Report by Jaswant Singh

HIGHLAND: MD; Sikh Youth Forum, a tax exempt society, held its 22nd Youth Camp at 6725 Mink Hollow Road, Highland, Maryland, for Sikh children. The camp started on July 23, 1988 and concluded on July 30, 1988, this camp attracted 49 children this year when the facility was only for 30 children. But Dr. Bawa could not refuse children who were coming from Alabama, Ohio, Missouri, Indiana, Pennsyl vania. So the facilities were enlarged to accommodate 50 children. The regulars were from Maryland, D.C., Virginia, N. Carolina, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Dr. Bawa is foreseeing a large increase in our young generation in next few years. He is very optimistic that our youth will take the reign of community in their hands with a different view. That is, the issues, not the personal egos.

This camp was organized very systematically because these Sewadar know, how to do it, as they have arranged 21 camps before. And may be one of the oldest forums to arrange so Many camps in this country. Children are taught the history, kirtan, discussions on Punjab situations. Gurbani reading and teaching Punjabi indoors. For outdoor activities, children enjoyed swimming, track, tennis, basketball

And touch football. After talking to a few kids, I was told that some of them had a time of their lives. A couple of children ages 57 went home after a day but came back on third day and finished the rest of the camp.

This year a lot of parents were the volunteers for many days, and also many families prepared homemade meals for children. This way the sewadans had extra time to teach children a few extra things. Retired Col. Anand from Long Island, New York spent the whole week teaching Naam Simran to children. Others were Mrs. Saluja, Dr. and Mrs. Dang, Dr. Mrs. Mala Singh, Mrs. Mohina Talwar, Mrs. Kakar, Mrs. Babli Singh, Mrs. Indira Giro and Col. Anand’s whole family. These people showed children how to tie a dastar (Patka) to little ones and how to tie turban to grownups. These people also cooked and served meals.

This camp was arranged in a high school with living quarters for 65 people at Dr. Bawa’s house which is on 14 acre lot. Dr. Bawa has been requesting to hold these camps in the Gurdwaras for the last 14 years. But of no avail. He still wants that the Gurdwaras should be doing this all over the country and to all those kids who cannot attend some camps, because of financial reasons, should be invited free of charge. He also said that these kids have a lot of potential, if given proper training, and that training starts from the parents. He also begged the Sadh Sangat to come out of their personal vindications, to a main platform for all Sikh nations and help each other like they are all from the same parents. In his closing remarks to some 200 gathered, he said we should do selfless Sewa and we can offer that in many ways. Instead of memorize personal names, that person ‘A’ has donated $1000.00 dollars we should all be nameless. As we believe that Guru knows everything, then why mention anybody’s name. We want to impress friends and other people but not listen to what Guru Ji says. Therefore we should listen to what Guru Ji says. If we call ourselves Sikhs.

In other community news Guru Gobind Singh foundation of Maryland distributed free food to homeless in Washington DC. That is a good gesture and positive image of Sikhs in this country. People liked the food and they were very appreciative of all this. I think we should all do that in our communities we can talk to some government officials later on and explain our problems in India and Punjab.

Article extracted from this publication >> August 19, 1988