Ho, ho, ho!

December Christmas aka silly season!

Getting in the mood of the general party fever, our youth group decided to have a Christmas party! The theme was Churning of the milk ocean.

Each member had to come dressed as either a demon or a demigod. I was Soma the Moon God.

After a scrumplicious feast we had a diorama of the churning of the milk ocean pastime – lots of paper and sticky flour fun!

Try harder?

I read an article by a devotee who spoke on the importance of not criticising other devotees or even non-devotees. I really liked it and so I wrote to the prabhu that I am inspired to try harder in keeping against the mad elephant offence.

I got an interesting and instructive response, which separates the serious from the regular approach to this offence.

“Yes, because we are conditioned it is sometimes difficult to act the way we know we should or the way we really want to. As in everything we do, our degree of our commitment is what makes the difference between just getting by and excelling. Trying harder is good, but being committed to not offend as far as possible is a step above. I suggest you go for that. How to do that? Just ask yourself what you must do, what you must think, how you must act if you are going to avoid offending. I am sure you know what to do.

And just think how much more Krsna conscious you'll be, and how much happier you'll be if you commit to not offending devotees. “

Do I have the determination and courage to be the serious devotee? I sure hope so.

DSTV

Remember the smart hotel I’m staying in?

Well, no matter where you stay if there are no devotees around, no access to temples, nobody who understands your way of life, no Krishna prasadam than that is not living.

How do I feel after staying for 4 days in Uganda? Cluster phobic, like I’m being held back, like I can’t be what I wanna be. For the first time I can appreciate how devotees who live far away from temples and devotees are able to maintain their enthusiasm.

Anyway, just 2 more days left.

Interesting point I read, practically every difficulty we face is due to the lack of chanting Krishna’s names with attention and love. If our chanting is perfect our lives will be perfect. In that respect I shouldn’t be feeling the way I feel. If I chanted nicely and read Srila Prabhupada’s books nicely I could bring Krishna consciousness into every aspect of my life, including this smart hotel.

I thank my mum for the small container she sent me containing Soma Papri (especially bought from the foot of Govardhan Hill), my Gurudev for giving me the Holy Name, my self for buying an ipod and Sri Krishna who organised this all so that I may better appreciate the value of friends and family especially those who are devotees of the Lord.

Another realisation, the movies on DSTV suck! :o) I think that is Krishna mercy in keeping me protected from maya devi.

Pearl of Africa

Last Sunday I left comfortable “safe” home to travel to the centre of Africa – Uganda. How did that happen? I was sent from the company I work for on a business trip. Not sure what to expect I packed everything I thought I would possibly need, especially lots of food.

Travelling 3 hours on a business class flight and booking into the best hotel around, I am protected from what Uganda really is. Protected or confined? hmm…

The people of Uganda are extremely polite, respectful, cultured and humble. What stands out most for me is their simplicity. Simple in actions, dress and this indicates the simplicity of their mind. But don’t celebrate too soon. Like the rest of us, Uganda is following the leading nation of world and so this simplicity will turn to arrogance and simple living will turn into a complex rat race.

The first day here we visited a client of ours to do installations and training of the new product we are launching into this country. This product is web based and will eventually be replacing the current CATS system being used. My role is to observe the problems picked up and how the BAs resolve them. Why come all the way here to observe that? I’m still trying to figure that one out.

Anyway the visit to the client was an opportunity to go into Kampala town. Driving in Uganda is similar to that of India: you drive wherever you want. I think India is worse though. The shops vary from being tiny to double story (simple) buildings. The main trade seems to be clothing and material and there are lots of bureau exchange places. The streets are tarred and quite spacious if no motorbikes and cars keep rushing past you. The sidewalks are not paved but just cemented. Even though it is town it is quite hilly even entering the shops you sometimes have to walk up a steep section or climb lots of stairs. The shops aren’t dirty but not exactly speaky clean either. Let’s just say you feel quite comfortable sitting around but you’d think a hundred times before accepting anything edible from the people no matter how friendly.

Yesterday we saw, from the 10th floor of the bank building, a storm brewing. Below the dust lifted of the ground and covered the area with a sandy haze. But it only rained a little and than the sky cleared. One of the other girls showed me pics from her previous trip when it was raining so hard that you could only see the tops of the cars on the road.

The current hot topic in the Uganda newspaper is the disease Ebola that has just broken out in some parts of Uganda. The disease is apparently airborne which means that if we pass an infected area we could get it. The other way it spreads is that if an infected person touches you or coughs or sneezes on you. Yikes! This is what it means to live in the Pearl of Africa. This also rules out any touring we might have had in mind. By the way there is no cure for this disease. Haribol, you all, it’s been great knowing you.

Besides for all that’s been going on in the bank that’s as far I’ve been into Uganda thus far. BUT let me tell you about the “larnie” hotel I’ve been staying in. Better still why not look at the pics.





You like? All I can say is the bank is paying.