Over the last three days of the retreat at Santa Fe, Amma's children spent many intimate moments with Amma. On the second day, Amma led an outdoor Q&A session set against the backdrop of an old church. Quite appropriately, and like part of a bigger plan, as the beginning chant of "Om…" reverberated through the air, the church bells began to chime in unison, deeply intensifying the existing feeling of holiness. Many interesting questions were asked; Amma answered them all in her characteristic style - with love and laughter.

July 06 found Amma at Dallas, Texas, the next stop on the tour. They say that everything in big in Texas, the largest state in the country. As the huge crowd of Amma's children poured in, the large hall seemed to reflect this sentiment.

Nature and its conservation has always been one of Amma's key concerns. Amma says, "Our lives are inextricably dependant on Nature; even a small change in nature can affect our lives. In Truth we are not protecting Nature; Nature is protecting us. For example, trees and plants are necessary for the purification of our vital energy. When Nature graciously protects and serves human beings, it is our responsibility to reciprocate." The 'Green Friends' program is an initiative that has sprung from Amma's love and concern for this planet that we call our home.

Amma's young ones were right on the mark with the 'Green Friends' theme at Dallas. The preteen and children's program had a wonderful surprise in store for the onlookers as Amma's darshan was going on. A single bright feather on each head and staff in hand, the children stepped in tune to a traditional Native American rhythm. As they danced, their staffs touched the ground in perfect time, keeping the beat to the song that they sang,

"The Earth is our Mother
We will take care of her
Hey Yanga! Hey Yanga! Hey Yanga!"

Yes, these were Amma's child-environmentalists who had found a novel way to capture people's attention towards a cause close to their hearts - Conservation of Nature. Ranging in age from 4 to12, these kids danced mimicking the animal they had chosen to be. As Amma turned back frequently to watch, eagles, foxes, rabbits, lions and cheetahs roamed the stage in perfect peace and harmony, their feet making the traditional 'toe-heel-step', the step that teaches to respect Mother Earth by treading on her lightly.

"The Sacred Ground we walk upon
With every step we take
Hey Yanga! Hey Yanga! Hey Yanga!"

"Amma is our Mother,
she takes care of us,
Hey Yanga! Hey Yanga! Hey Yanga!"

Our Green Friends at Dallas were not done yet - this unique presentation was only a wake-up call. That morning, the preteens in the group had attended a meeting along with the adults - a real 'grown-up' meeting where they voiced their concerns and ideas and paid close attention to those actively working on the field - like the organic farmer, the environmental engineer, the horticulturist, the herbalist and representatives from the organizations YES (Youth For Environmental Sanity) and the wilderness training group Outward Bound.

Soon the children were seen making their way to Amma to get little pots of Basil blessed by her. Why Basil? Basil has been considered sacred in India from time immemorial. Used widely in temples for worship, the Holy Basil or Tulsi is also a medicinal herb that cures many ailments. The kids were then seen promoting the Basil for the remainder of the program - along with information flyers and bookmarks all made out in - take a wild guess at the color - yes, bright green!

Later in the day, they were by Amma's side again, proudly displaying an enormous card along with the donation money that they had received for their hard work. The card read, "Amma, this is for the children at your orphanage in India. We hope that this will be able to provide a playground for them." And then in postscript, "Amma, we miss you when you are away ..."

Amma's melting eyes as she read the card, said it all. Showering flowers of blessings on the children in open affection, Amma said, "Their love for Nature is great indeed. At that age it requires effort to take their mind away from play and other fun activities and direct it to such serious work voluntarily; it just shows how much they care".

This is a direct testimony of how Amma's life and message of selfless service has influenced and inspired young hearts. Their hearts bloomed in compassion for the less fortunate. With their time and energy they helped to support Amma's humanitarian activities and the environment at the same time.

Small hands doing big work. Heart warming indeed!

Visit our Green Friends section.