“Hands that help are holier than lips that pray”

I arrived at the Sai Baba centre later than my coursemate. I was at church for a meeting and had to rush over midway because I have arranged to film the Sai Baba Centre.

I really, really have no idea about Sai Baba except what I have seen and heard. So, when I got there, my coursemate was filming the exterior of the centre. I walked near and thought I have seen wrongly. I whispered to Jimmy, “Eh, why got Jesus Christ one?” I was so thoroughly amused to see so many statues of the various faiths in one location.

There is Jesus Christ, Mother Mary, Kuan Yin, Krsna, Lord Murugan (I think), Lord Buddha, some Thai monk and lots of other deities. For someone who are exposed to other faiths before, I was cool about it. So, they have my Jesus in the Divine Mercy (I think) form. Cute…

Soon, the friendly devotees of Sai Baba got into explaining all about the faith. This time, unlike Hare Krsna, I let Jimmy do the main interview because seriously…..I don’t know what to ask. I don’t want to ask offensive questions to those lovely bunch of people so I stayed mute.

There are many things I grappled with. It is a religion of love. Sai Baba asks one to be a good Christian/Hindu/Buddhists and there is no need to be ‘converted’. He is still alive, in India and he predicts to live till 96 years old.
They believe in karma and reincarnation. Devotees are asked to chant the mantra. They emphasize on service. They are so accommodating to other faiths. There aren’t a lot of taboos but followers are preferred to be vegetarian. It was a lovely feeling being with the friendly devotees.

They shared a lot about the miracles they have seen. They showed us the vibhuti or the formation of something like lime on the walls. They talked about the sprouting fount from Mother Mary’s statue…..and etc etc.

Statues of Kuan Yin, Jesus and Shirdi Sai Baba. (Shirdi Sai Baba is the one before the current afro Sai Baba)

To be very frank, it is not easy not to be captured by the lovely things they shared. I don’t exactly disbelieve. So, I stay my distance, listened and be enlightened. I praise God that I am given this opportunity to film other faiths and share them with others so that each of us will have better tolerance of other religions that challenged our own beliefs.

As for Sai Baba, I hope he blesses me for being open minded eventhough there are things that do really challenge my faith. Give me the wisdom to share your devotees faith. And to Jesus, grant me the perseverance to continue my series of documentaries on the common religions and faiths practised in Malaysia. Keep me rooted, Lord. ‘Cos by the time I finished, I will either become a Master in Theology or a cuckcoo. All religions and faiths are almost the same. Yet, they can differ so much too.