MESSAGE FROM UNI ON SARAH

As a mother the most precious gift I relieved in this world was my daughter Sarah. And the greatest gift I can give to her with boundless maternal love is the guidance to be a good humanitarian who will be of benefit to this world. That was the promise I made when my little Sara was born to this world. As she grew up she realised from her earliest days that her mother has a natural inclination to do welfare to others. She soon started taking the example from her mother and with her little hands started helping animals and people in whatever way she could think of. Her life was being guided by the one she was closest to. I had succeeded in becoming the inspiration to guide her life as a humanitarian.

The inspiration for Sarah to commit to do humanitarian work is now making her a person devoted to welfare. I have been amazed at how much she empathises with the less fortunate and strives to do as best she can to help others.

As she was growing up I began to think her sense of humanitarianism is beyond her tender years. It is clear that if we really want to change the way our society is thinking and the direction we are heading we have to think humanitarianly beyond our years!

As she was growing up the role of religion played a very positive role in her life. She embraced good Buddhist values and that has ensured her development of spirit and character. Her resolve as a humanitarian has become strengthen over the years because of the positive influences that have helped her inner being to realise her potentials as person devoted to help other people, animals and be caring to the environment.

I am thankful for being able to inspire the spirit of humanitarianism in my daughter Sara and hope that this message will inspire you to feel a personal need to find the inner joy of being committed to humanitarian work.

Memorable moments from our lives – inspiration from the past

When I was a schoolchild, I had a habit of trying to be the saviour of any kitten or puppy that I see abandoned on the road. I use to cut school, put the kittens or puppies in a cardboard box or even in my school bag and bring them home. The reaction of scolding from my parents of course was something I had to prepare for, but no matter the adverse results I persisted and somehow compelled by parents to get fresh cow’s milk to feed the orphaned animals. I did this so many times that I became famous in the area that I grew up in and the people in the neighbourhood villages dubbed me ‘Chooti’ and had stories of these animal ‘rescue missions’ connected to my reputation. I never abandoned that trait of mine, and today Sarah is diligently following in my footsteps as an animal lover who is passionate about the welfare of helpless animals.

Giving to the less fortunate is a quality that I have instilled in my daughter and once I got an alarming call from one of the parents of my daughter’s friends saying that I must watch out for her, because after classes she comes out from the school premises and offers money to beggars who are sitting outside the gate. I felt I should ask Sarah what was going on and when I inquired about it she said she can’t simply pass them and pretend not to see their suffering especially as some of them are carrying small infants . So she said she does what she can to help them by offering the money she has in her wallet. I was amazed by how she empathised with the less fortunate without keeping the money to spend on herself and her friends. I said keep up the good work and never change her ways.

According to the Buddhist culture the birthday is a day that is apparently not celebrated but mourned as a day that draws us closer to death. In the spirit of good Buddhist outlooks of moderation Sarah and I completely stopped birthday celebrations and decided that it is a day for self reflection. On our birthdays we go out and look for those who deserve to be given a treat. We identify a few elderly destitute mendicants take them to our home, give them a good meal, clothes, a sizable gift of money and explain the occasion that we are celebrating with them. Afterwards we drop them back where they were. That is how we began celebrating our birthdays. We make them occasions to make the less fortunate happy.

On poya days, we both collect the money we have, go out and offer it to who are in need. Coming back home empty handed is our Poya Day mission . The practice of giving gives us immeasurable pleasure and happiness.

Our birthday ‘celebrations’ have also taken us to places like the Cancer Hospital, orphanages, elders homes, temples that have become shelters to stray dogs, animal slaughter houses to release animals who have been ‘noosed’ to the abattoir. We do not believe in throwing away money on massive birthday parties, anniversary parties etc. The reason we don’t believe in grand parties is because feeding people who are already blessed with good fortune isn’t the same as giving to those who are in need, it matters more to those who are in a situation in life where they need some cheer to be brought into their lives. It becomes a rare kind of happiness for them to see someone making them a part of their special day to celebrate. What Sarah and I have realised is that spending money on extravagant celebrations on ourselves doesn’t bring a sense of spiritual developments in us.

