To make this vision look well we had several suggestions from people already in this mission .We had innumerable hints from books that ensured success in any endeavour. And of course there was Dale Carnegie teaching us how to influence and win over people. All this were taken and sent to the paper shredder. We believed in J. Krishnamurthi who said that each individual should seek his own path to salvation. We had laid out a path in our minds and set out to bring succour to the cancer affected.

If you have to build a ship, don’t drum up the men & women to gather wood, divide work & give orders, Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast & endless sea - Antonie de saint

Columbus wanted to cross the Atlantic Ocean .He did not start by building a ship. He began by gathering people who yearned to go to India .By doing this, each would put his ability to the best to build such a ship that would weather any storm to reach India. The very same way we tried to collect people who had a similar vision. These guys then gave their individual ideas and some of them like Jumble sale have paid tall rewards in gathering people and paisa. Many of the activities we have been doing for the last 12 years have come from ideas given by several of our volunteers.

Noah’s Ark was built by Volunteers, Titanic by Professionals

We had to materialize our aims and we wanted a task force. The choice was between hiring employees or getting volunteers to carry out the work. Like a corporate office we too had deadlines to meet, had time bound programs and the performance had to be by suave individuals. All this called for professional help.

But we chose to have all this done only by volunteers and employing the bare minimum people like drivers, office assistants etc. An employee cannot match a volunteer with a vision, determination and dedication. So far we have been successful, even in circumstances when a volunteer is unable to perform a crucial task another has come and filled the place.

If every American donated five hours a week, it would equal the labour of twenty million full time worker– Whoopi Goldberg

The prime minister of the country and ordinary citizen both have the same quantum of time and both find it inadequate. None of us have time we have to make time. And it is possible. If the saying tells about Americans, we Indians are much more in number and we have to spare less time. We have seen this happening again in our Jumble sale. The sale demands a thousand man-hours. This was possible as a large number of volunteers spared a few hours each.Each of us desiring to do voluntary work can pull out a couple of minutes and spend it usefully in championing the cause of cancer.

The broadest and may be the most meaningful definition of volunteering : Doing more than you have to because you want to, in a cause you consider good.

This is the first feeling which a volunteer or worker should get when he / she joins any organization. You should feel good that whatever you are going to do is good because you feel so. Unless you are convinced with this fact, you cannot be happy with what you are doing or the organization is doing. And when you feel good then the best of abilities are put forth and you work overtime.

A Volunteer is a person whose charity is fidelity,
who is faithful in an unfaithful world, grateful in an ungrateful world

Man by nature is selfish. World is self-centered. These inherent qualities are for his own or its own for survival. What happened to the mighty dinosaurs ? For sustenance one has to be selfish. But we have gathered in this group to see that somebody else lives. Therefore we have to this clear in our minds that we will be grateful to an ungrateful world.

In our formative years, we have struggled to raise funds for helping poor and needy cancer affected patients. Especially when it comes to children with ALL we go overboard to help these guys. After struggling so much we garnered the required funds and spent on their treatment. Later we discover that some of these guys were not actually poor or some used our funds to go for a pilgrimage or another never spent on the treatment. At other times we have counseled patients for hours together and after the treatment is over, they simply fail to recognize us. Immediately a feeling of being cozened or exploited arises in us. This should not sprout in a true volunteer. You have done something that you are happy about doing it and that happiness is much more in you than in the person receiving.

It is not how much you do ,but how much love you put in the doing – Mother Theresa

It is never the quantity but the quality of work that matters. It seems like a burden when unloving things are done. But when you love what you do it becomes a pleasure. Again Jumble sale is an example .The trash which you don’t even want to touch, is lifted sorted and packed by loving hands. Sometimes it is by the same person who has thrown it out. But in the godown , he treats it as a precious object that he loves unfathomably.

We ourselves feel that we are doing is just a drop in the ocean .But the ocean would be less of that missing drop- Mother Theresa

Many of us feel that we can or we are doing only little, a mere drop in the ocean. But to the ocean each drop matters, it will be less that drop from you. Every small act has importance. Some of you may merely lend a ear to a cancer awareness talk .The information stored could help somebody get diagnosed earlier. That itself is a volunteer deed. Sometimes you are only physically present for all the programs. But that presence sends a message that the cause is being supported.

Life is like a Ten speed Bike, Most of us have gears we never use. — Charles Schultz

All of us are endowed with so many talents, which simply go unexploited. In a life time we may use may be 25 or say 100 capabilities .A million perishes when our bodies are consigned to the flames when we die. Amongst those million if we could use… maybe 5, we could save a life of a cancer victim. We have seen these qualities in our volunteers. An orator was born, a singer was born, a campaigner was born, a writer was born and so on and so forth. We are happy that we have harnessed hidden talents from our volunteers and used them to further the cause of cancer..

