DONORS
In the few days that we have been here several people who are interested in supporting the work of the Ashram have stopped by. Today a group of diamond merchants from Surat stopped by to consider donating enough money to build a large hostel for the children who are boarding here while going to school. Currently the children sleep on mattresses, side by side, which are rolled up during the day, sleeping in a large basement of the main hall of the Ashram. They need a hostel with smaller dormitory rooms and windows with good lighting and bathing facilities.
Gujurat and the town of Surat is a world hub for cutting and polishing diamonds which come there from diamond mines around the world and then are processed and then shipped to the United States and other places for sale. Gujurati diamond merchants have become enormously rich through being middle men. The man who came today heads a foundation which is dedicated to building 500 schools for the rural poor in Gujurat. They have built 250 schools and were on their way today to dedicate two of the schools when they stopped by for a half hour visit.
A room full of children in their uniforms were seated in the large basement room in front of the delegation seated in chairs. All of the delegation were honored by having Gandhian garlands of hand spun thread put around their necks. Susie, Todd and I, who deserved no honor at all, were included. Shilpa introduced the children. The children sang song after song, singing at the top of their voices as they pantomimed what they were singing. They put on a wonderful show which must have had an impact on the diamond merchants who went away looking pleased. But the show wasn’t what sold them. Before giving even a penny to any institution the institution is thoroughly vetted and financially examined to make sure that not a penny is wasted. The Virampur Ashram passed that test as well and expect to be given enough money to build a hostel that will hold 150 students.
There is a great deal of philanthropy in India by other Indians and a constant stream of donors who make their way through. This is Hindu philanthropy and the prayers of the children are Hindu prayers. Hasmukh receives much more support from wealthy Indians than from overseas, even than from wealthy Indians who live overseas, although there is also a good deal of support from Indian Americans in San Francisco or Edison, New Jersey.
BILLYBABA’S WANDERING 