USA
March 27, 2003 VNN7932
Help Needed: Books And Beads
BY GARUDA DASA
USA, Mar 27 (VNN) — Help Needed: Books and Beads for Thousands of Hippies
To all devotees, who are oceans of mercy, please accept my humble obeisances, Jaya Prabhupada!
Every year now for the last 13 years, I've been steadily preaching in the center of the "rainbow" gatherings. For those of you who don't know, the national rainbow gathering is a free counter culture gathering that gets up to 30,000 "hippie" people gathering in the woods once a year. The big gathering is in mid-summer, for two weeks, culminating on the fourth of July.
My service is to set up a nice temple and distribute Srila Prabhupada's books, as well as hold kirtans, story telling events and distribute prasadam. Last year, i brought a ton and half of equipment and bhoga to set up a big kitchen. I labored like a mule since a temple offered devotes to come and run the kitchen. the driver for that crew could not make the trip and all that effort/laksmi was spent for nothing. I managed to preach still, but it was like a smoke smothered fire with all that labor which bogged down my preaching spirit. Having gone through that experience, I put an ear out to the elders and crowds and they came up with a requst. Overwehelmingly, they asked if the disciples of Radhanatha swami would come and do a kitchen. H.H. is a legacy at these gatherings, but neither He or Malati can organize the crews that came before, so the hope of the elders is that (since he now has many) the disciples of Radhanatha swami can bring a good solid ISKCON camp back to the rainbow. its not asking much. i put out all i can as one person and am able to make a difference. It woud be amazing to see what some well organized Hare Krishna discples of Radhantha Maharaja could accomplish.
My camp is just like i said, straght preaching in the middle of the chaos of the rainbow gathering. therefore, my "tipi" temple is called " the sancutary temple". If anyone wishes to help me do this service, please email me in this regard. i think this years gathering is out in the southwest, nevada or southern california. please email me if you would like the rainbow link.
There is one rule that is held sacred to this rainbow tribe and that is "no money exchanged". Of course individual camps/kitchens, are able to accept donations, but for me, those hardly cover the book costs, what to speak of gasoline, bhoga etc..
The thing I am asking help with is for devotees who have any small Prabhupada books, who can send them to the Tallahassee ISKCON temple, or any wonderful devotee who would like to call BBT and purchase a case to be sent here, that they please do so as soon as possible. I preach at the rainbow steadily and constantly, in the big main area, for 2 weeks straight and always run out of books way ahead of time, no matter how many i bring.
Each person i talk to about Krishna, i make sure they are genuinely interested in the subject matter and get a firm promise that they will read the book. I know how important it is to only get these books to those persons who are sincere.
Also, if anyone wants to help with japa bead sets, i make sure that each person chants one round with me before they take the bead set away. Beads are a welcome and needed donation too.
When on a roll, I preach to groups, on average 15 people every 30 minutes or so, sometimes all day long. These people are very interested in the subject matter. The methods I've developed in sharing Krishna consciousness to the rainbow is very attractive and leaves a wonderful impression on the minds of these nice folks.
Every year it is a big push for me to do better. last year I personally spent $2000 on preparations to bring one ton of bhoga and many cases of books. this year I am going to need all the help I can get for books and beads. I am only asking help to go towards books and beads. Please order a case of books from BBT, and /or send your extra small Prabhupada books just collecting dust on your shelves. Please Please, also send japa beads!!
These last few years, I've been seeing thousands of new young people, just looking and looking for something substantial, something spiritual. I always run out way ahead of time. many of these people don't have any laksmi, but they are fully sincere. Each year, some decide to become trained as devotees and I send them to various training centers, or at least keep in touch through emails to cultivate them alng the path to Krishna until the next year.
If you want to just send a check to "ISKCON of tallahassee", and send it to the below adress, that will be fine. Just make note that the donation is for books for "rainbow preaching". It is important that doners come through sooner than later. mail is slow, and it takes a good two weeks minimum to get the books from BBT to our temple.
The address to the Tallahassee ISKCON temple is:1323 Nylic st. Tallahassee FL 32304. phone is 850-224-3803 if you need references for this "garuda dasa" call that temple, columbus ohio asram, or Atlata temple. Also, email me as soon as you decide to help. garudadasa@yahoo.com
Please make that decision now and be an ocean of mercy for very little money or effort at all. I'll be a vessel to take your mercy out where it will reach the right person guaranteed.
thank much,
your servant, Garuda dasa
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