This time of year I get to talk to you personally and that means a lot to me.
When I traveled to UK this year, a 16 year old boy saw me and said "you're that guy from youtube". He told me the story of how he was about to cut his hair because of peer pressure. He went home that night and came across SikhNet video explaining the purpose of hair. He decided then and there, and he decided not to cut his hair off. He had a short beard coming in.
I invited him to the Darbar Hall for some Kirtan. I didn't see him there, so I went to look for him. I found him at the foot of the stairs looking very rigid. He said that he couldn't come in because he doesn't know anything. I told him that all he needs to come in is 2 ears and a heart.
What impacted me, was that this boy was SCARED of the Gurdwara. He was afraid to come into the Guru's house. I realized that we've made our children without a connection to the Guru. Without a relationship to the Guru. Feeling that they are insufficient. So they look for companionship elsewhere. They look for it in their friends and not in the sangat. That experience struck me to my heart.
You know SikhNet is a small hard working team, and we try to do the most with the least. Each year we just squeeze through on our budget, and are able to continue. But always have a discussion about growing, doing a better job, and reaching more people. Because that will take more resources we always are OK with what we have and grateful to pick 1 new project to work on each year. But I think our small thinking is over. We can't think small at this point. The sangat is calling us to think bigger.
This year we did a marketing survey, and you told us all of the things that you want. It will take a lot of work, but we decided to take the leap because we know there is a hunger for the sangat to have a deeper experience. A hunger to merge with God and Guru in your life and in your relationships.
In order for us to make this leap, we need extra support from everyone. My request to you, my plea, the prayer of my heart; is that YOU will be able to increase your gift to SikhNet this year so that SikhNet can serve better than ever before. Everyone who works here does it because we feel the Guru's mission manifesting through SikhNet. Won't you support that mission? If you are already a donor take the time to make an extra donation before the end of the year, or increase the monthly donation you are already making. And if you haven't given, now is the time. So please give some of your dasvandh to SikhNet, and help to serve people all around the world who have that deep longing and hunger for the Guru, and to live as our Guru's taught us to live.
