Submitted by Bhagavati-kanta dasa
Prisons are usually very hostile. Only if you are really dedicated, you can go and serve there. Without guts and dedication, one can never survive even for a single day! The vibration and attitude are way different.
But here we see a difference. The reason may be that the warden is seeing the changes in the inmates. If this happens to ‘every’ inmate, then it will be like ‘heaven’! Then they won’t have any job! I thought, “O Gurudeva! all the credits go to You, and my god brothers and god sisters, and my wife who are my great supports”.
Every Thursday, almost the whole day I spend in preaching in the Butner prisons. But, last Thursday I preached only in FCI-2 as LSCI had some security drills whole day and was closed for volunteers and visitors.
FCI-2 this Thursday: “Where is my Book of Dream?”
As usual, I was carrying a load of books and entered the complex. The books were “Srimad Bhagavad Gita” by Gurudeva (hard cover large book), and others were ‘Essence of Bhagavad Gita” also by Gurudeva. All those were donated by our families!
So far, the library at FCI-2 had mostly Quran – with dark green colored cover. I was trying to count the number of copies they had. They were near to a hundred! I could not believe it. But last week, so many copies of our Bhagavad Gita and the small books were added to their library! Until then I was giving them as personal copies.
So, now the Vedic books are also getting in! As I am writing this, Vasanti Didi our founder of our Prison Seva mentioned that a set of Srimad Bhagavatam is now on its way! Surely, when that gets in, it is like Lord Krishna Himself is walking in. It will change the lives as I have seen in LSCI.
Last Thursday something very unusual happened to my surprise that I could not believe….Just after the class, one inmate (new) came to me and said, “Sir, I want to ask you something. I am coming to your class from today, as I saw a dream. On a page of a hard bound book, I saw a picture where three ladies were making a puppet show on people with string, and a god like person was on top and I saw I was flying in the sky. Do you have any book for me?”
First I could not understand what he said and asked him to repeat and he did. Has was tall but seem to be softer by nature compared to all others who are mostly rough.
I said, “O I am sorry. Today I placed all the big books in the library. If you want, I can give one from the library.”
“Yes, please. Any book is fine.”, he was looking at my eyes as if begging.
I said,”Ok” and looked at my two assistants that Chaplain Luke had assigned. They do all the setup, advancing the slides, and everything. One is Hussein and the other is Mohammed. Mohammed understood and went and brought a copy of ‘Srimad Bhagavad Gita’ from the library and gave it to me.
Thinking Srila Gurudeva and the families behind the donation, I gave the copy to him.
I saw his eyes as if they were popped out, and received the copy with both his hands.
He immediately said,”Yes! This is the book I saw in the dream! This is the same book of the same color!.”
With excitement and curiosity, I was looking at his face, and he already started to flip over the pages, and located the same picture! He pointed the page and said, “Here is the same picture I saw!”
His happiness had no bounds, and he tightly embraced the book on his chest and said,”Thank you! Thank you!” He said several times. As the bell rang for 3rd time, he had to now run back to his cell.
I was standing speechless looking at him leaving to go to his cell carrying his own personal copy of our Gurudeva’s book! I was wondering how Gurudeva and Krishna are working behind giving connections sometimes! I was so happy that He engaged me as an instrument, a servant.. As Lord Caitanya said, even if one brings one single soul to Krishna, He becomes so happy!
Thank you so much!
This is the email I received on Friday from the Chaplain at the prison, with a title “I am Grateful” said:
“… Week after week you provide selfless, meaningful ministry to the inmates and staff at LSCI Butner. What you do here makes a difference.
For every lesson you prepare, I am grateful. For every life you impact with a smile and word of encouragement, I am grateful. For all of those weeks when you patiently adjust to schedule changes, I am grateful.
May God richly bless you during this holy season…”