Dear friends,
it has been a while since my last publication on the blog. It was because of lack of inspiration or simply because I couldn't find the right words to express myself. .. Well I've just received an e-mail that filled my heart of joy, love and hope. What is it about?
I want to tell you that some friends of the organic market's are part of the Association "Luz de Amma" (Amma's Light). Amma is an Indian spiritual leader who devoted all her life to humanitarian activities and is known as "the hugging Saint". She believes that "Only when human beings are able to perceive and acknowledge the Self in each other there can be real peace".
Various charitable and humanitarian projects have been undertaken by Amma's organization, such as programs to build homes for the poor, hospitals, orphanages, hospices. The organization also runs around 100 schools, a super-specialty hospital in Kochi, feeds thousands from its kitchen, provides pensions every year to over 15,000 widows, builds 25,000 houses annually for the homeless and has 35 Amma welfare centers worldwide to spread her spiritual message.
This group of friends of "Luz de Amma" are also undertaking similar projects here in Costa Rica. Once a month they organize a "Soup kitchen" that they distribute in San Jose's red district. They also assist, accompany, entertain and provide with food and clothes kids living in several orphanages and elder people of different hospices.
They are a great example for all of us. Here follows a copy of the e-mail that moved me so much. I will keep you informed about all the activities organized by the Association in case you want to participate or contribute.
Laura Barra - Buenatierra Staff
“The Sundays that we feed the homeless are very special and very rewarding days. We get up and go to market and buy whatever is still needed and armed with our knives and cutting boards, we head over to Khullood and Kumar's home to start prepping, chopping, washing and peeling all of the ingredients that go into the incredible soup that we serve. There is usually a crowd in the kitchen....never less than half a dozen and sometimes more than a dozen! It is always different and always a surprise, teachers, students, friends, devotees...... there is always a good turnout of our Luz de Amma association. Kumar is out in the garage, with these two huge pots, first browning and then stirring the pot, with a spoon as big as an oar. It is a "man's job" stirring those pots! Khullood is our chef par excellance, deciding what goes in and when to add it and eventually we have all the ingredients blending with fresh herbs from Vimala's garden. Before long, everyone is visiting Kumar and peering into the pots as this delicious aroma floats up and out. Even the dogs are sniffing around us, happily. We have gotten so good at it that by 11:30 am the soup is usually ready and that is when we form a circle around the pots and bless the soup, and the folks who will receive the soup and chant some prayers. Now the last ingredient, LOVE, is sealed into the pots. Some of us leave to go home, some of us get some lunch and we meet again, in the red light district of northwest San Jose to distribute the food. Maribel has inevitably produced magnificent looking sweets, packaged with an Amma sticker, to give to each of the people who come to be nourished.
Our men on the street, Erland and Eckhart are there for the distribution adding their presence to our group and helping to keep things from getting out of hand, (which, they never do). The folks are so appreciative and surprised when they taste the soup! They come back for seconds and thirds and give us thanks for the delicious food. It is such a living lesson in compassion. We have had very young girls come along with us to distribute the food and never once has there been a problem with this wild and wooly looking bunch of people who live in the street. When food and drink and whatever else we may have for them is distributed, we pack up and leave, without a trace of ever having been on that street....but in the minds and hearts of all of us who offer the food and partake of it, there is much more than a trace of Amma's presence and grace. We all leave very full.
Vimala”
it has been a while since my last publication on the blog. It was because of lack of inspiration or simply because I couldn't find the right words to express myself. .. Well I've just received an e-mail that filled my heart of joy, love and hope. What is it about?
I want to tell you that some friends of the organic market's are part of the Association "Luz de Amma" (Amma's Light). Amma is an Indian spiritual leader who devoted all her life to humanitarian activities and is known as "the hugging Saint". She believes that "Only when human beings are able to perceive and acknowledge the Self in each other there can be real peace".
Various charitable and humanitarian projects have been undertaken by Amma's organization, such as programs to build homes for the poor, hospitals, orphanages, hospices. The organization also runs around 100 schools, a super-specialty hospital in Kochi, feeds thousands from its kitchen, provides pensions every year to over 15,000 widows, builds 25,000 houses annually for the homeless and has 35 Amma welfare centers worldwide to spread her spiritual message.
This group of friends of "Luz de Amma" are also undertaking similar projects here in Costa Rica. Once a month they organize a "Soup kitchen" that they distribute in San Jose's red district. They also assist, accompany, entertain and provide with food and clothes kids living in several orphanages and elder people of different hospices.
They are a great example for all of us. Here follows a copy of the e-mail that moved me so much. I will keep you informed about all the activities organized by the Association in case you want to participate or contribute.
Laura Barra - Buenatierra Staff
“The Sundays that we feed the homeless are very special and very rewarding days. We get up and go to market and buy whatever is still needed and armed with our knives and cutting boards, we head over to Khullood and Kumar's home to start prepping, chopping, washing and peeling all of the ingredients that go into the incredible soup that we serve. There is usually a crowd in the kitchen....never less than half a dozen and sometimes more than a dozen! It is always different and always a surprise, teachers, students, friends, devotees...... there is always a good turnout of our Luz de Amma association. Kumar is out in the garage, with these two huge pots, first browning and then stirring the pot, with a spoon as big as an oar. It is a "man's job" stirring those pots! Khullood is our chef par excellance, deciding what goes in and when to add it and eventually we have all the ingredients blending with fresh herbs from Vimala's garden. Before long, everyone is visiting Kumar and peering into the pots as this delicious aroma floats up and out. Even the dogs are sniffing around us, happily. We have gotten so good at it that by 11:30 am the soup is usually ready and that is when we form a circle around the pots and bless the soup, and the folks who will receive the soup and chant some prayers. Now the last ingredient, LOVE, is sealed into the pots. Some of us leave to go home, some of us get some lunch and we meet again, in the red light district of northwest San Jose to distribute the food. Maribel has inevitably produced magnificent looking sweets, packaged with an Amma sticker, to give to each of the people who come to be nourished.
Our men on the street, Erland and Eckhart are there for the distribution adding their presence to our group and helping to keep things from getting out of hand, (which, they never do). The folks are so appreciative and surprised when they taste the soup! They come back for seconds and thirds and give us thanks for the delicious food. It is such a living lesson in compassion. We have had very young girls come along with us to distribute the food and never once has there been a problem with this wild and wooly looking bunch of people who live in the street. When food and drink and whatever else we may have for them is distributed, we pack up and leave, without a trace of ever having been on that street....but in the minds and hearts of all of us who offer the food and partake of it, there is much more than a trace of Amma's presence and grace. We all leave very full.
Vimala”