Whatever Advantage we have gained in Life – Knowledge, wealth or spiritual experience – it is moral to share with those who are less privileged

We have all gained some form of advantage in life, if only we shared a little of this we can make a difference to some one. The examples form own volunteers are aplenty. They have lent their accounting skills, Baking abilities, competency in writing, aptitude to comprehend the complexities of cancer ,command over language ,eloquence in speech and so on forth. Only these abilities have made many a dream of the trust see Daylight.

The qualities that are desired from a good volunteer are as follows :

A. Humility

This is the foremost quality required for anyone who joins any charitable organization; for that matter any institution why single out non-profitable ones. Only if we are humble will we learn anything. Fortunately many of the Trust possess this.

B. Shedding of individual ego and long for collective ego

Each one of us have our individual identity. We have a name and we want this to be spelt and pronounced correctly. An aberration howsoever little hurts us. Why ? We are proud at we are. We feel important, that name only has one identity – You
When we join any organization it is important for us lose our identity to that of that organization. When this happens automatically the importance of that organization increases, we will strive to keep up its name and see that it is in the forefront. This brings about a pride in being part of that organization and makes one proud of his or her work in the same way you take pride on what you are. . As you see in the snake boat race ,the role of cheer leader is to keep the spirits high of each and every man who oars the boat to win and most importantly see that they perform in unison. If each individual boat man oars at his own speed and questions the need of a cheer leader, will the boat ever sail and let alone win. The boatman can question the existence of the cheerleader and his authority .He doesn’t even oar the boat. No question he is only the conductor ,but without him can an orchestra play a melody ?

C.Commitment

This is the next important quality to possess to be a volunteer in our trust. This needs no further explanation and no example is also required. Unfortunately many times this oath is not taken by some, posing a difficulty to us. And at times this quality is displayed in so much quantity that we are overwhelmed.

D.Sincerity

It is not enough to feel for the cause and be committed to it. One needs sincerity in performance. Jumble sale once again shows an example of this .As the last day approaches for collection of trash, junk accumulates rapidly. Manpower seems inadequate and unsorted things especially clothes get piled up in huge quantity. At that time one is tempted to rapidly sort and finish work, pricing then quickly. But the volunteers do not do that. Even when pressed for time and muscles are aching they sort the articles diligently and correctly price them .A five rupee loss is also considered great. Such should be sincerity.

E.Truthfulness

A quality we often try to disown. We live in a merciless world and we have to keep running ahead and keep everyone happy. But as we said before we do not want to follow the rules written in success books. We want to be honest in our work .A breach may be convenient to that individual but definitely is a speed breaker in the road on which the trust is moving.

F. Hard work.

Hard work ,hard work and hard work nothing else makes ideas materialize to their physical forms. It is simple to sit in an armchair and give ideas one a second, but what use of are they if they don’t actually happen . Our limbs and those of others should move cohesively to make things happen. As cited in the sloka , the lion even if it is the king of the jungle , it has to hunt its prey if it is hungry.

G. Equality

In our trust each member is considered equal. Rich or poor, literate or ill read, veteran volunteer or the one attending his first activity, all derive equal respect from us. Every player in an orchestra is important to produce euphonious music. Each member should understand this & respect each other’s role. .

H. Confidentiality

We are not a corporate, an advertising agency, chartered accounts firm or a detective agency, yet confidentiality is important to us. Persons assembled in our trust are from different walks of life; some are survivors or their relatives. They have collected here to work for a cause. But outside this ring, they are their individual self and they need their privacy. A breach in this understanding is not liked by anyone. .

Secondly many things are discussed during meetings and these when circulated outside the organization can bear a different hue. Individual perceptions of the same matter are different. . Why then encourage things that can mar the image of yours or the trust.
Lastly confidentiality also brings about faith in each other and the individual to the organization. Even if anything done is grossly wrong it is rectified inside the trust.

I. Diplomacy

A quality, which ensures the smooth running of any organization, portrays how wise you are. Wisdom has to dawn in us that it is most important that aims of the organization are reached even if paired to work with a person whose face you dislike the most. There have been instances in the past when friction between some individuals has hampered the going in program. When helping the quake affected at Pakistan occupied Kashmir , the Indian group and the Pakistani have to work in unison. If that is not done ,will the PoK quake affected guys get any relief. Hatred is left at home not carried to the office and it should not even come with the dabbawala.

J. I’m responsible for something that could significantly impact lives. I feel important.”

When you posses all the great qualities mentioned above what you are going to do is gonna be great. Ain’t it .It is . The act that you have is going to impact lives .It could be a life giver. And you should feel important and carry out your task with greater vigour.Scores of instances where this feeling has arisen ,have occurred with each volunteer of the trust.

K.He who has faith hath everything ,he who has none hath none – Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

The feeling of happiness, importance and life saving will go on if the going is smooth and all of us together. Only faith binds each of us to one another, us to the cause and the cause to life. Let us a desire happy life for us and a happier one to the cancer affected.

Undesirable qualities of a Volunteer

The highest reward for a person’s work is not what they get for it, but what they become because of it - John Ruskin.

