Anonymous Devotee from USA says: I have been contemplating writing an experience for a very long time. There are many that I can write here and the list will never end. Baba has been ever so kind. He took in His care and then there was no looking back. I have this habit of writing my prayers in a Prayer book. It is actually very good. It tells you how much God does for you and you forget after initially being thankful for it.I Moved to the USA in 2010. it is so hard to write how beautifully my life has been blessed, except for those two things that I have been waiting forever, almost 5 years. It looks like that test won’t end anytime soon.
I came Sai’s sharan as they say in June 2008. I visited Shirdi in November 2008 for the first time. What a bliss it was. My parents were settled in the USA and I used to visit them from India. That year in 2009, I was with my family for 3 months. We bought a house, which was again Baba’s blessing. After I returned to India that year, I was close to losing my grandmother. She passed away in Aug 2009. She was a constant support for me in my Parent’s absence in India. I used to stay with my extended family and grandparents. I left my job thinking I will move to the USA permanently (Meaning will stay for 6 Months and come back). In my plans to move, I left my Job in September and started winding up to be with my Parents, as my grandmother, who was my constant support was a big void that was created.
My mom visited India in October that year and I was to fly back with her, but I could not because of some reason or the other. I decided to leave India in November. As luck would have it, I was about to buy my tickets something or the other kept delaying it. After my mom reached the USA, my immigration paperwork came through. I had to stay back in India. Had I been in the USA, I would have to fly back to get a lot of paperwork that was needed to get an immigration visa (police reports/Birth certificates etc). However this process was going to take 5-6 Months. Now what to do for these 6 months since I had left my job? So I decided to take up a stop gap arrangement type of Job. Usually I would clear interviews easily. However I didn’t want something with an MNC as they had larger notice periods. I just had to bid my time. The offers that I got were very low salary wise. I decided to sit back at home rather than taking up any jobs. 2 Months passed like this.
New Year 2010, I got a call from a place, where I had interviewed. They were ready to pay me much more than what they initially offered. Like a 1000 Rs a day and I was supposed to work 6 days a week. Also a Chauffer driven car to pick me up and drop me and only 6 hours a day. Baba planned everything so beautifully, I got a 4.5 months contract with a good salary and a contracting position in government institutions, which is not easy to get. I was contributing towards commonwealth games made me even more Happy. In the mean while I would attend the evening Aarti in a local temple. I would go to the temple twice a day.
I used to be very worried about my visa. I had an unknown fear that would grip me. I asked a question as to when will I be called for an Interview. Baba Answered “work pending for many years will be completed on Ramnavmi” that year in 2010. Ramnavmi was on 24th March. Nothing happened on the 24th. I was wondering Baba how can this be untrue. The Next day, I was teaching at my institute and my sister called from CA at 01:30 PM that was middle of the night for her. I was hoping that all is well at their end. My Sister said that she had received a letter for my interview at the American embassy. 25th march in India was 24th in the USA (How can Baba ever lie).
The next week was a lean period at the Institute and I was given a one week off. I decided to visit Shirdi along with my uncle. It was a sudden plan. I decided to get tickets in Tatkal. I got up at 4:30am and went to the Delhi Cantt station making sure that I am the first few in the line, at least in the ladies line. After checking all my options and after standing in line for more than 3 hours, I was rewarded. I got the ticketsto travel to Shirdi. I waited for a day and repeated the same process the next to next day to get return tickets. Again Baba blessed. There were a few people ahead of me. By the time I got to the counter there were only 2 tickets left in the train that I wanted to Board and I was relieved on getting those tickets. We had blissful Darshan. I got my papers touched at Baba’s Samadhi. I forgot to mention that I had started the 9 weeks fast sometime in Feb. When I received the letter on ramnavmi, my interview was in the month of May on the 9th Thursday. What a great weaver our Sai is? That day, when I got the interview letter completely reaffirmed by faith, that I will be granted a visa.
I got another week off in April (Since this was a contracting Position). That was the perfect time to get all Medical Tests done and collect the remaining Paperwork. My contract ended on 5/15 and the Interview on a Thursday 5/20 (9th Thursday) and needless to say it was a breeze. The counselor asked me 15 questions in 3 minutes and I was done. It was so easy and quick. This is not the end. I needed help with things selling my car and people I knew were not able to help. I wanted to sell it off and not just sign a delivery challan. I wanted the ownership to be transferred since I was leaving the Country for good. My cousin came to my rescue. She and her husband guided me through the process they bought the car at a good price and got everything transferred. It was done in 2 hours and my cousin let me use it until 3 days before I left.
