Another glorious preaching year ahead in the service of Srila Prabhup
By Madhu Mangala Prabhu,
Dear devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet (although I am not worthy to serve them), all glories to our most beloved Srila Prabhupada, all glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga, all glories to the sankirtan devotees of the Lord.
I have just recently returned last night from travelling sankirtan together with Makunda Caran, Radha Raman Prabhu and myself to Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. We Had another 6 day mini marathon after Srila Prabhupada's 2003 December Book Distribution Marathon. Knysna and Plettenberg Bay are very popular holiday resorts and people from all over South Africa flock there in their thousands to try and enjoy – we go there and give them Srila Prabhupada's books and in that way their temporary material holiday has come to an end and they are on their way back to the most amazing travel destination, back home, back home to Godhead! All Glories to Radha Raman, who did on one day about 78 books! For the 5 days, together we distributed 550 books and 7000 rands. Srila Prabhupada ki jay!
Whilst distributing Srila Prabhupada's books in the main road in Plettenberg back, I was talking to one man and showing Srila Prabhupada's books on the street corner. There was a lady trying to push her pushcart up on to the sidewalk. I said to her, "Please allow me to help you." She replied, that it was quite alright, that I need not help her. I told her, I insist that I help her (I could see that she was very tired and sweating in the sweltering heat). She thanked me and allowed me to push the cart. I introduced myself to her and told her that I was a travelling monk. In the pushcart a small baby was peacefully sleeping. "This is your baby, he really is a beautiful child, how old is he?" She told me that he was a few months old. We both peered and looked at the little baby – I said, "You know, I sometimes find it hard to believe that people say there is no God, but if we look at this baby, we can see that it is a miracle, just from one small seed, life has occurred, is that not a real miracle? It must have come from a creator. "She agreed, yes, certainly God exists! I showed her Srila Prabhupada's books. She took one, thanked me and gave me a donation. Although I did't have to help her with the pushcart, I did and she and appriciated that, she then appreciated Srila Prabhupada's books!
All the while I was talking to the lady, the man who took one of Srila Prabhupada's books, was absorbed in reading it, waiting patiently for me to finish. "Sorry, that I was a bit sidetracked, but I just wanted to help the lady with the pushcart," I said to him. He told me that it was quite all right, he was busy reading the book while he was waiting and asked me how much he should give. He gave me a donation and thanked me for the book. I thanked him for his patience and for taking Srila Prabhupada's book.
Yours in the service of Lord Sri Krsna and His devotees,
Hare Krsna,
