Dear one,
Sat Nam. People say nothing is free. It’s not exactly true. I remember hitchhiking across this country, more than once, and people driving me where I wanted to go for little more than some polite conversation. I remember panhandling outside the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver and receiving tickets for the concert plus enough money to take the ferry to the island. And once the London Ontario Gurdwara Sangat freely paid my way to Amritsar for the first time just for the privilege of serving them.
Sometime we give, sometimes we receive…
Sat Nam. People say nothing is free. It’s not exactly true. I remember hitchhiking across this country, more than once, and people driving me where I wanted to go for little more than some polite conversation. I remember panhandling outside the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver and receiving tickets for the concert plus enough money to take the ferry to the island. And once the London Ontario Gurdwara Sangat freely paid my way to Amritsar for the first time just for the privilege of serving them.
Sometime we give, sometimes we receive…
Some months ago, I became aware that Ram Singh – living in Togo, West Africa – had taken the jump to commit to living as a Sikh Dharma minister, a Singh Sahib. He had been teaching Kundalini Yoga for a number of years and one day felt the call. In fact, Singh Sahib Ram Singh ji is today the only minister of Sikh Dharma International on the African continent! That’s history! When I heard the news, my sewa mind went into gear thinking how best to serve our precious new Sikh Dharma minister.
The answer was not long in coming….
The answer was not long in coming….
The average worker in Togo earns US$60 a month and travel to India is very limited partly for lack of means and partly for Indian government restrictions on travel. Like the U.S., the Indian government does not want undocumented immigrants. It became immediately clear that there was no way Ram Singh was going to have a sight and a sip and a dip in the holy waters of the Golden Temple without some help.
So I contacted Ram Singh and we made a plan…
So I contacted Ram Singh and we made a plan…
Then I told Prem Kaur ji – our Khalsa Council Secretary-General – and she offered to write an official letter to the Indian ambassador in Togo assuring him that Ram Singh would come to Punjab this October as a member of our international yatra with all expenses paid and that, after 3 weeks, he would return home to Togo.
That’s where we come in…
That’s where we come in…
Chatbox GPT image by Ajit Kaur Suzuki (Japan)
Sikh Dharma International is not going to pay Ram Singh’s expenses. I have already started on those, covering several months’ online Punjabi classes. I can also afford his plane fare and visa and a week in Amritsar to chill by himself after the 2-week official yatra. But the US$2,800 fee for participating in the yatra is beyond my means, at least this year, and that is where I am asking your help.
Anything you can contribute - $1, $5, a couple of Euros – will help immensely. You may not think yourself wealthy, but remember in Togo eyes where most people earn $60 a month, you are incredibly rich. Any way you look at it, we have been given a lot and this is a chance to share. You can use the PayPal button or find me on Wise (under “Academy of Life”). In Canada, you can send me an e-transfer or a cheque. I will record your donations on this page in the space below.
Let’s help Ram Singh get to Amritsar! Thank you.
Anything you can contribute - $1, $5, a couple of Euros – will help immensely. You may not think yourself wealthy, but remember in Togo eyes where most people earn $60 a month, you are incredibly rich. Any way you look at it, we have been given a lot and this is a chance to share. You can use the PayPal button or find me on Wise (under “Academy of Life”). In Canada, you can send me an e-transfer or a cheque. I will record your donations on this page in the space below.
Let’s help Ram Singh get to Amritsar! Thank you.
D O N A T I O N S
NAME CITY DATE AMOUNT
Bir Akal Kaur Morristown, NJ, USA July 26 US$108
Sharan Kaur Mt. Forest, ON, Canada July 26 US$20
Hari Kaur Espanola, NM, USA July 27 US$26
Jujhar Singh Oldbury, Eng, UK July 27 US$201
Anh Le München, BY, Germany July 27 US$20
Nathalie Girourard Longueuil, QC, Canada July 27 US$10
Siri Pritam Kaur Yuba City, CA, USA July 27 US$200
Vita Frankowski Oceanside, CA, USA July 27 US$60
Razani Dhillon Nobleton, ON, Canada July 27 US$51
Keisha Paterson Toronto, ON, Canada July 27 C$111
Beant Kaur Hamburg, HH, Germany July 28 US$30
Manjot Singh Khalsa Visby, GOT, Sweden July 28 US$108
Devmurti Singh Denman Island, BC, Canada July 28 C$30
Sat Kirin Kaur Espanola, NM, USA July 29 US$108
Nam Kaur Santa Barbara, CA, USA July 29 US$150
Beant Singh Herndon, VA, USA July 31 US$51
Japjeet Khalsa New York, NY, USA July 31 US$54
Marie Maltais San Diego, CA, USA August 2 C$111
Japjit Béguin Viella, OCC, France August 3 US$108
Jarnail Grewal Etobicoke, ON, Canada August 4 US$100
Elsa Jarski Lyon, ARA, France August 4 US$10
Ahmed Younis Montréal, QC, Canada August 7 US$44