In presenting her Annual Report in the last issue of this newsletter, the International Secretary commented on her frustration at the impossibility of mentioning all the wonderful work going on in the TOS.  She wrote, “Only a small proportion of the members’ work can be mentioned in an Annual Report. Whole countries – 18 this year to be precise – have not even been referred to!” She gives a couple of examples of this unsung service work here.

PART 1: The TOS in the Philippines

Most Theosophists have heard of the Golden Link College in the Philippines by now. Did you know, though, that the TS and TOS in the Philippines run no fewer than five schools and learning centres for the underprivileged?  Did you know that whole villages have been adopted and helped toward autonomy through vocational training, micro-loans, nutrition programmes, parenting skills training and values awareness classes?  Did you know that for many years now, peace-building and conflict resolution seminars have been run for Philippine army officers and for multi-religious and multi-cultural groups? 

What is remarkable about the TS and TOS in the Philippines is that they work hand in hand, acting as veritable partners in what Vic Hao Chin refers to as “the challenge of mainstreaming Theosophy”. The TS’s Self-Transformation Seminar has been presented to government agencies such the Civil Service Commission, the Department of Education and the Parole and Probation Board, Non-Government Organisations involved in community development, mayors, city councillors and municipal employees, universities and private companies, in addition to the general public and, of course, TS groups.

Here are some photos illustrating this work.

Here is the TOS Skills Training Center in Bago City,
near Bacolod City. It is also the site of the
Rainbow Play Center, a preschool serving
the poor families of a nearby farming village.

The Philippines is one of the countries where the most journalists are killed each year and where fighting between Christian and Muslim groups is endemic, especially on the island of Mindanao.  Filippino Theosophists conduct in-depth seminars in hot spots, addressing two issues in particular: core commonality in religion, and dealing with one’s own anger and fears regarding other people or other ethnic and religious communities.  Here we see one of the trainers – Bebot Rodil – running a peace-building seminar for army officers assigned to Mindanao.  This programme has been running for several years and is an on-going part of the TOS’s work.

Here we see Bebot conducting a seminar on peace-making for a multi-religious and multi-cultural group in Mindanao.

 Here is Vicente Hao Chin, Jr training students as youth leaders in Mindanao which includes instruction in theosophical principles, meditation, conflict resolution and the skills useful in community service.

A youth camp for the chairpersons of the government youth councils in the entire province of Iloilo

In November 2011, Vic addressed 700 graduating high school students in Bohol. He spoke of developing qualities of
character as an important foundation for adult life.

A theosophical preschool that serves a very poor
community in Caloocan City

A group of young people attending a summer class

PART 2: The TOS in Delhi

Another group that merits closer attention is the TOS in Delhi.  Its annual report for 2011 shows how amazingly varied TOS undertakings are.  In India there are so many groups – over a hundred – that National TOS Director, Mr Birendra L. Bhattacharyya, has to have a team of senior members to help him visit them all.  In reading this annual report, it is easy to see that a whole issue of this newsletter could be filled reporting on the year’s activities.

Annual Report (2010-11)  Theosophical Order of Service, Delhi NCR Region

Details of activities undertaken during the year are as follows:

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

The following cases were sponsored:
Heart Surgeries for Children (four)

• Child from Nagpur – One
• Child from Agra – One
• Children from Noida –Two

Eye Surgeries

• Cataract – Seven
• Squint Surgeries – Two
• Miscellaneous – One

Spectacles
Over 40 free pairs of spectacles were arranged for needy persons including children identified during the free eye checkup camps.

Cleft Lip Surgeries (one)

Immunization
57 children of new Nursery class and newly admitted children of Om Foundation School were immunized.

Dental Treatment AT TOS  Deepti Lodge Dental Centre
The Dental Centre conducted five Dental Checkup Camps in Schools and provided free treatment to a large number of children for Caries and Root canal treatments. In addition over 250 rural walk-in child patients were given free treatment.

PolioPlus

• Polio Surgeries (one)
• OPV. Two teams from members of Noida Lodge participated in all NIDs and administered Polio Drops and carried out PolioPlus advocacy in the neighborhood.

