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| | Enviado Sábado, 15 de Enero de 2005 - 02:35 pm: |  |
Padayatra América
June 13-20
Moving steadily south. The more south we get, the more ´warm´ the people become. After a discussion with the local police (they are many times bewildered with how to proceed with such an unique situation) they escort us over the “causeway” a narrow bridge bringing us over the widest part of the bay into Port Lavaca. There, the local police are ready to escort us through town; but first they have arranged for two local newspapers to meet with us. We stop for a break, fill water and answer their questions. Everybody is extremely helpful and inspired to give all kinds of donations, and we find ourselves running low (very joyfully) distributing all our literature... magazines, books, cards...
The Lord made an arrangement for a veterinarian to come and “take blood” required to perform tests for the paperwork to enter Mexico. Mr. Randy was very nice and even donated some of the vaccinations. He was appreciative of the magnificent status of the health of Kana & Balaji. He asked many questions...what they eat, times, miles; he remarked “I have never seen a horse with such an extraordinary task [record] behind them (2,500 miles) standing so healthy.” Jaya! That is the power of devotion, I say.
Moving on...Texas roads are flat, wide and long- you can not see the end for either side.
Corn, sorghum, cattle ranches; shade is very difficult to find but always the Lord makes some kind of arrangement. The temperature is getting hot, 95° during the day; 78° at night. The sun is up at 7am and down at 8pm. Kana is leading Balaji in the heat. Candrabhaga d. is struggling with the heat, but like always is hanging on.
From highway 35 we turn onto county road 774, a stretch of ranch and we haven´t seen a house in 15 miles....tomorrow by the mercy of the Lord we will be on Highway 77 which will bring us all the way to the border. Hare Krsna.
June 20-28
One week of Hwy 77, busy road. South Texas we see more people of Latin American origin.
From the squirrels of Pennsylvania & Maryland to the possums and deer of Virginia & North Carolina, to the ants & armidillos in Georgia and South Carolina; and the alligators in Florida; the skunks of Mississippi & Louisiana...finally in our current state of Texas we are finding poison snakes and coyotes. These have been the most common in the areas we are traveling...you see them both living, and not, roadside.
The environments are different and with them always also are the people.
For this reason we consider the preaching here in Texas to be one of the “best” states.
We are crossing the biggest ranch of the USA, comprises one whole county: Kennedy County. It is 60 miles of nothing, and we have to be aware when there are creeks, because there is only one facility with water and then 40 miles of pastures. It´s very hot, but as always a little kunja is available for The Deities, and with small occasional spurts of seasonal rain we are finding large pools of rainwater for the horses.
Even in these remote areas many of the travelers stop and inquire. One gentleman came and recognized us as devotees...after talking it turns out he was in Gita-Nagari last year before we left there! Many, many, many are coming forward...sometimes it´s difficult to get your duties finished, but it´s blissful; and everyone goes away inspired.
We are slowing down somewhat to give the horses a little break, as we have an appointment with the customs liason for Mexico next Monday. We are working with a very friendly and efficient “Mrs. Betty” from San Benito TX who has connected us with the agency of exportation/importation of Mexico. Again we see Krsna´s hand in the dealing.....
Mr.Randy of the Bay City veterinery clinic did all the tests, and at the moment he was going to send the papers to be authorized by the Department of Agriculture in Austin, the office told him not to send it because the crossing of livestock had been suspended at the border for some reason.
Anyway, Mr. Randy held the papers; and after the quarentine was almost complete, the test results in (good of course) we contacted him and were surprised that the paperwork had not been processed, we are very close to the border.....
After a week, i contacted Mrs. Betty and she informed us that the most important thing is to have the contact of the customs giving consent to bring the animals in; that without that on the authorization request, the Dept. of Agriculture will immediatly reject the application without refund. Hare Krsna! Mr. Randy in Bay City was not aware of this, but Mrs. Betty, who frequently deals with such situations was keen to make us aware, and right at the proper moment the Lord have a surprise and brought the mistake to light before it was too late by closing the border for one week (very unusual); giving us the time to get in touch with Mrs. Betty. (and save the laxmi)
She will oversee the details, and Mr. Randy will submit the papers as should be.
Mr. Muller, our liason who will pass us into Mexico is very helpful and suggested after the holiday weekend to get us in.
Moving on...
Ekodeva prabhu, our new member, is waiting ecstatically for us to arrive and a new country will receive Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundara and Jwala Nrsimha on their road. Jaya!
Praying to the lotus feet of my guru maharaja Srila Virabahu Prabhu and His Holiness Lokanath Swami for the blessings to be able to carry on enthusiastically with this service as my life and soul.
Padayatra America ki jaya!
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