Heathens and Pagans

I am not comfortable telling people about our Lord so I just never
mention Him to anyone. For over 30 years I was free to love and adore
Him openly, happily repeating 'Sai Ram' at every opportunity. I knew
in my heart it was a luxury that was only possible because I lived at
His Ashram. Even living anywhere else in India, openly flaunting His
precious name, was frowned on a bit.

So for about a year and a half I haven't been able to say, 'Sai Ram'
except for the few times I actually went all the way to Clearwater to
attend the Sai Center there. I do not have a car and so, I seldom
went. Oh and I was able to say “Sai Ram' on the telephone when I
spoke to my old Sai Baba friends who live here in the states.

Anyway, Swami finally sent a Sai Bhaktha into my life. I go to the
Sunshine Senior Center, as most of you know and am involved with the
chorus and with a drama group. A few weeks ago a new lady joined who
seems very nice. I was sitting across the table from her this last
Monday and she said, 'I understand you lived in India for a long
time.' You know everyone gossips about everyone else here, it's just
the way things are and I knew that was the prevailing story about me.
I have very long hair and I lived in India, that's what they say. I
smiled and said 'yes' and she asked where in India and I said
'Bangalore.' Puttaparthi is not a popular destination. She said,
'Oh,did you ever hear about Sathya Sai Baba?' I grabbed her finger
and we began speaking quietly about the Lord. She has been to India
and has had a few miracles happen.
I am overjoyed because this is a very Christian place. In a way it's
good because they love God and so do I ...as long as I'm careful and
don't mention Swami because that makes me a heathen. After all. most
of them have relatives who have gone to China and India to save the
heathens and here am I in their midst. As a matter of fact I think I
have a relative from long back, buried in Madras, I never looked her
up. I think seniors are getting 'READY TO MEET THE SAINTS' so they
tend to feel closer to the Lord. I could say that my Lord is the same
as their Lord only He has a different name...but it wouldn't do any
good. They base their belief system strictly on the Holy Bible and
you won't find our Swami there, at least not by name. So I never
mention Him. There's even one lady who said she didn't want to talk
to me even thought she thinks I'm a very nice person...because I'm not
a Christian. I may be the only non-Christian she's ever met except
for a few Jews. This new Sai Baba friend is Jewish, by the way.
We are doing two of my plays in the drama group. Somebody
said...'we'll read new plays if anybody wants to try to write one'.
I'd already thought about a TV series based on the seniors here, I
heard that there are 85,000 or something either here in St. Pete or in
Florida and there's a public channel now that does stuff from the
schools...their band and orchestra so I thought...what about seniors.
I also saw something on TV about how acting in plays has helped people
with Alzheimers. We're doing two now and I've written three more. It's
a huge project totally impossible except...if the Lord wanted to do
it...maybe, especially now with my new Sai friend. We all have to find
our own way to do seva and maybe this is mine.