on bag. I was prepared for this emergency.
Usually the plane leaves at 9 a.m. The check-in for the international flight is stopped one hour before departure time. It was three minutes to 8 a.m. Our fourth travelling companion, Rajendra Lawton from Baltimore Sai Center, was still in the economy parking lot. Suddenly, Joanna grabbed a phone and called Rajendra on his cell phone and got the required passport and flight ticket details. Rajendra was checked-in before he even got to the counter. She was a noble soul who went out of her way to expedite the check-in process without the presence of the passenger.
Between four of us 20 pieces of luggage were checked-in. We still had one large box of green tote bags that were gifts from the Sai Organization of Mid-Atlantic Region. By now, Joanna was very emotional, with tears in her eyes. Quietly, she went to her supervisor and got permission to check in the 21st box of “love.” She instructed us to take the left-over items as carry-on (hand) baggage. Each of us had two or three pieces of hand luggage.
As if this was not enough, we also carried two laptops and a fax machine with us. Only one item, a large tent donated by the East Brunswick Sai center was left behind. We thanked Swami for getting us through this nail-biting drama.
Transportation to the gate
It was getting very late. The time was about 8:30 a.m. Joanna shut down her computer and accompanied us. She facilitated our security check and arranged for our transportation on a “golf” cart all the way to the gate for Delta flight 435. The Delta flight gate was very far from the security checkpoints. I do not know what we would have done without the “golf” cart transportation.
We were overwhelmed with the Sai love. We hugged Joanna, conveyed our heartfelt thanks to her and her colleagues. We thanked God also as this was Swami’s shear grace, His nectarine love. Throughout this tense situation, we were reciting Swami’s name, the Sai mantra [formula] “Aum Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Babaye Namah.” He was with us all the way.
At the Haiti Airport
At the Port Au Prince airport in Haiti, after clearing the immigration formalities, officers helped us with lifting the luggage off the carousel and placing it on the carts. The customs officer checked one of the boxes of medicine and cleared all the pieces of luggage without any hassle.
DeJesus and Dr Bass, two of the local Sai devotee volunteers, had come to receive us. The entire luggage was placed in a truck and a mini-van taxi. Within half hour we reached brother Rony Joseph’s house in the elite Delmas area of Port Au Prince, safely and without any problems. Swami took care of everything. Everybody was pleasantly surprised with the quantities of medicines and other supplies we had brought.
After introductions, we unpacked, settled down, and made ourselves comfortable. On reflection upon the day’s events, we realized how God in the form of Joanna and others helped us. We were the recipients of His Divine grace and love!
~Rajen Ghayal, New York, USA