I have noticed that most people are not capable of making a mission workable, they may sympathise with others and see issues, they talk a lot, and they blame everyone responsible causing the problem but seldom do they take a single step to work out something to practically address a solution to the issue. I always try to stay away from the influence of people who are all talk and no action. Because the policy we have adopted in life is that we must take immediate action on any problem as long as our initiative will become a contribution factor to solve that problem, no matter how hard it is , we do it. It is far better to at least light a candle than to waste your breath cursing the darkness. The world needs workers not talkers.

When it comes to the good fortune of having a safe home, and a loving family, it is not only humans that matter. There are so many little animals like kitten and puppies that are abandoned heartlessly on the road. Seldom do people think of giving them an opportunity to have the love and security of a good home. The empathy that Sarah and I feel for these helpless animals has made us devote our time and money to provide them with the love and security of a good animal loving family. We take care of them and make our home a sort of halfway home for the abandoned animals until a suitable family comes and adopts them. We place ads / notices in the papers and find families to adopt these little helpless orphans who cannot speak or defend themselves in a world that shows them little care. We have through our efforts rescued countless puppies and kittens. Please check the picture gallery which tells the stories of our missions to save little furry bundles of joy who were heartlessly abandoned.

There is a superstitious belief among people that releasing caged birds will bring them good luck and erase their misfortunes. I did a poster campaign in several leading temples including Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya and Bellanwila Raja Maha Viharaya to create awareness on the myths that mislead people to think that by releasing caged birds their misfortunes due to malefic planetary effects of astrological basis. I educated people on the aspect of cruelty that is caused through this practice which encourages a business of catching birds and caging them only to be bought and freed again. It is a form of animal cruelty that is being perpetuated due to misleading beliefs and I have even written to the president about imposing a legal ban on this cruel trade of catching birds and selling them to people to release as part of a superstitious practice.

In the years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 before Sinhala new year we selected about 50 families with children in dire circumstances and sick people from the area we live in and made sure their new year would not be bleak and bare. For some of these ‘missions’ our close friends contributed generously. How the idea began was when my daughter and I were doing new year shopping, we saw the poor families who beg near affluent shopping mauls, cafés. They watch shoppers carrying heavy bags with gifts, clothes, sweets and see how people with money prepare for the new year celebrations. They see how happy the people who go to those shops and cafes are. If anyone cares to look at the poor kids their eyes are filled with sorrow and helplessness as they have nothing. We thought that the joy of new year should be shared with those who are in need of assistance. That is the story behind our Sinhala new year mission of spreading joy to those who are in need.

Food, clothing and shelter are essentials to all. During the floods in 2017 we donated as much as possible to help flood victims in Kalutara with food stuff and clothes. We saw young girls who were wearing the same wet clothes for 2-3 days. Their eyes spoke of how desperate they were and how they couldn’t discuss their plight. We realised what their eyes were saying. We offered them clothes and sanitary items as much as we could.

Recently Sarah and I did an Animal Health clinic in collaboration with Best Care Animal Hospital Nawala. The health clinic addressed the needs of abandoned animals in three temples and stray animals. It became very successful and we are constantly monitoring their health now.

The need for humanitarian action is clear to anyone when driving through roads. The sight and plight of the less fortunate are all plainly visible. The way people suffer as mendicants, impoverished road cleaners, street kids and abandoned animals. Yet only a limited number of sensitive people will empathise with what they see as the suffering of others. Those who can see the suffering of others with their hearts and look for ways to help those in need are the blessed. The powers above will surely bless their sensitive hearts. They are the ones whose prayers the gods will listen to. it is this caring sense of humanitarian spirit that must be spread through society.

Life tips:

Let us be inspired to achieve our goals with ideas that can change us for the better of everyone.

Opt to be an optimist, it feels good. Decide to be a humanitarian, it feels great!
– UniSara –

“There are enough critics in this world, be an ‘encourager.”
– Anon –

“The world is changed by your actions, not by your opinions”
– Paulo Coelho –

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
– John Wooden –

“The past is behind, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepare for it. The present is here, live it.”
– Thomas S. Monson –

 “Let your projects be independent organisms. They will develop their own beautiful architecture.”
– Rossana Condoleo –

“The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.”
– Anon. –

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
– African proverb –

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”
– T. Roosevelt –

“Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more so that we may fear less.”
– Marie Curie –

“Ask yourself if what you’re doing today will get you closer to where you want to be tomorrow.”
– Anon –

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
– Aristotle –

“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way animals are treated.”
– Mahatma Ghandi –