Pioneers in Cebu, Philippines
We arrived in Cebu on April 12th after spending a week in Manila. Radhesh prabhu (long time devotee) picked us up from the airport and brought us to Anjali didis house (she was initiated by Gurudeva last year via skype). Anjali is a little fireball. Her home was given to her by her parents and since they have lived here over 40 years, the entire neighbourhood knows her. Lots of people are always coming in and out.
Every time I have come to Cebu it’s a new batch of devotees. I have always felt Cebu is sort of nomadic. I was thinking this time, “What is our purpose here.” There are a few new young men that attend the programs everyday and very enthusiastic. Syamarani didi suggested we go out on book distribution. They chose a park in the middle of businesses to go to. The four boys, Anjali, two young girls (Manjari and Krsna-priya) and Govinda-priya and I all went to the park. It was all of their first time distributing books.
Teaching the Girls
They were all naturals and despite their being so shy, they immediately approached the people and were able to distribute the books and small posters that we had with us. The Philippines is extremely Catholic and so the people were very much attracted to the painting of Damodara-lila because it is a Mother and Child.
Boy looking at Damodara painting
The devotees were so excited and encouraged by their success. They said they felt Gurudeva’s blessings with them and wanted to go again. We showed them the movie of Gurudeva’s class here in Cebu in 2009. The last thing he told them was:
“I request that you read my books and the books of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja. You should also distribute these books. This will be your service. Syamarani has made so many pictures of Krsna, and others have made some as well. You can sell them as well. This will be your service.”
Then something incredible happened. After Radhesh prabhu heard about this successful evening of book distribution he informed us that he had many books of Srila Prabhupada at his house that he would donate to the new sankirtana army. He got them after the Iskcon temple closed. We went to his house to see them and lo and behold, there were hundreds and hundreds of several titles – The King of Knowledge, Life Comes from Life, Higher Taste, Easy Journey to other Planets and a small Teachings of Lord Caitanya. I was overwhelmed by Gurudeva’s premonition about Prabhupada’s books. We also brought small posters with us which through the GVP sponsorship program we donated to them to get them started and to support their book distribution. Being a third world country, the Philippines is a very poor country.
We went again on Sunday to the market area in the neighbourhood were Anjalis house/center is. The market was so disgusting and smelly – killing chicken and fish on the spot. We started a kirtan and some of us distributed books at the same time. I could feel the whole environment change and the air become purified by the boys chanting. So many people said to us, where have you been for so long (the Isckon temple closed several years ago). Just as Gurudeva ordered and predicted – numerous books of his and Srila Prabhupada’s went out to the suffering souls of Cebu.
Kirtan
Anjali
Caran prabhu
Reading Way of Love
We all got on the jipney to return home and continued blissful kirtan, and when I closed my eyes and chanted, the tune and mood reminded me of the early Prabhupada movies I have seen and I was thinking, it is a new era here in Cebu and these new devotees are going to do so much for the community and to spread Mahaprabhu’s movement here.
Me distributing a Tagolog Way of Love to street Vendors
In the Jipney on the way home
Srila Gurudeva ki jaya! Srila Prabhupada ki jaya! Harinama-sankirtana ki jaya! Transcendental Book Distribution ki jaya!
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nandalala das
397 days ago
harenama sankrtana kyi jai radhe radhe,.,,
Tulsi Krishna Das / Philippines
397 days ago
Thank you sooooooooooooo much for such a very enthusiatic report Vasanti Didi
Thank you so much for bringing Syamarani Didi to Cebu thus giving joy to all 
So Happy to see you ,Anjali Didi, Krishna Priya and Manjari Didis. ALso Gokulcahnadra , Charan Pahari and Nandalal Prabhus, and also Bhakta Barry
Cebu Gaudiya Math Ki Jai!!!!!!!!!!
Basanti dasi/Brazil
395 days ago
Haribol!
Nice to hear about this enthusiastic seva in Philippines. Could anyone please send me some address, email or contact of Srila Gurudeva’s disciples in Philippines? I was asked to give this information on facebook, but the info at http://www.purebhakti.com is not updated.
JAYA SRILA GURUDEVA!
hamsa das
383 days ago
haribol im hamsa of the philippines right now im living in maasin southern leyte .iwould to get some krishna association your useless without any krishna katha im honestly distracted by this whirpool strenght of maya
Tulsi Krishna Das / Philippines
397 days ago
Pahabol nga pala, pati na si JAgadish Prabhu, I’m Happy to see you in the program. I am sure your Gurudev Madhav Maharaj will be happy for your participation
Gadadhara das
396 days ago
For your follow-up info, we brought Maharaj up to Baguio and the local devotees assembled for street Hari-nam-san-kirtan everyday. His voice is incredible and his harmonium draws attention from everyone near. He lead every day for his entire stay with us.
He flew to Cebu the same day Syamarani Didi’s party were returning.
So today they will bus 6 hrs up to be with us in this University City in the cooling mountains, fulfilling her pre-planned venues here.
I wrote proposals and bid prices to book top exposure sites so as to fully engage the many devotees with the crowds during Easter Holy week. Our neighboring sangas of Novaleches/Bayan, Malabon, Makati, even Cebu AND most exciting, our beloved Ganga Matas will participate. They’re prospecting the possibilities of an extension of their Philippine Seva Team.
All these miraculous activities are simply the loving affection of Srila Gurudev sprinkling upon us his “heartly Blessing”.
Begging to be receptive I aspire for service.
Gadadhara das
Gadadhara das
396 days ago
I only omitted the Name of the Maharaj to protect him from pride… he he !!!
Right BV Giri Maharaj…..
Gadadhara das
Raghava
396 days ago
Dandavats Gadadhar ji, I thought it was meant to be a cliff hanger to be revealed in your next post “Who is the Maharaja…?”