Sri Sathya Sai International Organization - USA

Two Volunteers, One Spirit of Service: A Shared Journey with Sleep in Heavenly Peace

When the WhatsApp message arrived about a bed building event for Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), two young adults from the SSSIO-USA Northern California Region felt an irresistible urge to engage in this good act. Both were guided by the principle of selfless service taught by their spiritual teacher, Sri Sathya Sai Baba. What unfolded over the next two days became a profound reminder of how selfless service not only uplifts others, but also transforms the one who serves.

For one volunteer, carpentry was more than a hobby. It was a deeply personal expression of devotion. Having spent a month designing and building a home temple from scratch, the opportunity to build beds for children felt like a calling. The next day, he arrived at the SHP site ready to work.

The workshop operated like a professional assembly line. Volunteers could choose their stations, and he began at the marking table before moving to drilling and later sandpapering.  The precision-made templates, teamwork, and shared purpose created an atmosphere of unity. As the hours passed, he found himself entrusted with more finishing work by the quality‑check team.

By midday, 120 volunteers had helped build approximately 55 beds. As many began to leave, he stayed behind to help the core team dismantle tents, break down power stations, and haul heavy bins of wood scraps. The work was hard, but the camaraderie made it feel light.

One of the core team leads, Scott, approached him afterward. Moved by the dedication of the Sri Sathya Sai International Organization volunteers, Scott shared his own church’s mission and the work of the San Jose SHP chapter. In return, the Sai volunteer spoke about the values of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Though their organizations had different names, their hearts beat with the same spirit of service.

He returned home exhausted but grateful that Sri Sathya Sai Baba had given him a chance to turn his love for building into a gift of love for children.

Another Sai volunteer had the opportunity to participate not only in the bed building workshop but also in delivering the beds to families the next day. SHP’s mission is simple yet profound: no child should sleep on the floor. With 2–3% of American children lacking a bed, the need is far greater than many realize.

At the workshop, she spent the morning marking lumber alongside a member of a local church group. Their conversation revealed a shared commitment to instilling values of love and service in the next generation. When he shared that the teaching of Christ he resonated with most was “Treat others the way you’d like to be treated,” she felt the universality of spiritual teachings shine through different paths, same destination.

The next day, during deliveries, and before approaching the first home, an SHP lead asked her to make first contact, explaining how important it was for families - often single mothers or those facing difficult circumstances - to see a female volunteer at the door. It was a reminder that service is not just about the task; it is about creating safety, dignity, and comfort.

They visited three homes that day. In each one, the joy was palpable. Children leapt onto their new beds, posing proudly with their Spiderman or Barbie sheets. In one home, a mother guided her child in with their eyes closed, and the moment of surprise brought tears to everyone’s eyes.

In that moment, she felt the lines between “server” and “served” dissolve completely. Everyone, regardless of circumstance, has the capacity to give.

Driving home, her heart was full of gratitude to Sri Sathya Sai Baba for expanding her awareness through a child’s joy and a parent’s dignity.

Though their experiences differed, the two volunteers arrived at the same realization: Service is a universal language. It transcends culture, religion, and circumstances. It connects hearts.

In serving these children and families, they found themselves transformed - reminded that true prayer is action, true love is service, and true unity is seeing God in all.