Life at Lomalinda
For a new reader, the sub-head will appear to indicate a fresher’s experience at a foreign university. It is not! It is actually the continuation of an adventurous, miracle-filled journey of a Sai student, Praveen Vemula. This narrative is actually the third part. To get the full juice of the story, read this part after the first two parts.
Part 2 is - No God, No Miracles; Know God, Know Miracles.
Okay, it is now time to do justice to the sub-head that was announced several sentences before.
So, the two lads rushed themselves for admission into Lomalinda University. The Sai devotee at USA packed for them lots of frozen Indian foods to help them make a gradual transition into the different foodstuffs they would have to eat, halfway across the globe from home. Praveen suddenly realized another great advantage of having ‘intuitively’ selected Lomalinda University - being a Seventh Day Adventist organization, it was completely vegetarian in its diet! This suited him perfectly and he mentally sent gratitude to Swami.
Soon, Praveen was face to face with the dean there, Eric.S.Anderson who told the boys that they were way behind in their academic schedule. They had to complete 54 credits and more than a month had already elapsed. They were told that if they worked a little harder, they would be able to complete the course in 2 years. Praveen protested,
“But sir, we have to finish and be back in India within an year. That is our instructions.”
“That is simply impossible. Even in the event of a miracle taking place and you able to do everything else in a year, how will you cover up 6 credits that you have already missed. That course on accountancy is not up for grabs till the first quarter, next year. At least to complete that you will have to stay more than a year!”
“Sir, we will finish everything within a year.”
“How?” asked a bewildered dean.
“We shall inform you soon sir”, said Praveen who had no idea about how they would be doing the same.
And then, Swami stepped in, through a ‘coincidence’, a miracle where He chose to remain anonymous. The San Bernardino Community College which was nearby was offering the exact same course in the second quarter! The boys came up with a crazy plan which struck the dean dumb with its audacity.
“If permitted, we would like to enroll side-by-side for the accountancy course in San Bernardino. That apart, we will do 18 credits every quarter so that, on the whole, we finish 54 credits in 3 quarters itself!”
The boys were brimming with confidence and the dean agreed to allow them exemption for the 6 credits if they promised to complete the same in the other college. He wanted to see whether they were really serious in their commitment.
Flying success
The sweat and toil one becomes capable of putting in while doing something for God is simply amazing. Even though Praveen knew that Swami would do whatever was best, he did not simply rest. Day in and day out he did his best. As always, Swami did the rest! The result? The boys actually completed all the 54 credits within just 3 quarters and enrolled for a months internship which was compulsory!
The dean was so impressed that he agreed to allow the lads graduate in the same year though the actual certificates would arrive the next year during the convocation. But the dean was not the only person impressed. The President of the Marian Regional Medical Center, Santa Maria, Charles J Cova was also mightily impressed. In fact, he offered both the boys US $5,000 each as stipend for their 3 months of work. Praveen was candid in expressing his thoughts,
“Sir! We are happy that you are pleased with us. But Swami sent us here to study and not earn. We would like to donate $5,000 each to the Medical Center itself to be used for patient welfare.”
Mr.Cova presented both the lads with a special personalized President’s commendation along with the certificates which recognized the excellent work they had put in for 3 months.
Homecoming
Having conquered degrees and won hearts, Praveen leaned back comfortably against the seat in the flight back home. When he landed back in Puttaparthi, it was the 16th of September, 2002. He was excited and thrilled about meeting Swami the next day which would in fact EXACTLY mark 1 year since the departure from India! Yet another instance of His word being respected by all the forces in the Universe.
On His part, Swami seemed so excited that His boys were returning. He spoke to many elders and devotees about them. He was so proud of them and seemed to be just waiting to meet them. That day, Praveen remembers, when they went for darshan, Baba had already completed it! He was waiting for them. He welcomed them with open arms. The interview that followed was so filled with divine love.
God is always like that. He plans the script, selects the participants of the divine drama, teaches each one how to ‘act’, makes corrections when necessary, encourages and supports with love. And when the masterplan drama is acted out, He is there in the audience, clapping hard with the joy and excitement of a child!
The strength to do the task
Swami wanted Praveen to immediately join the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Prasanthigram for an internship of 6 months. In fact, Swami accompanied him to work on the first day. He picked Praveen in His own car and drove towards the hospital. Praveen simply did not know what to say or do when such grace was being showered on him. He got down with Swami at the hospital. There was a small electric buggy waiting to take Swami. Swami beckoned to Praveen to sit by His side.
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| The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Science, Prasanthigram. |
They drove in the massive hospital and arrived at the Intensive Care Unit. Swami dropped off Praveen there and blessed him saying,
“Work well.”
“Swami, please be with me always”, the boy prayed.
Swami smiled and pointed him towards his workplace. Praveen turned around and saw the board - “ICU” it said!
Yes! His Swami was seeing him always! The message reached home and Praveen too smiled.
“Swami, please ensure that I do the work properly.”
Swami then made a revelation,
“When I give you a task, I will automatically give you the strength to do the task.”
With that blessing, Swami left.
“Do you think that you will really be able to jump across the ocean?”
Hanuman’s reply was,
“It does not matter what my abilities and capabilities are. When the Lord Rama, the resident of my heart, has given me a task, He will definitely give me the strength I need to accomplish it. Have no doubt in that.”
Hanuman completed the task in a thumping fashion. And when he returned, Lord Rama went straight to him and hugged him to his bosom and told him,
“You are closest to my heart.”
At that point in time, the statement was true physically for Rama’s heart and Hanuman’s heart were almost beating together. But that statement has remained true ever since and wherever there is a temple of Lord Rama, Hanuman is inevitably present by the side. In fact, in no Rama temple will you find a monkey ever being shooed away. Monkeys are welcomed and worshipped. That is the result of Rama’s love on Hanuman and Hanuman’s reciprocation of the same.
The same is the case with the Swami’s students. Swami has showered so much love on some of them and some of them have reciprocated the same. That is why all the students are appreciated and held high around the world!
Swami did not stop there. When the actual degrees arrived, Swami organized a special function during Guru Poornima 2003 and felicitated the students. In fact, Swami Himself presented the degree to Praveen.
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| Praveen receives his degree in health administration from Bhagawan Baba. |
Dear reader, the objective of this narrative is not to elicit admiration and adulation for Praveen. The objective is to make each one us pine to be His student. And there is a difference between being a student of the Sathya Sai Institute and being a Sai Student. Can each one of us become a Sai Student?
That was the story of how Vemula Praveen rose from being an intelligent student to being the assistant-Director of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Bangalore.
