I have been practicing orthopedics in Southern California since 1983 and have been involved in service projects since an early age, but it was not until after 1996 that I came in contact with projects sponsored by the Sathya Sai Baba organization. Through volunteering with Sai devotees to feed the homeless and make quilts for the needy at a local community center, I learned about Sai Baba and became inspired by his teachings on selfless service. In 2000, I went to visit Sai Baba and became even more touched by his compassion and began volunteering for rotations in his hospital.

Then, in 2010, when a devastating earthquake paralyzed Haiti, I knew I had to help the suffering Haitians. When Sai Baba gave devotees permission to provide medical and humanitarian assistance in Haiti, I jumped at the opportunity. I went in February 2010 with nine doctors and seven non-medical volunteers from all over the USA. This very first humanitarian relief trip was incredible. In a country where there were hundreds and thousands of Haitians with no roof over their head, the Lord, in His infinite mercy, had arranged a house for us to stay in Port-Au-Prince.

I worked in a hospital, conducting surgeries with two other volunteer surgeons from New York and Nepal. We were kept very busy, as we had to take over the running of the surgical operating room because the local hospital staff had gone on strike. The five days just flew by. We started our days making sandwiches for our lunch and eating a great hot breakfast prepared with love by a Sai Baba devotee, and returned in the evening to a hot meal. We sang devotional songs together both before and after work. The team worked harmoniously, and we shared many wonderful ideas. It was obvious we were all connected by the essence of Sai Baba. We were like a bunch of puddles on the shore that got their water from the same source.

I came back to Los Angeles, but the spirit of the Haitian people never left me. They were so positive, complacent, and open to any treatment – so grateful for the service received and all smiles throughout. I could not get the needs of the Haitians out of my mind and decided to go back again in April 2010. I was now with the ninth team going, with nine people on the team – five doctors and four non-doctors.

We landed in Haiti during Easter weekend. On Sunday we got involved with a food service project carried out at a devotee's house that fed 500 people a day. During this trip, as team leader, my duties were different. With more patients and fewer doctors to provide service, we started treating 300 patients a day in a huge church. The routine was the same as before – breakfast, lunch, and dinner – all with Sai Baba in our prayers. The Haitians were so patient and grateful for all our help. They received medical care, medications, and milk powder for their babies. This time we saw chronic medical conditions that had been neglected, as these people had not had access to medical care for years. There were babies who had never been seen by a pediatrician. We treated hypertension in young people due to post-traumatic-stress syndrome (PTSD). We also began group psychotherapy to deal with PTSD symptoms and established a protocol for future teams. To track the efficacy of the group therapy, we measured the patient’s blood pressure and saw amazing changes.

As the administrator, I had to deal with all kinds of issues. But the team members were great and worked together well, and we received ample support from the local community. We also went to a small church in an impoverished area to treat patients, as well as children in the orphanage connected to this church.

Needless to say, this was an incredible, eye-opening experience for all of us. We tend to take so much for granted. The children of Haiti have no school to attend. The youth of Haiti have no assurance that their schools or colleges will re-open. Their career goals are on hold and their future is uncertain. The adults have no jobs, and the housing is equally uncertain. The ruins from the earthquake are still visible. People live in tents or on the streets. Yet, they display an incredible positive spirit and a sense of hope for the future; this energized my spirit more than words can express. I began planning additional trips to continue in this service.

Thus, it is that Sai Baba, in his gracious way, has been showing me the path toward salvation. He has shown me how to live, love, and serve.With the name of God in my heart and good work filling my hands, I am blessed to have Sai Baba with me every step of my life: I feel Him in me when I give myself to His work.

Additional Info

The author is a member of the Sai Center of Hollywood, California. This story reflects a service project he undertook individually and as part of a long-term international project organized by the Sri Sathya Sai World Foundation, International Medical Committee, and the international Sai organization, to provide relief services in response to the severe earthquake of January 2010 on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

For more information, please go to:

http://www.sathyasaihumanitarianrelief.org/haiti/Default.aspx

http://www.sathyasai.org/images2009/saiglobalhealth/ssghm05.pdf

AUDIO FILE: Audio clip from Radio Sai archives of a talk by Dr. Kadaba on May 6th 2010

See all Haiti Relief Service articles

To learn more about or join this service project, you may go to: http://us.sathyasai.org/index.htmland click on the state or city in which the Sai Center project takes place. Click on “Email us for information about these Centers.” A local contact will respond to your email.

Keywords

Port-au-Prince | Haiti | International Medical Committee | Sathya Sai World Foundation | Sai International Medical Committee | Sai Organization service project in Haiti | International Sai Organization | 2010 Haiti earthquake relief | Disaster relief | Sai Center of Hollywood CA | Medical services project

Project Details

Project start: 02/01/10

Project completion: 12/31/10

Stage of development:

Zone name: US. Canada, West Indies, Israel

Lat/Longitude: 34° 5' N -118° 19' W

Affiliation: Sathya Sai Center of Hollywood, CA

Service category: Disaster relief

Author: Dr. Satish Kadaba

Project leader: Sri Sathya Sai World Foundation, International Medical Committee