Our long and eventful second day in San Diego began with a short run from Jyoti Bihanga Restaurant to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School. Christine Haddad, the Principal, kindly arranged for our visit and welcomed us with open arms. About 250 children along with the teachers and staff greeted us indoors as we ran in with the Torch.

After our exciting program with the enthusiastic crowd, we drew even more excitement when the teachers including David Woltz and Chris Ross carried the Torch around the courtyard. We are grateful to this wonderful school for starting our day on a very harmonious note.

At the Prospect School in nearby Santee, we met Martha Cardenas once more as we met her yesterday at the Episcopal Church event. She has helped our coordinator, Manorath, organize many of the events for us in these few days we are in the San Diego area. She is the International Language Teacher for the schools in Santee as well as an educational consultant for math and a member of the Chamber of Commerce there.

She has really assimilated the spirit of harmony in her work. Working with the very friendly and dynamic Principal at Prospect, they created a wonderful atmosphere for the 250 children and for our ceremony with them.

After the ceremony we were privileged to have lunch with the staff there.

We were treated to a complimentary lunch by the VGood Japanese Grill in town. Gigi, one of the partners there, personally catered our wonderful meal at the school. It was truly a heartwarming welcoming to the town of Santee. This was also the most diverse school we have been to yet with about 40 languages represented.

We ran the Torch to our next school in Santee called the Chet Harritt School. Mrs. Stephanie Pierce helped to organize about 200 children to greet us as we entered the large auditorium there. Our friends from San Diego who have a small trio called Monk Party were playing some music as we entered.

They set up a dynamic atmosphere for us as we began our ceremony with the children. After another ceremony including introductions, guessing games, teaching some foreign words related to harmony, a few skits and learning the harmony dance of Hawaii, the Hula, we were ready to go outside and have the kids pass the Torch.

The teachers once again got the crown going by carrying the Torch around the courtyard and then the children had a chance to hold it and make wishes for harmony in the world.

Back in San Diego again, we visited the Pioneer Learning Center and Day School. Jim Keiner, who founded the school, and Jude Masseur, one of the head teachers there, as well as other staff members and about 12 children all welcomed us inside. Jim was playing with some of the older children in drum circle, making dynamic, rhythmical beats as we entered. These special education students were very excited and alert as we presented ourselves, our motto and our song. Singing with them as some of them played percussion instruments really made them feel part of the program. But going outside and running in the ‘Harmony Train’ around the parking lot really made the whole event more meaningful and fun for them.

One of the children wanted us to give him a map of our route around the U.S.A. that we ran last year. He wanted to understand how and where we ran in each state to make a large loop around this country. We are truly impressed and grateful for the work that this Pioneer Learning Center is doing for these very bright and special children.

Our fifth and final event of this long day was again out in Santee. IN the shopping center at Santee Trolley Square we were kindly asked to make an announcement about the World Harmony Run at the small amphitheater there before a performance of the San Diego Symphony Brass Ensemble performance. We then passed the Torch around to the audience assembled there.

We were then invited to have a wonderful dinner at the Panda Express by Carmen, the manager there. The food was fantastic and the place was pristine. We are so grateful to her and the staff for such a generous offering and great service. A few doors down was the VGood Japanese Grill that had offered us lunch earlier. Gigi was there so we went in to visit her and thank them once again for a great lunch. She offered us drinks and food as well but after already eating next door we could hardly take up her generous offer again. We are very thankful to her and Carmen for being so selfless and generous.

It was a long and eventful day in the San Diego area which was filled with people, activity and a display of kindness and harmony that we shall never forget. We owe a debt of gratitude to Manorath and to Martha for all their work and support to make all these things happen. It takes just a few good ‘instruments’ to manifest the generosity of an invisible guiding hand to bring such joy and harmony to so many people.

Arpan and Team Harmony

---

Harmonemail:
You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.

< USA 20 May

USA 22 May >