Hearing Aids
A set of hearing aids was donated to a needy child.

Heart surgery for children from the economically weaker section of society is co-sponsored by TOS Deepti Group.

Bro B L Bhattacharyya observes Dr Bhushan inspecting teeth during one of the many Free Dental Check Up Camps being organised by TOS Deepti Group. Free treatment is provided at “TOS Deepti Dental Centre”, a fully owned Dental Centre of their Group.

Bro M L Khatri & Sister Sunita Gahrotra reconizing the students of Om Foundation School. TOS Noida Sanatan and TOS Deepti Groups play an advisory role for this exclusively “zero cost” school for the economically disadvantaged community of Noida and adjoining areas. Prof. KVK Nehru has been one of several Theosophists visiting the School.

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE

Individual:

• The school expenses of five economically disadvantaged students are supported.
• Five students in rural areas were supplied with books, stationery items and uniforms.
• Two students were given personalised home tuition.

Schools: The following schools are supported by
TOS Delhi Region:

• Sanatan Primary School: This school is being run by TOS Noida Sanatan Group.
• Om Foundation School: This school is being run under the aegis of Om Foundation. TOS Noida Sanatan group is providing support in terms of extracurricular activities, medical care, personality development work, etc. A two day Integrated Child Development programme was run in September together with TOS U.P. Federation.
• ABSA School: This school is being run by Aum Baal Suraksha Aandolan Trust for informal social support of migratory labour in the neighbourhood.

S D School, a “special free privileged” school for the wards of local casual labourers, sponsored and organised by TOS Noida Sanatan Group, celebrates its Annual Function together with the members of the TOS Noida Sanatan Group.
 

SOCIAL

Vocational Training Centres
The following vocational training centres for rural women, known as “BrahmShakti Mahila Prashikshan Kendras” are being run by TOS Delhi NCR Region for the following villages: Sikendrabad, Palwali, Mangroli, Dhondra, Barola, Raipur, Chhijarasi, Sector 15A Noida, Barola-II and Rabhupura.  More such Centres are planned. Theosophical literature in vernacular is made available to the students and lectures organised with visiting dignitaries. TOS Certificates are awarded to the students passing training. Employment assistance is also provided in the Local Entrepreneurial Units.

Support to Genuine NGOs

• Goonj: Regular donation of items by all TOS groups to this group that collects and distributes clothes and household material to the needy.
• NavPrerna: Visits and donations are made by members of the TOS Groups to this very special organisation working for the physically challenged.
• Rotary Blood Bank: A large number of Blood Donation Camps have been organised by TOS Lodges of Delhi NCR in collaboration with the Rotary Blood Bank.

Bro B L Bhattacharyya, National Director TOS in India inspecting the “BrahmShakti Mahila Prashikshan Kendra, Raipur”, one of the many Vocational Training Centres for Rural Women being conducted by Sister Sunita Gahrotra, TOS Deepti Group

 Rural School children on Mass Meditation
during the Pranic Healing Training

SPIRITUAL

Global Synchroniszed Meditation
Certain members do this individually at a synchronised time every day.

Pranic Healing

• Free Pranic Healing Camps were conducted on the last Friday of every month in collaboration with the members of the Pranic Healing Foundation of Delhi. Occasional Free Healing Camps were also organised in collaboration with the Organisational Free Medical camps.
• Pranic Healing Training Courses
• Basic/Advanced Pranic Healing Training Courses were conducted at Agra, Greater Noida, Noida and Delhi.

Healing Rituals
TOS Healing Rituals were carried out every Thursday.

Earth Healing Meditation
Earth Healing Rituals were carried out every Thursday, jointly attended by members of TOS and Pranic Healers.

Distribution of Theosophical Literature
TOS Delhi NCR Region participated in a World Book Fair in Delhi in February 2010 and a Sanskrit World Book Fair in Bangalore in January 2011.  It regularly displays theosophical literature for sale to the public through numerous book stalls.