My Personal Account of Sewa Diwali 2023
Namaste,
Wish you a Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful time this holiday season with family and friends. October, November, and December are my favorite months of the year because all over the world, people celebrate various festivals and spread happiness. Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one such Hindu festival celebrated between October and November. Traditionally, oil lamps made from clay, called Diyas, are lit. People wear new clothes, exchange sweets and food, and light fireworks. A pooja is also done to Lakshmi Devi, the goddess of Wealth. This festival of lights marks the victory of light over darkness and symbolizes happiness amongst everyone.
I want to share my experience from this past October and November when I participated in the SewaDiwali Food Drive. It’s a joint initiative by 350+ organizations across America in over 30 states to feed the underprivileged. Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (HSS USA), a nonprofit organization, spearheaded this effort in many communities and schools to serve local neighborhoods. The North Houston region of HSS USA ran this food drive from October 15 to November 15, 2023, during the festive time of Diwali.
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This was my fourth year participating in SewaDiwali. There is a sense of fulfillment in doing Sewa which means altruistic service. I felt delight and contentment in doing this food drive and was eager to challenge myself to encourage my friends to experience the same. I created a team of a dozen kids in my neighborhood and encouraged them to be the ambassadors for a door-to-door campaign.
I incorporated new ideas so the team could effectively reach as many residents as possible in our neighborhood. I discussed the importance of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (the world is one family) and that we should care for each other. SewaDiwali Food Drive extends this thought by connecting people while raising food and distributing it via the local pantries. I discovered that few team members had great potential to impact the community. For example, two young brothers reminded me of myself the first time I was doing the food drive. They contacted their neighbors, parents’ offices, dance academy, and martial arts studio. This showed their dedication to the initiative and inspired other kids to do the door-to-door interaction with much enthusiasm and energy.
In addition to the neighborhood, I also extended the food drive to my school, Cinco Ranch Junior High. I cannot thank my principal enough for reinforcing and supporting me throughout. When I expressed my passion for engaging the staff and students to participate in the food drive, she was happy to help. She appreciated me for taking up a good cause and supported me for my cultural beliefs. She allowed me to hang flyers around the school and facilitated announcements every morning for the full duration of the food drive. Knowing that one of the beneficiaries of SewaDiwali is Kids Meals Inc., which makes and delivers free healthy meals directly to the homes of hungry children, everyone at school was appealed. My teachers encouraged and supported me by letting me publicize SewaDiwali occasionally. In addition, as the president of the Chess Club, I reached out to friends outside of my grade as well.
On the last day of the food drive, the team sorted the collected food and boxed them up. After weighing the boxes, to our startling discovery, we had raised a total of 700 pounds, of which 100 pounds came from my school.
In the North Houston region, the HSS USA collected over 4000 lbs and distributed it to various charities such as Cypress Assistance Ministries, Family Hope Fulshear, Hope Impacts Katy, Kids Meals Inc., and Houston Food Bank.
I am glad to have had the opportunity to participate in the SewaDiwali Food Drive, influence new friends, motivate them to do selfless service, make them a little outspoken, and speak confidently about the spirit of Diwali.
Everyone has the power to make a difference, and each of our small acts of kindness can have an everlasting positive effect. As we move forward, let’s continue to embrace the spirit of SewaDiwali in our lives, knowing that our collective efforts have the potential to illuminate the world around us.
K. Vadaga
