A word of warning on collecting funds and spending
Do not plan beyond your capacity and move about with lists from person to person to get funds. By this, the institution gets a bad name and you too will not be spared. You may say, "But, when Swaami comes to our place, we must spend a lot on reception arrangements." No, I do not need grand decorations, huge pandals, arches, flags and such paraphernalia. I require only a mike to communicate My advice to the people. Even a chair is superfluous! I can talk standing. Spend sparingly for the minimum needs; do not involve yourselves in expensive luxury. I would like you to spend any extra money that you have for the feeding of the poor or for any similar beneficial object. Attempts are being made in many places to build Sathya Sai Mandhirs (halls of worship). But Sathya Sai will be happy if He is installed in your hearts; that is the Mandhir I like, not those. When you seek to build that other Mandir, you have to go about seeking donations. Religion has declined in this land due to this donation-seeking and donation-granting. Really speaking, the most precious donation is a pure mind; give that to the organisation and it will shine. I shall tell you a method by which the extra funds you may need for any undertaking the Samithi has in view are to be collected. Estimate beforehand what the expense will be. Suppose it comes to a thousand rupees, give that information to the fifteen members, and fix a day when they shall all meet. That day, keep a locked box with a slit on the lid, in an inner room; let every one go in alone into the room and deposit in the box whatever he feels he can. He can come away without depositing anything; he has the freedom to do so, there is no compulsion. If funds are collected with the knowledge of the rest, a person who is unable to give as much as another may feel humiliated and so this is the best method. When all have finished their turn, let the box be opened and the amount counted. If it falls short of the estimate, divide the shortfall among all members equally and collect the share from each. If there is some surplus, keep it for the next occasion. Fund collection campaign will lead to calumny Do not have lists, appeals, receipt books and all the cumbrous complex of fund collection campaigns. That way will lead you to stratagems and falsehoods, competition and calumny. Do it in this quiet and sacred manner, suited to the holy objectives you have. Some delegates suggested that sub-committees be formed and recognised. But that will increase the number and so give room for more mistakes. Let the responsibility be on a few dedicated persons. The District President must see that small associations in the villages are given proper guidance and help to carry out the task undertaken by them, and to send to those villages, exponents of Vedhic culture in order to instruct and inspire them. Attempts should also be made to spread spiritual knowledge and instill the yearning for spiritual Saadhana among students and youth. -- --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "saimsg" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
