Calming Harp in India
Calming Harp Music to India
by Steve Rees, Ret. RN, Harpist
The places my Calming Harp music has taken Shirley and I have never ceased to amaze us. It is a testament to the understanding that music is global. Every culture and nation embraces some form of music, sometimes several, and India is no exception.
About 8 years ago, I received a note on my Facebook message board from one of my friends, Prabhu, who lives in India. He was telling me of his need for a small surgery for his son and asked if I might be able to help him. I decided to put him to the test and see if he was responsible for following up with me once I sent a small donation.
Once the surgery was completed, Prabhu sent me pictures of what was done and thanked me profusely for helping his family. After several more communications, I found out that not only did he have his natural son, but he was taking care of about 20 other children. Some of them were true orphans whose parents had died from various illnesses or only had a destitute single parent. On top of that, they were living in a shack covered with palm fronds and a dirt floor. He and his wife house, feed, and clothes them, and ensure they get to school.
Not long after discovering this, I was with some friends in Texas whom I had made a harp for, and somehow the conversation turned to this little orphanage and how what we send them was making such a difference. My friend asked if buying some land for them could help them grow some food and make their situation a little better.
Within a month, we found a decent plot of land to buy, and it began to make a difference. However, they were still in less than adequate accommodation. About 3 months later, Prabhu sent me a note asking if he could sell that land so that he could buy another even larger piece of land that had a proper house on it. After conferring with my friends, we told him to go ahead and make the arrangements. The price of the new land was $10,000 and we told him to use the money from selling the smaller piece so that he could put a well in and do the necessary upgrades to the house.
In the meantime, we found out how little the average field worker made, and how much the US dollar could do there comparatively. The average wage amounted to about $3 per day and the US dollar was equal to 83 rupees. We found out that $10 US dollars could buy enough rice to feed a family of 4 for a month.
At this point, they began to encourage us to visit them and see how wonderful their new home was. At first, we thought that the money it would take to buy tickets to go there might be better used if given to them directly. However, they continued to request us to come, so we eventually decided to make the trip and bring our Calming Harp music to India.
We took 4 different flights to get there which spanned 23 hours. When we arrived, the greeting we received was amazing. We were adorned with flower garlands and petals thrown all over us. Everyone wanted to shake our hands and take our picture. It was quite embarrassing as we had never received such attention and did not see ourselves as anyone special. They invited us to speak at meetings and took us to other communities they were working with. They even had us help pass out food and blankets they had purchased with some of the money we had sent ahead.
One of the big surprises was a reverse osmosis water purification system Prabhu had built for the whole village with some of the money we had been sending regularly each month. They had us cut the ribbon and pour out the first water to begin the flow to supply the villagers. Previously, they had some problems with Typhus in the village water supply, so this addition was crucial for the whole village. The village elder was pleased to meet us and express his gratitude for the pure water.
One of the joys for me was that I had brought along my small travel harp to play some of my Calming Harp music for them. They were taken with the harp and its beautiful sound. They had never seen one before and only knew about its existence by reading about it in the Bible. They were beyond thrilled.
One evening, we were sitting around talking and several of the villagers came to present their case. They said that they needed a proper church to meet in because at the time, they were meeting under a tarp, sitting on the ground, and when it rained, it would get very muddy. That night it rained, and got very muddy to the point that they had to cancel one of their meetings.
My wife and I discussed the possibility of building a nice building there and we talked with some of our supporters to see if we were able to raise enough money to make that happen. I told Prabhu to get a quote on how much it would cost to build, and they said they would get me a quote from a local builder.
The quote came to $20,000 US dollars. After I relayed the amount to the supporters, we got the green light and committed to making that building happen. Prabhu jumped right in and began to organize the construction crew and supply companies. He decided to make the foundation strong enough so that there could be a second floor added onto the roof at a later time.
The building took 9 months to complete from start to finish including lights, plumbing, painting, floor tile, and all. There were some extra costs as materials were more than the original quote, but the total cost of $25,000 was well worth it. We couldn’t build a building like that here in the States for anywhere near that amount!
The next move was for us to return and help dedicate the building. Prabhu would not hear anything but that we would be there for the grand opening. Once again, we were not sure if it was cost-effective for us to pay to travel there, but once again, we decided that it was more important for us to be there for the grand opening.
After another 23-hour airplane journey, we arrived as before. This time, the greeting was even more amazing. We were told that there would be over 500 people attending the celebration and that they would be feeding everyone. We were expected to give several speeches and travel around to some of the other villages to share the joy of this celebration. Once again, I brought my Calming Harp music, and once again that gathered a lot of attention.
Over 500 people came from all over. Not all were able to fit into the building but they had speakers outside so they could hear. They had cooking fires with big pots of rice and curry and other dishes I don’t even know the name of, but equally delightful. It is amazing what can be done with low-level technology, but very willing hearts.
As I observed the crowd, my thoughts turned toward the history of how our journey to India began. I play the harp. I recorded some of the music and post it online. Prabhu listened to some of the music, was blessed, and the rest of the story you have heard. From half way around the world, my Calming Harp music brought us together to make a difference in India.
I am always inspired as I travel to other countries and cultures, maybe even halfway around the world. What I am always struck with is how similar the basic things of life are no matter where you go. People always seek community. Most of these communities are cemented together by common meals, sharing stories, and even music. The music may sound different, but it is always present and speaks to the heart of everyone present.
No matter where I travel, I found that music is integral to every culture. I have not yet found an exception to that. Music is part of entertainment. It is part of religion. It is part of communication. It is part of health. All this, and more, places music firmly in the middle of people’s daily lives around the world. Music is the most universal language of all. Bringing my Calming Harp music to India was such a joy and blessing.
For a video of the trip see here: India Trip 2024