Saving a Life

It has come to my attention that a man named Vinay Chakravarthy , who has leukemia, is in desperate need of a bone marrown transplant to stay alive. His family and friends are searching for a match that can save Vinay's life. Vinay's chance for finding a match is through another South Asian. People of color is underrepresented in the data bank in the natinal morrow program, only 1.8% of the registered are South Asian descent. All it takes is a quick swab of the mouth to check whether you're a match, which can save Vinay's life.

Vinay's parents plead, "We cannot express in words what this is like. All we can do is implore you to close your eyes for a moment, and imagine that this is your son, your brother, your best friend. We are guessing you would move heaven and earth to help save his life…Vinay is the world to us - he is warm, funny, loving. We have watched him grow from a little baby, to a young boy playing sports, to a fine young man determined to be a doctor, to a man marrying the girl of his dreams. Please help us help our son have a chance to live - to be with his wife, with us, and his friends."

For more information about Vinay, please see:
www.helpvinay.org

Life is precious, please use your life saving power and spread the word. You just might save a life.

Quick check in

I miss writing for my blog daily. I've been neglecting my blog entries since I returned to the free world. Time is a factor and discipline is another. I just have to do it.

I've networking with people from the different organizations. It's good to know that there're so many folks are working together to help the youth and community in their own capacities.

So one of the persons I've met was the Director of the San Francisco's Youth Commission. She's a cool lady to hang out with.

Live from CYC

It's 8:45am and the main office of CYC is full of youth. They're getting ready to go to Great America for a day of rides, sun and fun. There'll be three buses load of youth (approximately 150) who are full of energy. This will be my second time going to Great America, the first time I was 13 years old. It'll be an interesting experience. I'll keep everyone posted.

Guided Meditation

Guided Meditation
(by Steve Angel as altered by AVP, San Diego)

I am me.
In all the world there is no one else like me.
I have this one life to live.
The way I live my life can make a difference,
To the people close to me;
To those I live with - play with - work with;
To the community I live in;
And to the people I may never see.
I can use the love given to me to help others.
Sharing this love makes me happier and other happier.
When I am unkind to others in words or actions,
I destroy something in myself.
Love brings people together and builds.
Let my life be built on love.
Let me find the good in myself and the good in others.
Let me be a part of making this world a better place.
Let me be the REAL ME.
I am me.
I am a valuable person.
There will never be another me.

Retreat slash training

It's the month of June already. These days I'm always playing catch up. However, I'm not trying to make up for lost time like most people. It's enough just to embrace the present.

I'm staying in a house in Pacifica doing a retreat slash training with my co-workers. My old friend Alice Waco and new friend Stephen Matchett are my co-facilitators in this three days alternative violence training. When I was in prison facilitating workshops with people from the outside, I talked about one day doing the training in the free world. Today, I'm doing it.

Before the training started, my co-workers were apprehensive about such long training. They were afraid that it's going to be long and boring. I too was feeling the anxiety of my co-workers not accepting the workshop. To my relief, everyone embraced the first day with enthusiasm. Though there's room for improvement, I'm satisfied with the process. I look forward to the reaction from them at the last day of our training. I have no doubt that we'd have built a strong community.

Everything in life is a process. As long as we can keep our minds open and take care of our responsibilities, things will fall into place automatically.