RAI3

It's not a Miracle, but it's Very Close to It!

This year again, the Indian mystic, Founder of a mission in the South of India, made an appointment at the Palasport of Collegno (Turin)

They're looking for peace - the many people that are in line waiting for her hug. They walk in, a few at a time or in groups, coming by camper with all their family, not only from Piemonte but from all over Italy. The sporting palace parking lot is full since early morning. The car registration numbers show that they come not only from Bergamo, Pisa, Genova, Ancona and Napoli but also from Finland, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark.

At the entry hall there is macrobiotic refreshment; natural food, as natural as the people that form Amma's followers. Women aged 40 to 55 with loose hair and no make up. Their clothing is also loose and white, and all are without shoes. Wearing thick, wool socks or with bare feet they go in procession to Her as one would go to a living saint. She hugs them one by one, holding them tight for a few minutes, motherly and smiling.

The tone of voice is low, even when there are thousands we hear only a quiet, background buzzing. What happens during Darshan, this mystical hug, can neither be explained nor understood without experiencing it, say the people who have received it.

We don't believe in what we read on all the Internet Websites dedicated to her; that Amma can heal sicknesses, prevent disasters, accomplish our desires. But one thing is sure, that the compassion of this woman has, over the years taken the form of a charitable, international mission. And more than the faith or superstition or magic that is around her, facts count. With the collected donations - and we highlight that nobody asks for money from anyone - they have built in India a modern, 800 bed hospital, 3 orphanages, many schools, houses for people that have nothing, and support a pension scheme for poor women who are alone or with children.

It's not a miracle, but it's very close to it.

(This is the text of one of the newscasts on RAI3 - Piemonte (Italian official TV station) during Amma's visit to Turin, Italy.)