I had to get my provident fund from the company that I was working with before this contracting job. They usually take 2 months to fill up the form and send it back to everyone. I went there 3 weeks before I was supposed to leave the country and he told me the same thing. I will send it to your address in 2 months. I requested to do it the same day, he didn’t budge. I got after his life, explained my problem, he made me wait and completed the Paperwork and gave it to me. This was a next to impossible task. I went to submit my papers in Gurgaon Sector 44 the next day. I told them I needed money, can this be expedited. They asked me the reason and I explained I am leaving. A simple application and copy of my visa this was done the next Thursday. They PF officials were kind enough to call me and check with me for the time that I had taken a sabbatical (As IBM had not credited any money for that period). I have seen my friends go through the PF offices mess multiple times, before they can claim their own money. In this case it was no less than a miracle and it was actually absolutely bliss personified. I also got the opportunity to visit theSai temple in Gurgaon, which has been made like a replica of Shirdi (Opp Paras Hospital). I had a Dejavu feeling, during my first trip to Shirdi. We were waiting for the train to start from NDLS and I had to withdraw some money. My EPF from the previous company was transferred into my account that day .Here in Gurgaon, I was sitting in temple that was a replica of Shirdi and the EPF was credited. I really want to write about my experiences after I moved to the USA. There are too many too write.
I visited Shirdi last year, when I came to India, that was the most beautiful experience of my life. I have 2 More experiences that I want to write since I moved to the USA. I usually try an offer a robe here at the Milpitas Temple in CA. Last year and before that, I have offered many robes. They print an annual calendar, where 12 photos are selected for the Annual Calendar. This is a beautiful temple, which is Baba’s home. This is my Shirdi away from Shirdi. You have to see it to believe it. There are no priests in this temple and all the volunteers run this temple. They co-ordinate everything so beautifully. Again they have a little Dwarkamai and Chavdi here. I purchased the calendar on 1st 2012 Jan hoping that one of the pictures would be from one of the Robes that I offered. There wasn’t any. I was slightly disappointed, but I thought never mind and forgot about it.
I could not go to the Milpitas Temple this year on the 1st of Jan (2013) and never bought the Calendar. I was keeping the 9 fasts again for a specific reason. My uncle came to our house the weekend after I completed my 9 fasts, it was a Saturday and I was sleeping till late. He woke me up and handed the Calendar to me. He said a friend of mine has this contract from the Milpitas temple and he prints these calendars. He asked me do you know any Sai Devotees, who want this calendar. My uncle took one for himself and one for me. My uncle’s friend gave him the calendars on the 9th Thursday of my fast.
In my condition of deep slumber, I thought not like You (Baba) are going to have to any of the Pics, which would have the robes that I offered and I opened it, it opened for the Month of Feb (It was the robe that I had offered for my dad’s birthday on the 15th Dec 2012). I didn’t make a single effort. I was in deep sleep and He fulfilled my wish without me remembering it and then He made me realise that He is always listening. It is the exact same picture that I had clicked and had in my cell phone. When I say exact. The placement of flowers, hukka and everything else. The picture in the Calendar seems to have been printed from the one that I have in my Cell Phone. I am attaching both the pics. They are exactly the same except for the difference in background and photoshop.
For all the devotees I feel it is a very good idea to maintain a Prayer book that would have a list of what we have asked for, revisit it every few months and you will realise how very kind Lord Baba has been. Everything in my life has been so well planned. I could not have done it on my own. The first few months in this country, when I was struggling to get a good job, I had written a specific salary that I would like to earn. I was going through my prayer book just randomly 2 weeks ago and to my surprise with His constant guidance and support I am earning exactly the same amount (3 years down the line) and in a kind of company, where I would have wanted to work.
Despite all this, I am being tested for 2 things that long overdue Baba. You know what I am talking about. They are long overdue. MY Saburi is just going to end. I am not losing my faith. But Faith and Patience go hand in hand. Please grant these 2 wishes. Baba, please. I want my faith to move this mountain/this hurdle that has been there forever. Baba Please! You have to give it to me now.
