Friday, May 15th, 2009

An Interesting return

Regina, Saskatchewan

Our ISKCON Centre in Regina is not in the best part of town. To reach there for conducting a “Nine Devotions” workshop I walked through the inner city section called Moccasin Flats. I spoke to a 20 year Old, Dwight, who expressed that although Saskatchewan the province, is experiencing a boom reaping the fortune of it’s Northern tar sands, this neighbourhood is more of a down. He revealed how one day someone (unknown to him) shot bullets at him. I had to question the authenticity of his story because sometimes it’s hard to distinguish a drug experience from reality.

In any event one of our participants at the workshop told of how when he first met Krishna Monks in the mid seventies he was encouraged to attend weekly sadhana, spiritual practice. One day he went to the building where the monks conducted programs but he saw they were gone. From that point on he left Krishna Behind until thirty five years later when he retired from government services last year. Years later he accidentally stumbled upon the ISKCON centre and noticed that the front yard needed sprucing up. He was shy to approach the current facilitators of the centre so he thought to render service quietly concerned he might not be accepted.

Subsequent to his finding and wishing to help he drove around a few times with purchased mums in his back seat. He drove around the block more than twice to make sure no one would see him. The police became suspicious due to the drug lording and prostitution that takes place in the neighborhood. The police stopped him and questioned him for doing these rounds.

He explained about, “the flowers for the church.” The evidence was there. In the back seat were flowers ready for planting so he was compelled to stop hesitating and get to gardening. Finally, Jagannatha, the centre’s president discouraged the stranger who for days had been cleaning the garden and was now adorning the front yard with some flowers.

This person has gone on to become the greatest help.

It is remarkable how some people become absent from devotional service and then come back decades later to be a full-fledged participant.

6 Km