Everything Under The Sun: Directly From The Heart

Raghu making his rounds on his bike.

Raghu Makwana has lived for years without being able to walk. He gets around by doing his walking with his hands, since his bout of polio. Even with his limitations, Raghu lives a full and fulfilled life, a life directed by his heart.

He had started saving what little money he could make to give food to three senior friends, who were just existing on chili and water. They had no family members to help them and were too frail to be able to work. Raghu called his practice of food sharing, the TYAAG NU TIFFIN (food of sacrifice) project. He was seen around the area travelling on his mototbike, balancing a number of tiffins, food containers, holding meals for his senior friends.

Then when he volunteered for GRAMSHREE, a nonprofit that works with women, who live in the slums of Ahmedabad in India, he grew to love the women as a brother does. The women were more like family than casual friends. Now, Raghu noticed more seniors in the same predicament as his other senior friends, so he started to supply them with meals. His friends pitched in by sacrificing one meal per week, so these seniors in need could have healthier meals.

He does it all with love and compassion, making his way through the slums, not only bringing meals, but also a big smile. Marsha Vashrani, a volunteer from the US, said, "Raghu-bhai really goes beyond just doing his duty of delivering tiffins. He has assisted families living on the streets suffering from domestic violence, broken up physical fights between mostly misdirected youth, taken children out to the movies that normally wouldn't get this opportunity, especially the young girls, some of whom have never been out, or left their community pre-marriage."

Seeing Mr. Makwana moving so deftly through the streets of the slums, delivering his tiffins, also inspires and empowers those around him. Volunteers from other countries have joined him on his rounds and find themselves opening their hearts too. Fernando Grajedo from Guatemala reflects on his experience, "Experiencing Raghu's life today made me feel the closest I've been to God....it makes us think of little good deeds we can do in our daily lives with no expectation of receiving anything in return. To actually DO something to make this a better place."

Raghu with a young friend on his motorbike.

Raghu shows all of us that no matter what our skills or abilities, we all have that spark of kindness to help our fellow human beings. When you think about life the way he does, kindness comes naturally. So, here are some words from Raghu, "If I see the bad in people, then I'm seeing the bad in myself. There's bad in all of us. But, I'm going to see the positive in them. And if I see the good in myself, then I can see the good in others."