Sri Sri Ravishankar the guru, who teaches the art of living, says if there are no problems and going is smooth life is not fun. Problems are like challenges and the best of your abilities are only then truly harnessed. It is probably true. But when such crop up it upsets the working of that organization.

When individuals join an organization that supports a cause they want to emancipate, they put all their efforts in it. As the organization grows a strange feeling comes to very many. I have done so much for this organization, what do I get in return? Why don’t they compensate me with something? Don’t I deserve that!

This is the deadliest poison. A mere drop of this can kill you and the organization. Even if an inkling of this thought comes in you, you should quit that organization. If you allow this to grow in your minds and continue to work in that organization only exploitation will ensue. Then on you will find ways and means to get things from the organization.

The only reward one should get from working in a voluntary group is being labeled as the greatest worker or hardest worker (pardon the English).

Me dressed in a suit, wouldn’t I know to tie Shoe laces

People from varied backgrounds have joined the trust. Some of them are directors of companies, some general mangers, some teacher /professor for several years, some are running large households, some are practicing physicians and lastly some have already been working in a similar organization for good number of years. It is tendency then to carry out activities of the trust in the manner they know and that seems to right to them. Some of them are not used to taking orders, instead giving them. Some of them were never questioned on their act.

But when we are working in an organization with collective responsibility, it is only proper for us to work in the framework, which the collective decides. Secondly it is important for the Organization to bring uniformity in all action that of are of similar nature. An example was seen in Jumble sale. The mode of actions for sale of goods, volunteer entry, and crowd flow were all decided in the meetings preceding the sale. Yet a volunteer goes out to create a mess at the Sale by altering rules to suit his fancy. He went around saying that he has come for the last 5 years and he knows what to do. He became a nuisance .A volunteer tried to alter the tobacco campaign in the schools. A volunteer tried to change the proceedings of the ceremonies, which precedes our concerts – creating confusion on the stage.

The alterations, suggestions, hitches or objections; all are to be discussed before. Then the modus operandi of the event is decided. Thereafter every volunteer should stick to the procedure rules by the book. Otherwise it would cause problems.

The Apples look good; they could also make my salad look good!

There are several intentions when a person joins an organization. Many persons join several clubs to increase their contacts, clients or further their businesses. Some join to find whom to recruit to carry out their assignments. Some even join to cause trouble. But most of the guys who have joined our volunteer force have done so singularly for the reason that they have to champion the cause of cancer. They have dedicated themselves and that is why the trust has been able achieve whatever it has in last 12 years.

But Abha shrutis, have episodically cropped up and disturbed the harmonious flow of music. We have seen that these are nipped up in the bud. We will not encourage such tendencies or allow it to corrupt our volunteers.

I cannot see the moon; Earth must have pawned it off to Mars.

All of us have ability to think independently. That is why probably are humans otherwise we would be cattle. But sadly our perceptions of the same act is different, the same image brings indifferent reflections in each of our minds. Sometimes the going is wrong according to you. By nature some of us are paranoid, some doubting Thomases. Some of us have seen fraudulence in similar acts when we worked elsewhere or when circumstances were similar. Sometimes by nature you can only think negative because the world has been cruel to you. Experience has probably taught you that everything in the world can be wrong or success can be achieved only in the crooked way.
But you cannot extrapolate all these to every organization. Even if you think so, do not propagate these feelings and send wrong signals about the organization to the rest of the world. Lastly because something was not done according to your wish, then for the sake of revenge or for soothing your hurt ego, transmit rumors. Sooner or later the world will realize that it is not the organization but you who was wrong. Why then create a Fanoos ( cyclonic storm) !

Fire

The element is used to depict two things. One is of course anger and the second the collection of all negative thoughts.

Anger destroys everything .All of us are prone to it. Some like me may have in excess. We are trying to lower the flame, but ‘sim’ wouldn’t do, it has be “off”. A spark of anger buried howsoever deep in the recesses of our mind can surface. Invariably it is at the wrong time. Then all is lost.

All the negative aspects detailed above are like an ignited splinter .We let it fall in our forest it will perish it totally.

Why do such a thing?. All of us, the committed citizens and have collected so that the cause of cancer be furthered. We are good natured, illumined and hardworking. Our intentions are good and the deed would definitely be good. Let goodness prevail and demons rest in the nether. As the bhaja Govindam says

Neyam Sajjana sange chitttam ,dheyam dina jana chaya vittam

IT is good to be in the company of the good and do charitable gestures. This verse was added by the last disciple of Sankaracharya as a tribute to his guru. He says charity does not mean that let me acquire enough and then part a fraction. It is even why you have a little – the advantage –you share with your fellow beings –elevate him to your level or even higher. Secondly there is no greater bliss than to be in the company of the good!

Let the commitment in our aim, dedication in our work and love for our fellow beings bring happiness to others and add life to their existence. Thank you