Raj Sivanathan and Thuraisingam family are visiting again from Arizona and Sydney, their third or fourth visit. From Jaffna, Sri Lanka originally, they love being here to enjoy the beauty and tranquility. Kethies (second from left in photo) was working in the hospital where Satguru Yogaswami stayed after fracturing his hip around 1960.

They paid a visit to the vegetable garden and fruit orchard

Mihir Meghani and wife Tanvi meet with Bodhinatha in a wide ranging discussion, much of it about the Hindu American Foundation’s work

Mihir Meghani has been reading Hinduism Today, since he was a teen in 1994. He since completed his medical training, is working as a doctor in Oakland and recently married Tanvi. He came to visit with his wife and and brother-in-law, Parth.

An avowed dedicated Hindu activist, Mihir is one of the founding members of the Hindu American Foundation which has become a leading voice for Hindu rights in Washington.

On May 11, Arumuganathaswami, Shanmuganathaswami and task forcer Gajanan attended the Sustainable Agriculture Skill Panel Forum being sponsored by various government agencies including the University of Hawaii and the Department of Agriculture. One objective was to identify necessary skills needed to advance agriculture on the island that are presently lacking and to make concrete proposals as to how to get people trained in those skills. It was an enjoyable and thoughtful day.

On our Siddhidata day, Arumuganathaswami, Natyam Satyanatha processed about 130 pounds of freshly picked and ripened noni in this old-fashioned cider press. Yield was 9 gallons, which is good. The fresh juice has to be kept refrigerated; it is tastier than the fermented type.

Filling a jar. Noni juice is a wonderful tonic and a good support for your immune system.

A pair of birds have made their nest on a shelf compartment in our workshop area. We'd seen them coming and going, one blue and one brown, and today found on sitting in the nest. A few minutes later she (he?) was gone and three little chicks were begging us for food.

They must feel totally at home with the monks knowing that no harm will befall them. Why else would they nest here where there is often a huge amount of noise, banging on metal, welding and testing of machines