Melbourne Centre Christmas Service to the homeless

The weekly feeding of the homeless by the centre at the Queen Victoria Market has been taking place for over 25 years. Every year at Christmas, a special effort is made to make this festive period more inclusive for those less fortunate. With the approach of Christmas in 2024, members of the centre on the weekend preceding the regular feeding day put together 50 hampers containing useful items of personal requirements together with sweets, drinks and snacks.

On the following Thursday, 20 members of the centre celebrated Christmas by preparing and serving food to about 80 recipients. They also distributed the hampers to those in need. Christmas carols, Santa and a festive spirit was very much part of the event.

The activity was in keeping with the teachings of Christ and Sai Baba in which both have taught helping those less fortunate is the same as serving God. As Christ and Sai Baba have said,

‘For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. … Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25: 35-40

‘If you lift your hand to serve, to help, to console, to encourage another man, you are lifting it for God as God is in every man.’

Sathyam Shivam Sundaram, Vol 2. Chap 7

Specially relevant messages for the Christmas festival when Christ’s birth is celebrated as a period of love, hope and joy, but is a time when those without family support or on their own can feel lonely and isolated from community.

Those from the Sai centre were deeply appreciative of the privilege of being able to serve their fellow travellers and by adding a loving and festive spirit to the community they served, resulting in many smiles and some uplift in spirit.