Sponsors from Diaspora meet Scholarship awardees at Cove and John Family Fun Day
The Guyana Sevashram Sangha celebrated Arrival Day 2010 with a grand Family Fun Day, which was heralded by a special religious service in the Guru Mandir, at which members of the New York and Toronto branches were present, along with scholarship awardees who have been sponsored by members of the USA and Canadian membership of the Sangha.
The Sangha fraternity across the world includes many members of the Guyanese Diaspora who have had, either directly or indirectly, close ties with the Guyana branch of the Sangha.  They have not forgotten their roots and often visit to renew acquaintance with, and render support to the Cove and John Ashram.
At a simple ceremony at the Zara Learning Centre, the Zara Team, comprising Jay and Sylvia Sobraj, Nardeo (Naresh) Singh, and Shravan Budhu, who have transfigured the dynamics of the Ashram to bring it to modern IT standards, spoke some words of encouragement to scholarship awardees who are being sponsored by members of the Guyanese Diaspora in Canada and the USA, as did Swami Bhajanadaji Maharaj and members of the Canadian team from the Toronto branch of the Sangha who accompanied him.
Swami Bhajanandaji, who introduced the two teams to the students, exhorted the awardees to extend their pursuit for excellence beyond academics, especially in the areas of dress, deportment, speech and their general conduct toward their parents, teachers and elders, and the society in general.
He cited an example of some very young persons who chanted the Ramayan kathas with such fluency at a Yajna hosted by the Virginia Mandir in Cane Grove and applauded their knowledge of their cultural heritage and their religious traditions.  Swamiji challenged those observing Arrival Day with various celebratory activities to go beyond these celebrations and make resolutions for the future.
Sat Purushuttam, President of the Toronto branch of the Sangha, speaking on behalf of the Canadian team, told the students that many powerful persons leading great organizations and successful business enterprises across the world have their origins in the Hindu College and the Cove and John Ashram.
He advised them to develop discipline, because this is the major prerequisite for success in the world, and that the success of the sponsors from the Diaspora is based on the groundings of discipline and hard work.
Jay, in a retrospective mood, recalled his first visit to the Cove and John Ashram, when he had brought a barrel of commodities to gift to the Ashram.  Then Bramchari Vidur, now Swami Shivshankarji Maharaj, had responded with resigned candour to his promise of a donation of eight computers to the Hindu College, saying “Bhaiji (brother), I have heard this before.”
But Jay reflected that initial gift was a barrel of ideas and of hope, because what followed in less than a three-year span was a continuum of developmental activities that restructured the housing and educational capacities of the Ashram that brought it on par with many such organizations across the world.
Jay’s brother, George, who is, like all the Sobraj brothers and their extended families also a great philanthropist, but who prefers to save and enhance the quality of lives of his fellow human beings with medical interventions, spoke of the joy that he receives when a life is saved because of his actions. However, he said that all the patients operated on for life-threatening ailments were recovering, except for one little boy, over whose difficult recovery he is extremely worried.
George adjured the students to be the best in what they did – in being a child to parents, as students, and as citizens, and that using the guiding principles of integrity, consistency, honesty, hard work, they will achieve success and become the leaders of tomorrow.
Naresh Singh, Information Technology consultant responsible for the magical transformation of the IT component of the institution, recalled that his journey of success began at the Hindu College, and that in New York he had worked with major companies and institutions to develop IT strategies. Referring to the facilities provided by the Zara Learning Centre, which also comprises the Shravan Budhu Library, he informed the students that most American children did not have such opportunities as was provided to them by the various sponsors and donors.
An ardent proponent of volunteerism, Naresh referred to the big brother/big sister reading that keeps expanding and told the students that sometimes one also has to give back through volunteering their services to others.  He said that one can achieve anything with dedication and made mention of President Barack Obama, who learnt of the needs of his people by interacting with them through volunteer work he did with various communities.
Shravan Budhu also advised the students to make the best of the opportunity provided to them and to work hard.  He said that the donors and sponsors work very hard in the respective countries in which they are domiciled, and then leave their families to return to work on the various projects they undertake in Guyana.  He reflected on his days as a student at the Hindu College, when they sometimes did not even have lights by which to study, but being aware that education is the key to success, they persevered and today Hindu College students are successful in their various areas of endeavour all over the world.
Members of the visiting Canadian team were Messrs Guya Persaud, Deo Kurbaan, Ramdatt Roshandatt, Deodatt Singh Mahadeo, Rampaul Persaud, Sat Purushuttam, Mukesh singh, Dhaman Kissoon, Hansraj Harnandan, and Krishnalall Persaud.
Mr Dhaman Kissoon said that their interest in the Guyana branch of the Sangha was whetted by the Zara team, who had visited Canada and, during a presentation on 21st March, spoken of the activities being conducted at the Ashram, which also revived nostalgic memories for many members who had their origins at the Hindu College, so they immediately planned a visit home, simultaneously with the Zara team of George and Jay Sobraj, Naresh Singh, and Shravan Budhu.  Swami Bhajanandaji accompanied the Canadian team home.
Mr Kissoon said that his uncle, Latchman Kissoon, was the first student of the Hindu College and that another uncle, Justice Nandram Kissoon, is an ardent supporter of the Ashram.
Recalling that he first met Swami Purnanandaji  Maharaj as a student of the Golden Grove Secondary School, when he had invited the then Bramchari to start a Hindu Society at that school.  When Swamiji was assigned by the Bharat Sangha to the Toronto branch approximately 20 years ago they renewed their acquaintance.
According to the philanthropist, this initial visit to the Cove and John Ashram was to do a needs assessment prior to consultation with the rest of the Canadian before any commitment can be made.  He was positive, however, that help for the Ashram would be forthcoming from the team in the future.  In a friendly rivalry Jay informed the Canadian that the Aamerican team is the A-team, and that the Canadians are the C-team, but this Sangha fraternity is an amazing network that holds continually true to the maxims of the Founder-Leader and spiritual guide who laid down the precepts that all Sangha members faithfully adhere to, in whatever corner of the Globe they are domiciled.
In closing remarks Swami Bhajanandaji told the scholarship awardees that they are not standing on slippery ground, because their foundation is rock-solid.  He then asked everyone to pray for the child who was fighting for his life in the hospital.
After their various meetings everyone went down to enjoy the Ashram’s Family Funday.