Prison Ministry Gets Books

I’m glad to say the kindness you showed by placing my email on the Hare Krishna news site really helped. Within a few days weve been able to get 5000 Bhagavad Gita As It Is donated for our prison project. Lord Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada have been merciful to us. Thank you so much. Hare Krishna.

THE BOOKS WERE DONATED BY THE ATLANTA HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE

THE TEMPLE PRESIDENT BALADHABRA DASA WAS SO ENCOURAGING IN IMPLENETING THIS. THE LARGE INDIAN COMMUNITY IN ATLANTA ARE ALSO TO BE CREDITED WITH FUNDING THE DONATION.

THE CHRISTIAN PROGRAMES ARE JUST NOT ATTRACTING INMATES ITS JUST THAT SIMPLE.THE REASON BEING THAT THE CHRISTIAN INMATE POPULATION LARGELY CONTINUES TO ACT IN THE MENTALITY OF EVERYDAY PRISON LIFE. DRUGS VIOLENCE HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITIES. OF COURSE THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL EXCEPTIONS.

THE QUESTION HOW CAN OUR PROGRAM NOT BECOME LIKE THEIRS?

IT CANT AND WONT UNTIL MORE DEVOTEES ARE WILLING TO GIVE THERE TIME IN CORRESPONDENCE, GOING INTO THE PRISONS HOLDING KIRTAN AND DISTRIBUTING PRASADAM. OTHER WISE THE PRISONERS WE HOPE TO REACH ARE SIMPLY READING THE BOOKS. WHICH IS THE FIRST STEP. GETTING THE MATERIALS INTO THE PRISONS.

BUT IN THE FUTURE WE HAVE TO PERSONALLY SACRIFICE OURSELVES TO THE SUFFERING SOULS INCARCERATED. ITS THAT SIMPLE, AND ALSO THAT HARD.

WERE TRYING TO GET INFORMATION ON GETTING A GRANT SO THAT WITHIN POSSIBLY 5 YRS WE CAN HAVE A FARM COMMUNITY TO HELP THOSE WHO HAVE BECOME DEVOTEES WHILE INCARCERATED TO SMOOTH THEM BACK INTO SOCIETY.

THESE ARE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE THE MENTALITY FOSTERED IN THEM BY THE VERY PRISON’S THERE IN THAT THEY ARE GOING TO FAIL.

I’VE BEEN OUT FOR ALMOST 2 YRS NOW. I STILL CANT FIND A JOB. WE HAVE TO HAVE DEVOTEES WHO OWN BUSINESSES ETC. WILLING TO GIVE THESE PEOPLE NOT ONLY BOOKS BUT TIME AND OPPORTUNITY BOTH SPIRITUAL AND MATERIALY.

IT’S A HUGE UNDERTAKING. BUT WE CAN’T SIMPLY THROW BOOKS INTO THE PRISONS WITHOUT FOLLOWING UP.

ISKCON PRISON MINISTRIES IN 16 YEARS HAS ONLY PRODUCED 200 NEOPHYTE DEVOTEES ACROSS THE NATIONS PRISONS. WITH ALL OF THEM SCREAMING FOR DEVOTEES TO COME IN AND ASSOCIATE WITH THEM.

ITS A HARD UNCARING ENVIRONMENT IN OUR NATIONS PRISONS. THE MAIN THING BEING SURVIVAL.

SO THESE MEN ARE LITERALLY IN ANIMAL MENTALITY BECAUSE NO ONE, BUT A FEW RARE SOULS OF ALL FAITHS ARE WILLING TO BE LIGHTS AND A SOURCE OF GUIDANCE TO THESE MEN.

HARI BOL

BHAKTA CHRIS MATTHEWS