Annual Fun-Day with the kids

During my writing retreat in Kharkov/Ukraine I managed to compile the preliminary manuscript for my upcoming book on the false ego. It gave me a great sense of victory. Of course, now it needs to be reviewed by senior devotees, so I can polish it up further and work through the text again. But at least the main part of compiling the basic script is done. And I also designed the book cover already....

This initial achievement gave me some space to relax a little. And the idea of observing the Annual Fun-Day with our kids of the community came to mind. I had introduced the tradition last year - with great success. Everybody had experienced such a jolly day, and devotees had resolved to have such a Fun-Day at least once a year - during my visit to Kharkov. So we set the date for Saturday, the 20th of July.
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We have to give our children more attention and move them into the center of our communities. If we want them to become devotees, they have to receive many deep and wonderful impressions throughout their childhood. Last year we had introduced that the first 20 minutes of the Saturday's SB class is for the children - they sit in front of the speaker and are being involved in an interactive and attractive way. Then, after they receive a sweet from the speaker, the lecture continues for the whole audience. I was very happy to hear that this tradition had been nicely maintained.

Some time ago I had come across a wonderful statement by one of the former presidents of the United States, Herbert Hoover:

"If we could have but one generation of properly born, trained, educated and healthy children, a thousand other problems of government would vanish. We would assure ourselves of healthier minds and vigorous bodies, to direct the energies of our nation to greater hights of achievement."

What a wonderful sutra for our ISKCON society to meditate on! Indeed, we could direct the energies of Lord Chaitanya's Sankirtan movement to greater hights of achievement, if we can bring about a generation of well trained, educated and Krishna conscious children, with healthy minds and vigorous bodies!

Raising children in Krishna consciousness is like planting trees: a long-term project requiring foresight, patience and steady cultivation until we reap the harvest.

Our Fun-Day was once again a thoroughly joyful event for everyone who participated. We hired a bus and went to the Eco-park, which is a small version of a zoo. Sahasrajit Prabhu was leading the outing, and on the bus he set the mood with funny announcements for the children: "All children please listen carefully! When we arrive at the park, please make sure you take your parents on your hand, so they don't get lost! Keep a good eye on them, and don't allow them to run off....!" And the children responded with enthusiastic cheers!

In groups we visited all kinds of species of life: a variety of monkeys, and tigers, lions, zebras, bears, so many birds, and other forms of life. We chanted Hare Krishna to them, fed them prasadam apples and carrots, and marveled at Krishna's good sense of humor, creating so many species of life to facilitate all kinds of material desires and inclinations. And once again we were grateful for being in the human form of life, which allows us to develop our relationship with Him.

We came together at a park-like open space for a lunch picnic, with wonderful prasadam: baked samosas, boiled corn, pizza, cookies and other tasty items. Everything was so well arranged, and our Prabhus took charge and provided for all our needs.

The most amusing part were the sportive games and competitions. Sahasrajit Prabhu and Vrindavan-lata Mataji have natural talents to keep the children involved in a witty and humorous way. They offered all kinds of games, such as imitating peacocks, frogs and cows. It reminded of the descriptions in the 10th canto, how Krishna, Balarama and the cowherd boys were playing in the forest. And there were nice competitive games. We grown-ups and elderly devotees had a great time watching and cheering - the whole afternoon was spend in hearty laughter! At the very end all children were presented with balloons and a container to make soap bubbles. And we concluded the outing with more pizza....

On the way home I saw the children blissfully falling asleep.........

On the 26th of July I flew off to Zagreb/Croatia........

Your servant, Devaki dd