Even the Most Sinful Buy Books
One time I took out one of our young Indian devotees from the Sydney temple selling books door to door. He was enthusiastically preaching. We came to a butcher shop and proceeded to walk in the door but the stench of dead carcasses and the sinful atmosphere made him turn right around and walk outside. I preached to him that these people are all spirit souls and being the most fallen desparately need the mercy of Lord Caitanya. I could not convince him to come back in so I went in alone and approaced the manager. I was surprised myself that by the causeless mercy of Lord Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada this man showed interest and took an SSR giving a nice donation. When I told my friend he was in disbelief and for the rest of the day he came into all shops including butcher shops, hotels and gambling houses. Another day I was doing shop to shop in Murwillambah, the closest town to our New Goverdhan farm. I was finding it a bit tough as a lot of people said they already knew everything about the Hare Krishnas. I came to the butcher shop and waited patiently for the workers to serve their customers. When I got the attention of a lady working there she immediately with great interest flipped through a Krsna book with her blood stained hands. She was happy to get a copy giving a nice donation and went back serving meat as though nothing had even happened! I turned around and tried the customers. Another lady also happily took a Krsna book. Recently I went to the BBT and stopped near the shops to do some banking. Immediately this Butcher approached me having seen me in robes and seeing the sankirtan van with Hare Krishna signs on it. He said he used to go to our farm but lost contact as the farm moved to a new location. He immediately bought an Adi Raja cookbook and an Ever Well Wisher!
Your Servant,
Rupa Raghunatha Das
Sydney Australia