My connection to South Africa goes back to my childhood. My parents were very adventurous travelers - in 1968/69, when I was ten, they traveled with us three kids for one year around the Southern part of Africa. I didn't go to school for a whole year and never even noticed the fact that I missed a year - I returned to my old class.
Just after Christmas of 1968 we left our home and traveled by car from Germany to Lisbon in Portugal. We loaded our car on a big ship which took us within 2 weeks to Angola, stopping over at the tropical islands of Madeira and Sao Tome. When we got off the ship in Luanda/Angola, the rainy season had not finished yet, and we traveled in a very adventurous and almost life-threatening way through the jungle towards Namibia - in a car which was not meant for such travels....!
Just after Christmas of 1968 we left our home and traveled by car from Germany to Lisbon in Portugal. We loaded our car on a big ship which took us within 2 weeks to Angola, stopping over at the tropical islands of Madeira and Sao Tome. When we got off the ship in Luanda/Angola, the rainy season had not finished yet, and we traveled in a very adventurous and almost life-threatening way through the jungle towards Namibia - in a car which was not meant for such travels....!
From there we journeyed further to South Africa and Zimbabwe visiting many amazing nature reserves and national parks along the way. Those days were the times of the Apartheid - a political system under which people of different races were kept separate by law, and white people were given more political rights and educational and other advantages.
In Mutare, a city in Zimbabwe, my sister and I visited a Christian boarding school for three weeks, run by German nuns - just to learn a bit of English. We also visited the most amazing and gigantic Victoria Falls and traveled further to Mozambique. In Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, we again boarded a ship which took us and our car back to Lisabon. This time the ship had to sail around the Cape of Good Hope, the southernmost tip of South Africa's Cape Peninsula. It is famous for the stormy weather and rough seas encountered there - around 3000 ships have already sunk on their journey. Our passage was also extremely stormy - I remember people falling over backwards with their chairs during meal times. The ship was rocking so much that it seemed to groan and creak - almost breaking in two...
Finally we made it back safely to our home in Germany. It was a whole big adventure - I have a lot of fond memories. After this trip, at such a young age, it was clear to me that Germany was not "my place" - I felt a strong calling to leave this country and pursue an important mission.
While traveling in South Africa, I was very fascinated by the way the black people sing, dance and play drums. Whenever we were visiting a farm with black people working the land, I used to sneak off in the evenings when they would gather to sing, dance and play drums, and I watched them. Their way of singing somewhat resembles kirtan - a leadsinger sings, and everyone follows while dancing according to the drums.
From then onwards, I was looking for "these people" who sing, dance and play drums....
By Krishna's mercy I finally found them....
In 1983, while searching for a higher purpose to life, I went back to South Africa but could not find what I was looking for. Some people I met there pointed me to Australia, where I finally met the devotees in 1985. So South Africa played an important part in my search and journey.
In Mutare, a city in Zimbabwe, my sister and I visited a Christian boarding school for three weeks, run by German nuns - just to learn a bit of English. We also visited the most amazing and gigantic Victoria Falls and traveled further to Mozambique. In Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, we again boarded a ship which took us and our car back to Lisabon. This time the ship had to sail around the Cape of Good Hope, the southernmost tip of South Africa's Cape Peninsula. It is famous for the stormy weather and rough seas encountered there - around 3000 ships have already sunk on their journey. Our passage was also extremely stormy - I remember people falling over backwards with their chairs during meal times. The ship was rocking so much that it seemed to groan and creak - almost breaking in two...
Finally we made it back safely to our home in Germany. It was a whole big adventure - I have a lot of fond memories. After this trip, at such a young age, it was clear to me that Germany was not "my place" - I felt a strong calling to leave this country and pursue an important mission.
While traveling in South Africa, I was very fascinated by the way the black people sing, dance and play drums. Whenever we were visiting a farm with black people working the land, I used to sneak off in the evenings when they would gather to sing, dance and play drums, and I watched them. Their way of singing somewhat resembles kirtan - a leadsinger sings, and everyone follows while dancing according to the drums.
From then onwards, I was looking for "these people" who sing, dance and play drums....
By Krishna's mercy I finally found them....
In 1983, while searching for a higher purpose to life, I went back to South Africa but could not find what I was looking for. Some people I met there pointed me to Australia, where I finally met the devotees in 1985. So South Africa played an important part in my search and journey.
Finally I now had an opportunity to visit South Africa again - this time to preach. I arrived on the 9th of March in Johannesburg and had a wonderful time doing lots of programs in various preaching centers around the area, and in devotees' homes. For Gaur Purnima I visited the main temple of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari Mandir in Lenasia and offered the festival class in the evening. The Deities looked simply wonderful - reminding of Gaur Nitai in Vrindavan....!
On the 27th of March I flew on to Durban for Ratha Yatra...
Your servant, Devaki dd
Please visit www.theholynameretreat.net
www.therootsofspiritualculture.net
https://www.facebook.com/instituteforspiritualculture/
On the 27th of March I flew on to Durban for Ratha Yatra...
Your servant, Devaki dd
Please visit www.theholynameretreat.net
www.therootsofspiritualculture.net
https://www.facebook.com/instituteforspiritualculture/
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