Nectar Story
A few months ago I met an atheist (Mina is his name) while on Sankirtan on Queen Street (Auckland, NZ). As Mina was from Egypt, he was quite cultured, and thus we where able to have an intelligent discussion. Nonetheless, he would not take a book and we went our separate ways. However, Mina then began to show up at our University lunch programs. He came many times, and I would always sit and talk with him (though never about theistic subjects). He always took prasad, always gave a donation and was always very polite. He even came along to the loft (the Auckland urban preaching centre). All the while I was wondering what Lord Krishna intended with him.
A few weeks ago I was on Queen Street again and Mina came up to me. He was very excited and told me about how he had met a young German guy in the backpacker hostel who wanted to come to the loft. Mina told me that the German guy's name was Thomas, and that he would be on his way down Queen Street very soon, and that I should look out for him and take him to the loft. Mina told me that Thomas was a tall young man, and would be wearing a red scarf. "Look for him" Mina instructed me. "It'll be his first time at the loft." Mina carried on and I was left in amazement at the change that I could see in him since having first met him.
I carried on with my Sankirtan, but was very distracted because I was looking out for a tall person wearing a red scarf. Time passed and I moved further up Queen Street, closer to the backpacker hostel. Suddenly a man in his thirties approached me and began to tell me the unfortunate story of his life: how he had cheated on his partner of 14 years to be with an already married girl whom he got pregnant. Now his wife wanted nothing to do with him and he could no longer see his son. The man was extremely distressed and there was little I could do for him but to listen to him. He carried on for at least half an hour and I began to think that I must have missed Thomas by now. Finally the distressed man took a small book.
Suddenly I looked up and saw a tall young man walking down Queen Street wearing a red scarf. Amazed, I approached him and asked, "Is your name Thomas?" In a German accent he replied that it was. He was on his way to the loft and I offered to walk with him. As we walked he told me that he had learned the OM mantra several months ago, and meditated on it every morning and evening. He further showed me a small statue of Krishna that he kept on a cord around his neck. It was this statue that Mina had recognised and then told him about the loft. Even more astonishing, Thomas told me that he and Mina had met each other while randomly walking around the city at 5am one morning. Thus Lord Caitanya was using even an atheist to send people to the loft.
Needless to say, Thomas enjoyed his first time at the loft. He loved Krishna Consciousness so much that he has gone back every day since. Thomas is now chanting Hare Krishna on beads every day, and has prolonged his stay in New Zealand. He chants in ecstasy in the kirtana, and helps us in our garden. I still maintain contact with Mina, and hopefully Lord Caitanya has more plans for him.
Your Servant,
Gokula Ranjana Dasa
