Money,money money: Brighter than Sunshine Sweeter than Honey!
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Even if 100 devotees donate $1000 each as suggested by Srila Gurudeva, we will have only one hundred thousand dollars; enough to pay for the land plus a little towards the foundations, so this begs the question of "Where do we get the rest?" Obviously, no rich benefactor is likely to materialise with a huge donation in tow, although we cannot discount this happening. However, we cannot merely sit back and rely on such an event occurring. The bottom line is: it's up to us to raise the necessary funds to build a temple for the pleasure of our real benefactor, Srila Gurudeva.
As we have not yet collected even one hundred thousand dollars, despite the original donation of $10,000 by the mercy of Jahnavi d.d. and Mahaprabhu and the $5000 from Srila Gurudeva himself, so the 100 devotees donating $1000 each has not yet eventuated, what to speak of the $5000 each that it is likely to take to build this temple, so it is obvious that we will all be in future bodies by the time the necessary minimum of $500,000 is collected, at current rates.
It goes without saying that we require a greater degree of cooperation and comittment to this project than merely some people donating the lower requested figure of $500 each, plus a few doing more, and then forgetting all about it, thinking that "I've done my share." Those who do not wish to share in this opportunity to serve Srila Gurudeva will not cooperate no matter what is said and done, so those who are inclined to accept the responsibility are going to need more than donations to build this edifice. As stated on the previous page, we will get much better rates of cooperation if the community is governed in a classic vedic style, yet there will always be those who lack the adhikara to accept this nectar, even in those conditions, so we must recognise that there will be a exclusive group who do the most work, not that anyone who wanted to join in would be excluded; all are welcomed with open arms, even for small contributions, but this group would, by default, be exclusive to all who cannot cooperate.
Due to the improbable logistics of mobilising large groups to all arrive at the same place all suitably inspired and energised, ready to commit themselves to hours, if not days of work, it makes sense that small groups working on their own projects at their own pace would make the most sense. That way fund raising projects can be quasi-spontaneous, according to peoples' situations. Just as there is no stigma attached to not being involved at all, there is no stigma attached to small results ... all is for Srila Gurudeva, not to win kudos. Everyone serves Gurudeva at their own pace at their own level of surender. I guess we've all been around long enough to know that fired up today doesn't necessarily indicate fired up tomorrow. This is no game ... we are struggling with maya for the right to serve our sweet lordships. The more we are pleasing to Srila Gurudeva, the more that possibility becomes a reality.
The prize we are seeking is the softening of the hardened heart with the attendant sweet relationships that soft hearts collect even to the point of a pure, loving relationship with Sri Krsna and His gopis. At the end of the "day" we will all be in the spiritual world, some earlier than others, of course, but each of us will, nevertheless, be in debt to each of the others for it's the spiritual health of the yatra that influences the spiritual health of the individual. Just witness the inspired health of the yatra when one advanced devotee is with us ... so much nicer. We need each other, but more than that; we need to serve each other favourably.
So if you have a way of helping to keep Srila Gurudeva's temple building project alive and brimming with bala: go for it. Enlist the help of anyone you can if it's too much for you on your own. The yatra and our attendant projects are yours only as much as you make them yours. If you can make some dollars to help by getting some business going then you are making Srila Gurudeva and subsequently Krsna, yours. Do you have a garden wherein you can grow flowers or vegetables to sell or simply to defray temple costs? Do have any ideas to make money for the temple? Maybe someone is interested in marketing tamarind sauce to food outlets in town. If anyone has a sure fire method of making money such that the devotees can work 4-5 hours per day and still make enough of a living to also contribute plenty to the temple without losing too much sadhana time, then I guess maybe our prayers have been answered. If you have an idea or a comment that may be helpful to the temple, especially the building project, I am happy to publish your say here on this site, but please, if you can, I prefer that you send typed comments etc as typing all of this, is not as easy as it looks from your side of the page. It is quite time consuming and many hours at the keyboard often results in painful carpel tunnel syndrome, plus the HTML despite my familiarity with the script has been known to offer a plethora of headaches, so please be merciful. If you can't type, I'll do it for you but please be patient. I am also happy to post news of meetings, projects and/or the results of projects, in fact just about anything to do with the temple building project. That way you get the construction fund news and I get to engage my creativity in Gurudeva's service.
Happiness is Serving Srila Gurudeva.
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