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A BRIEF REPORT OF THE PRE-WORLD CONFERENCE OF AFRICA REGION 93 HELD IN LAGOS –  NIGERIA FROM 23^RD TO 24^TH OCTOBER, 2010 AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE SAI WORLD CONFERENCE IX NOVEMBER, 2010 AND BEYOND.

PART A – BRIEF REPORT

The Pre-world Conference of Africa Region 93 was held in Lagos Nigeria for the first time on 23^rd and 24^th October, 2010. Devotees from different parts of Africa converged in Lagos for the two-day conference which was hugely successful having been blessed by Baba.

The theme of the conference, “God Is”, “I Am I” and “Love All, Serve All” was exhaustively deliberated on by 180 delegates who were divided into sizeable groups. Thereafter, the following submissions were made on the key subjects:

“GOD IS”

It was unanimously declared that one cannot simplify what God Is. God is Absolute, beyond definition, changeless, beyond any form, attribute or trait. Nevertheless, we know that God Is, and Man exists because God exists.

It was also concluded that faith, a belief system, is an integral and irrevocable part of God realisation. Faith is a belief, in not only the seen, but also in the unseen. Just as we ‘know’, without a doubt, that the earth is surrounded by an atmosphere that has the perfect and precise combination of gases necessary to our survival, but we cannot see it. So we ‘know’ intuitively that God Is. Denial of God is denial of our own existence.

We have to develop steadfast faith in the knowledge that God is love, that God is the spark of Divinity that is in you and me, firstly through self-introspection and through selflessly serving others. Our actions, our lives, must demonstrate our faith. Even Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Our dear Lord has given us all the tools and guidelines which we can use to strengthen our faith in God that we know Is. And it was also concluded that to realize God, the Divinity that is in each one of us, we must put into practice and live our lives in accordance with Human Values. We must serve, serve and serve selflessly, love unconditionally, strive to become non-judgemental in all our interactions with our fellow human beings at all levels, for we know that God Is in you and in me.

“I AM I”

1. The four-lettered manthra, “I AM I” tells us that our true identity is God, the Atma.
2. Swami emphasises this manthra and maxim when he tells us “I am God, you are also God. The difference is that I know that I am God, but you do not know it.”
3. To overcome the problems we encounter in realising this truth we must do the following:

3.1  Have full faith in God and be devoted to Him.

3.2  Engage in selfless service without ego and expectation of reward.

3.3  Practice ceiling on desires.

3.4  Surrender totally to God.

3.5  Doing the above, we will earn the grace of God and march towards self-realisation.

4.  For devotees in Africa Region 93, there is the exceptional challenge of achieving self-development, self-reliance and self-discipline so as to be able to contribute to the growth of the Sathya Sai Seva Organisation in the region.

5.   The discussants further made the following submissions:

5.1  Africa is currently bedevilled with a lot of crises and problems of underdevelopment.

5.2  To solve these problems, we need to take the teaching of educare down to the grassroots – to touch the children, women and men at the village levels.

5.3  Take Swami’s educare to the education system in Africa.

5.4  We need to take educare to the government institutions to reform and change the attitude to work of the civil servants in Africa.

5.5  To take educare to professional associations to impact upon their ethics and conduct of members e.g. in medicine, law and many other professions.

5.6  It is our conviction that the practice of the Sai Education in Human Values is the panacea to the social ills affecting Africa.

6. We hand over all these convictions and evaluation of the devotees’ situations in Africa to Swami and pray to Him to help us.

“LOVE ALL SERVE ALL”

When we remove the ‘duality’, it becomes very easy for us to love all and serve all. We can then see service as an act of worship and serving ourselves. When this realisation dawns on us, we can serve all of God’s creation as serving the manifestations of God in one and all forms. When we serve, we should serve with all humility and regard ourselves highly privileged to serve.

We should take good opportunity of the grace of God to serve like ideal seva dals or volunteers do. An ideal volunteer is one who is ready to serve in any capacity at all times, and without any form of ego or attachment to the fruit of service. The mind is tamed by constant chanting of the name of God even while engaged in service.

PART B – RECOMMENDATIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE SAI WORLD CONFERENCE IX NOVEMBER, 2010 AND BEYOND.

1. Africa is a large continent consisting of 54 countries. It is the considered opinion of this great gathering that Africa should be made a Zone in the Sri Sathya Sai World Foundation Sructure. This will make way for a more effective management of the affairs of the organisation in Africa with attendant growth as desired. This will also promote the realisation of the theme of this conference: “God Is”, “I Am I”, “Love All Serve All” now and in the future. More Regions will be created with more Central Coordinators and Deputy Central Coordinators charged with specific duties to bring the desired results.
2. An All African Conference for Sathya Sai Mission in Africa is proposed for next year, 2011. This should be held in Africa whilst details shall be worked out.

3.   To encourage the setting up of more Sathya Sai Schools in our Region and strengthen the existing ones.

We surrender the report and recommendations at the Lotus Feet of our Lord, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba whilst praying and asking Him to bless the recommendations to further unfold His plan for Africa.

JAI SAI RAM

Compiled by the host country Nigeria and submitted to the Central Coordinator for onward transmission to higher authorities.