The driving force behind this website is to raise awareness and financial funds for the overseas third world orphanages and charity organizations which Sunny has supported through his spiritual workshops during these past few years. Although tens of thousands of dollars have been already raised and put to good use, there is still seemingly insurmountable work to be done both within the orphanages described below and within the setting up of community non profit banks to help the poorest of the worlds poor to break free from hunger, abuse and the exploitation which developed countries often impose upon them.

“One of my personal aims through raising funds either through workshops or forums is to extend humanitarian aid to children and their families in remote parts of the world. Rather than foster dependence on this aid, such programs would seek to give them independence and self autonomy through creating sustainable community village networks. Investment in education, village banks for manufacturing and community farming are avenues ripe with possibilities.”

“The world can only be changed one thought at a time…and while this may take thousands of years each thought is like the light of a candle which breaks through the fog of ignorance and selfishness. Know that thought based in action rather than just words or well meaning desires requires the taking of risks. These are what vibrates the psychic atmosphere and through constancy of actions that flower from these risks both on personal and impersonal levels, ultimately lead to change.” Spiritual proverb.

Bodhgaya Development Association.

Visit our web site www.dharma.org.au/bda/

Chrissie and Eoin, two beautiful souls and close friends of mine, are the Australian charity trustees in Brisbane who work tirelessly for this school in India to educate the poorest of the poor through the wonderful work of sister Jesse and her team. Sister Jesse works in outlying villages in the area, which incidentally is the birth place of Buddha, bringing relief and help to the poor. This is a charity run entirely from the benevolence and spiritual good will of the trustees with no funds wasted – a case of ‘small is beautiful’.

Chrissie and Eoin have dedicated their lives to helping people and have run a wonderful healing centre for many decades featuring Chinese medicine and acupuncture at 147, Richmond Road, Morningside. 3399-7251. These people are true healers, both through their practice and humanitarian work, and who are definitely here to make the world a better place.

Relief of Orphans Fund St. Petersburg, Russia

R.O.O.F is a small Manchester Based charity dedicated to supporting vulnerable children living in poverty in St. Petersburg, Russia, which has one of the coldest and most oppressive climates in the world. Many of these children are social orphans whose parents have contracted H.I.V. or who have been unable to re adjust to economic destabilization.

Jill Gourley, one of the 4 Manchester Trustees and 1 St. Petersburg Trustee who forms the charity’s committee, has been known to me personally for well over 40 years through her son and my lifetime best friend, John.

Apart from running the orphanage R.O.O.F. funds food for families living in poverty, supports families who foster children, assists with holiday schemes for children to be taken from the city to the countryside and supports work with street children who are particularly vulnerable to both physical and emotional abuse.

Again, R.O.O.F is a charity that minimizes its costs through using its overseas agent to procure goods in St. Petersburg where costs are cheaper than the U.K. Recent additions include industrial sized washing machines (the orphanage washes 70 kilos a day), bed linen, toys and re pairs to infrastructure.

As with any overseas charity the “small is beautiful” functions in the context of providing emotional/psychological support to the charity during its everyday grass roots operations; it gives those in foreign lands surrounded by poverty unimaginable in this extravagant and lucky country of ours the comradeship (or ‘mate- ship’ as ozzies often term it) that they are not fighting alone and that in times of despair we can be called upon.

“Where there is hope, there is love.” Spiritual proverb.

Further details of ROOF can be obtained from Jill Gourley on jillgourle@aol.com or from phoning me, Sunny, on 0412 780 450.

World Vision

I have been involved with world vision for a few years now and have just extended my sponsorship to three children from Bangladesh to Uganda.

I believe in the overall running of World Vision, as opposed to some of the larger charities where individuals tend to ‘cream the profits’ (something us ‘free-marketers’ do well under the guise of self-worth!).World Vision invites open transparency through the publication of financial year reports that evidence the limitation of administrative costs to around 20% of total running costs.

On a thought based metaphysical or spiritual level, sponsorship of each child helps develop an intimate relationship predicated on bi yearly correspondence and progress reports. Again I believe that such connections and moral support for those who suffer hardship and poverty has the potential to give hope in the knowledge that a total stranger is able to care and that stranger may be called upon either emotionally or financially in times of difficulty.

“We cannot waste our precious children. Not another one. Not another day…”
Nelson Mandela.

Call the Customer Service Centre on 1300 303 440 for more details or check out the website www.worldvision.com.au

Sunrise Children’s Village

In 2008 Sunny is also looking at donating through public spirit shows to the above organization, run by the Australian award winning Geraldine Cox.

The Sunrise Children’s Village is a well established and wonderful organization that cares for many of Cambodia’s orphans.

www.sunrisechildrensvillage.org