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Kanwal Prakash “KP” Singh

 

STEPPING UP FOR HUNGER

The pride of the Hoosier Sikh Americans was evident as young men and women loaded up a van,
a bright banner “Guru Nanak Food Pantry” blazing on its side, with canned foods and non-perishable supplies at the Sikh Temple (Acton Road). Over one half-ton of collected food was collected for the Gleaners Food Bank, which distributes donated food year-round to many established area organizations serving the hungry in Central Indiana.

The 2009-Baisakhi Canned Food Drive by the Sikh Temple (Acton Road) was in direct response to the Interfaith Hunger Initiative (IHI), co-chaired by Mr. James Morris (former Head of the UN Food Program) and Rev. Kent Millard, Senior Pastor, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. The goal is to eliminate hunger; an estimated 18,000 children in the Metropolitan area who go hungry every night and serve children in Kenya. Besides the Sikh Satsang of Indianapolis, several other groups representing diverse faith traditions are supporting this important humanitarian effort. Mr. Maninder Walia, Trustee, Sikh Satsang and I are honored to serve on the IHI Committee.


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For this occasion, we were happy to welcome Mr. Dave Miner, Volunteer Executive Director of the IHI to the Sikh Temple. Mr. Miner addressed the congregation and was greatly pleased with the effort and concern of the Hoosier Sikhs for their fellow Americans in need. Mr. Miner was honored with a “Siropa” (sacred scarf of honor) by Giani Pritam Singh, Head Granthi of the Sikh Satsang, “for his commitment and seva to the cause of hunger.” In his introduction of the special guest, KP Singh, a community volunteer, gave a brief explanation of the long-standing Sikh tradition of serving others and the institution of Langar: community kitchen in Sikh Temples since the time of Guru Nanak, Founder of the Sikh faith. During the weeks of canned food drive, Maninder often reminded the Sunday gatherings of this great Sikh tradition of serving the needy, sheltering the homeless, feeding the hungry, and that as a community we must generously support and join in such efforts in our City as an act of faith and thanksgiving.

Mr. Miner visited with members of the Sikh Satsang during Langar and saw first hand the time-honored institution of Sikh community kitchen, open to all without distinction.

PRAYER-REFLECTION

Hunger is a growing and urgent humanitarian crisis; millions go hungry and are under-nourished across the globe. Food, along with air, water, and sunshine, must be part of the basic and guaranteed human rights. Alleviating hunger must be a universal moral responsibility, an act of faith that demands our individual and collective response to this problem. When we make our young adults more aware of such contemporary challenges and encourage them to lead and invest in efforts that make a difference, we introduce them, not just about their own faith tradition, but to the sacred concept of helping others, an idea that finds spiritual advocacy and moral resonance in every faith tradition. We exemplify an important lesson as to what our shared humanity is all about when we serve: feed the hungry, pick-up the fallen, nurture another soul with the gifts that God has entrusted to us, we extend God’s Love to one another in His Name and by His Grace. The Sikh spirituality and Commandments remind us that service is the true prayer; seva and sharing is the Way to know God. When, in a spirit of grace, we honor our true moral mandates, we add meaning to our lives and discover new heavens along the way.

Kanwal Prakash Singh
Indianapolis, Indiana USA

 

 

 

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