Sai Leela- 494 - Baba helped me in Visa & safe return to US
I am a Ph.D. student from India, currently
residing in the USA. I have two experiences and I want to share them as both of
them are related.
1. In February 2021, with great difficulty I obtained an appointment to renew my
student visa in India. I scheduled an appointment in April 2021 and bought a
plane ticket. After I made all the reservations, the COVID situation in India
escalated and became really bad by the time I was supposed to travel. I had to
renew my visa now as it would have been difficult to travel later in my progress
to Ph.D. Also, I had not seen my family in India for over 2 years and I wanted
to visit them.
I was able to travel to India but the US consulates across India were closing
down due to Covid. I prayed to Baba and hoped that my interview would go
smoothly. On the day of the interview, I went to the embassy and stood in line.
I could see the person in front of the line speaking to the visa officer. He was
also a student, like me. The visa officer spoke to him very well but issued
additional administrative processing. I already knew that my Ph.D. subject would
make me more prone to administrative processing. I got scared, as the processing
would stop if the consulate closed down, and I would be stuck in India, away
from my research.
I stood there, praying, and suddenly, an employee at the embassy came and led me
to a different visa officer. She just opened her counter for the day. She asked
a couple of routine questions and said that my visa was renewed. I could not
believe it. Baba’s grace not only led me to a different officer but gave me my
visa without any additional processing. It was issued in 2 days and I was able
to collect my passport very quickly. I came home and prostrated in front of
Baba, to make this miracle happen.
2. I was in India for 2 months as the USA had imposed a travel ban on India.
After 2 months, I was very anxious to travel back to the USA and resume my
research. During those two months, I read Sai Satcharitra 4 times in total. I
wanted my trip back to be as smooth as possible and prayed to Baba every day. On
the day of my trip, I went to a Xerox shop near our house with my father. While
I was waiting there, a fakir dressed like Baba, in green clothes, showed up. He
asked the shopkeeper for some money, took it, and left. All this happened in
seconds. I was turned the other way. By the time I turned around, the fakir had
left. I felt sad that I could not give him Dakshina. Then, I remembered the
stories from the Satcharitra. I prayed to Baba’s photo, right there in the shop,
that if the fakir comes back then I would pay Dakshina and consider it to be His
blessing to me on the day of my return travel. I went and stood outside the
shop, on the street waiting for the fakir. He was nowhere to be seen. I should
mention that we have lived in that neighborhood for 15+ years and I have never
seen someone like that around. However, I stood there waiting for him.
After a few minutes, the fakir came back. I took some money from my father and
paid him. He blessed me and walked away. I was so happy. I felt like Baba
Himself showed up to bless me. I shared my experience with my family.
Needless to say, my return trip was very smooth. Airlines in India were
troubling return passengers as they did not understand the language in the
instructions given by the US authorities. Regardless, my travel was as smooth as
possible. I came back and resumed my research, by Baba’s grace.
I was so scared about my return trip, but I strongly believe that He Himself
showed up to bless me and gave me His blessing.
Om Sai Ram! in Baba.
Source: An anonymous devotee from USA - Shirdisaiexperience
