The Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation responds to floods in Andhra Pradesh at flash speed

On hearing of the floods, our brothers contacted elders for permission to get involved and take positive action. Prayer was the first thing that came to mind and phone calls were made to all for Saamoohika Rudraprarayana to start in Sivam at 8 pm. It was raining heavily in the city.

On account of elders & all office bearers being in Parthi for darshan responses were slow. As they were informed of the crisis, they too prayed to Bahgawan for His divine intervention. Few elders sent frantic prayer faxes to Baghawan to show grace and reduce nature's fury.

Bhajans started with about 30 boys.

More than 50 boys were there from call corners of the city and started chanting Rudram. Mtgs and Rudram were being done in parallel. Prayer and Seva was parallel, a beautiful demonstration of the difference between us and NGOs.

Permission received to take immediate relief material to Mehboob Nagar.
Frantic phone calls went out to city traders for provisions. Bull dozing our way into conversations and bullying traders to open shop at midnight (on Oct 2nd holiday), driving bargains, waking up other able sevadal was not so easy but was completed by 3 am. Our brothers may be softspoken in their spiritual discourse, but socially they are certainly go getters!

Few brothers left for their homes... only to come back for 5 am drive to Mahaboob nagar. Few of the Sevadal were marked as Team Leads for trucks, few were to coordinate from Sivam, few were travel coordinators, few were tasked with getting specific products (in bulk) like bread and powder milk etc. Along with Swami and lots of Love the journey of relief started at Sivam on that Saturday early morning hour.

Overall 70 or so brothers were up and ready by 5 am for next instructions. Most had never left Sivam. For them the weekend was just one long service appointment.

Cantors were tracked and loaded

30,000 packets of water, tons of bread, bananas, 11,000 packets of biscuits and 20 boys were loaded onto trucks. Boys also took disaster mgmt equipment like life jackets, ropes, tubes etc.

Meanwhile the first batch of 2 trucks and a Qualis were on their way to Mahaboob Nagar. We started from Sivam around 5 am but left the city only by 8 am. On this Saturday morning the traffic was low on NH 7. Cops were everywhere. No return traffic was to be seen.

Near Mahaboob Nagar we met up with other trucks from local samithis. DP of Mahaboob Nagar and his teams joined us. Imagine several trucks with Sai banners on the highway! ours was the pilot qualis. Once the highway police stopped us for inspection and enquiry. The momment we said we were part of the Sai Org's relief efforts we got a salute and were directed to proceed in the VIP manner. Only Sai name can command such high regard and respect!

Beechhpalli hanuman temple area had flooded roads so we had to turn from Jadcherla to MahaboobNagar town. From there we took a back route to Gadwal. A normal 4 hour journey took 12 hours for us. The arrival into Gadwal was around 5 pm. The lunch preparations turned into Dinner. Power was not there. Our cell batteries were draining and our contact with headquarters was weak. With Swami's name we made our journey thru slushy, muddy roads. We pushed heavy trucks out of sludge and cheered & motivated those we seemed downtrodden. In some instances ropes were used to pull out stuck vehicles -- e.g. our own qualis slipped into the side and had to be pried back into road for service.

While on route we heard about Central Trusts plans for us, Govt's plans for us and also got more directions from various parts of AP. Keeping the directives in mind we drove straight to Gadwal region RDO's office

Back in Hyderabad 7 trucks were ready with much needed supplies. 6000 quintals of rice, 1000s of loafs of bread, 1000s of packets of buiscuits, 1000s of bananas were loaded. 2 trucks were dedicated to NEW clothing. Brand new blankets 100s of them, were loaded as well.

Pleasantly pleased he directed us to Allampur Montesorrie school. 10,000 flood victims were housed there. It was a temporary home away from their flooded villages

With Gadwal team joining us we left to Allampur. There we were greeted with brown fields of farmlands, clean shaven of crop, surreal and almost desert like -- brown with slush and dirt that washed itself onto the lands.

Our trucks drove in the dark and landed into the school yard. It was evident that this huge facility was full of hungry folks. Apparently it was 24-48 hrs since they had good food. The crowd was curious but unclear about what was happening. Police were everywhere. Villagers, old, young, men, women, few sadhus and some cattle were all around the school sheds. Ladies in burkas, villagers in their banyans, kids with their running noses, cattle with their pleasant bell sounds were our hosts.

Our brothers soon sized up the situation. A generator kept the lights on in the dinning hall. Few brothers used this opportunity to charge their cell phones. Few plunged into the massive crowds... was it to organize or merge?? No sevadal can bear to see the pangs of hunger, the crowds of distress and desperate pleas of a beneficiary. We HAD to plunge!

We had to touch them and brace them for relief! It was like meeting of lovers. Our eyes welled up as we embraced the situation!

Crowds were controlled, lines were formed, instructions given. Trucks were unloaded and supplies were organized in the dinning hall. Twenty to twenty five sevadal per line organized the crowds. Big hefty personalities stood by the door to shoulder the overflow and push of the throngs that gathered outside. As Swami always says, it is Love and discipline that is needed...

When controlling crowds don't touch the ladies, when pushing back the throngs that are rushing, don't wear an angry face - show love and compassion. No negative remarks... they are people like us ... these were the instructions for the sevadal.

Few of the sevadal went into the barracks... heard the stories of the victims. Apparently the event was slow and not sudden. Most of the folks in Allampur had ample warning. They were all dejected and unclear about the future. None were abusive or erratic. It was clear that they have seen trouble before and were well trained in the ups and downs of life.

Kids were crying; many were lying down on dorm-beds, lifeless... many had focus-less eyes and dazed looks... the whole scene was surreal

Did you get biscuits? Don't eat them now... save them but eat the rice and bread as they don't stay too well till tomorrow... Did you get drinking water? 2 packets??!! wow!! Don't worry everything will be allright.

It was late in the night before we left the barracks. On the way back we stopped by bus shelters, truck stops and other shelters where people were seen. Amma, did you eat today? Aaiyya are you hungry? Do you want some food? were the questions we asked.

Some were ecstatic to see us. Few took our meals even at midnight. Others were thankful of our concern.

While we served Allampur, few other sevadal went to Aieeza village area (near Rajol). Teams near Mehaboob nagar went to Pebbair. All had similar stories. Some talked of broken homes and hearts. Few were seen outside temples on highlands. "Thank Sairam. This is our first food packet" they cried and out of gratitude shook our hands. Thank Swami, not us!!

Some of us were back in Gadwal at night ... we started making plans for the next day. As there was no electriciy, gas, water or supplies in Gadwal, cooking was out of question. Mahaboob Nagar became our hub for cooking food packets. Our plan was to make 3000 packets by afternoon.

We continued our operation the next day. Some went out for survey. Ultimately the seva ended on Sunday night at 10pm. Our brother drove back and arrived into Hyd at 4 am on Monday, some at 10 am - back to the grind. On our return we could see tons of other organizations sending in their trucks and people. The world was now aware of the crisis and is responding. Yes, we were there in first hours but now others are ready to pitch in. Let us make way for them. Let them serve ...

We exited with awareness that our brothers in Allampur and Pebbair were well cared for ... but we knew our job is not done. We are already planning phase 2 and 3. First the individual (food & clothes), next it will be the family (dry grocery distribution), and finally it will be community building.

We had the next steps planning meeting. Hyd agreed to offer to Mehaboob Nagar 2000 units of relief material for distribution. Each was estimated to cost around Rs 1200s. All Samithis are now involved.

We are now planning to send items and sevadal to Mahaboob Nagar for follow-up work. I will keep you posted of those efforts as well.