Dear Friends,
There is SO MUCH seva available at the dera in Wisconsin this summer. So, if you feel a longing to serve Ishwar in that way, please come visit! After all, he did ask all of his friends to volunteer their time and offer donations to create his tribute to Great Master Baba Sawan Singh.
Volunteers will be needed from now until November, so please feel free to sign up for seva by sending an email to dera.seva@ishanews.org
The next group event at the dera is the Fall Prashad Garden Harvest on Friday, September 15 to Monday, September 18. In addition, everyone is always welcome to attend “Open Seva” at any time between now and November 1.
In either case, please let us know when you will be visiting by emailing dera.seva@ishanews.org.
Current Projects
The big project (the Meeting Hall) continues to move ahead, as donations allow. ISHA’s building contractor will soon finish the concrete and steel foundation that is designed to support this beautiful Hall for many, many years.
Ishwar’s Prashad Garden is flourishing, with daily fresh vegetables served to all visitors. But the local sevadar gardeners are always welcoming additional hands to help cultivate the dozens of delicious crops.
And then there are the dozens of other smaller projects and tasks needed to keep the dera operating and expanding, from mowing grass to trimming trees to building cabinets and much more. Here are some photos of just a small fraction of what’s been happening at the dera this summer. Enjoy! And come visit soon!
A load of precious, organic garden compost from a local farm arrives in the Dera Dumpster!
A huge load of bark mulch was procured from a nearby saw mill. The mulch will be spread around the garden plants to reduce weeds and preserve soil moisture.
Ishwar’s Garden Helpers spreading the compost and mulch.
Gardeners cleaning out the greenhouse flower garden.
Another load of compost is spread out behind the garden shed. It will host a new potato patch.
Lunch break in the new Dining Hall!
A fun evening around the fire pit ….
… must include toasting vegan marshmallows for s’mores.
The library loft also serves as the Satsang Hall when ISHA Chairman Jagannath Kerai is at the dera.
All the materials for the new Pole Barn were delivered recently. When completed, the 30’ x 40’ metal and wood building will be able to contain all of ISHA’s equipment, including the pickup truck, dump truck, tractor, Bobcat, mowers, and trailers.
Some inspired sevadars built a creative entry to the ISHA Hill driveway. The decorations were salvaged from birch branches that were broken from their trees in an ice storm.
The new Dining Hall was insulated with spray foam, and can now be finished with pine boards.
A pair of young sisters painted the new handrail.
Work on the sevadar bathhouse/laundry continues with the addition of a wooden porch.
The snowy and icy winter left many broken branches around the dera. Fortunately, these volunteers knew how to load a dump truck.
The flowers in Ishwar’s garden are heavenly.
Tasty and healthy prashad vegetables await all visitors.
To offer seva for Ishwar’s project, please visit https://ishanews.org/voluntary-contribution/
To learn more about the Meeting Hall, check out the dera website at https://dera.ishanews.org
Any questions related to Ishwar’s dera can be directed to Jagannath Kerai’s email at chairman@ishanews.org
With warmest regards,
Paul Bauer
ISHA Dera Building Committee