My Children Are My Strength
4 January 2005 — Amritapuri
"My children are my strength." This is what
Amma told a group of reporters from Delhi who came
to interview Her regarding the 100 crores (news) She
has announced to spend on tsunami-relief in South India.
The answer came in response to a question regarding
how Amma was able to commit such a large amount in
aid.
"The brahmacharis work 18 hours a day," Amma
said. "They do all the driving and the construction
and operate the earthmovers. There are no contractors.
All the materials—like bricks, windows, doors,
tables, chairs, beds—are made by our brahmacharis.
The electrical, plumbing and structure is all
done by our brahmacharis. This is nothing new
for us. Right now, we are building Amrita Kuteerams
[free houses for the destitute] in 47 sites throughout
India—14 villages in Tamil Nadu, Kadappa in Andhra,
Ajanta Nagar in Pune…. There are some 2,000 ashramites
here. They work day in and day out, and they
don't take any payment for their work."
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"I have many good children," Amma said,
referring to Her millions of devotees around the world. "They
all do what they can." Amma went on to say that
even some small children make dolls or small statues
and sell them so that they can give the earnings to
their beloved Amma. "Some children—when presented
with money on their birthday or when their parents
tell them that they can have an ice cream—say that
they would like to give that money to Amma instead,
telling their parents how Amma can use it for supporting
poor children. Other children come up to Amma and offer
their savings, saying that it can be used to buy pens
for poor students. Amma doesn't want to accept this—as
other children who have nothing to offer may then feel
sad—but when Amma sees the goodness of their hearts,
She has no choice. The government alone cannot do everything.
Would these children give this money to the government
with the same love as they would give to Amma? Other
non-governmental service organisations have to come
up to help, as they have in this recent disaster."
Amma went on to explain how when the government allocates
money for relief projects, much of it is dissipated
in wages. Amma likened the situation to pouring oil
from one glass to another down a line. "In the
end, you don't have any oil left," Amma said. "All
of it has been lost, sticking to the sides of all the
glasses. This way, 1,000 paise become 100 paise by
the time it reaches the people. Whereas if we get 10
paise, we add our effort to it and the money multiplies.
Amma is not blaming the government; of course, government
employees need to make a living and the government
machinery needs to be maintained."
Amma explained that She attributes all of the Ashram's
success to the renunciation and selfless service of
Her children—that She has never spent time calculating
whether a project She has felt inspired to undertake
is feasible or not before starting it. When Amma has
felt the need, She has committed and by grace they
have always come together. As examples, Amma cited
AIMS, the Ashram's super-specialty hospital for the
poor in Cochin, and the three villages the Ashram completely
rebuilt in Bhuj after the 2001 earthquake. Amma said, "So
I am sure this also will materialise."
When a journalist from Rastriya Sahara asked
Amma what Her moola-mantra was—meaning what
was the secret of Her success—Amma suggested that maybe
it was that people are finding in Her what is essential
for all, but what is missing in them. When prompted
further, Amma said it is 'Love'.
"There are two types of poverty," Amma added. "Material
poverty and poverty of love and compassion. If love
and compassion are awakened, then the other kind of
poverty is also done away with."
"I don't lay any claims to having done anything," Amma
said. "It is my children who have made all this
possible. My children are my wealth; they are my strength."
�Kannadi
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