I went for a japa walk around Vṛndāvana this morning at approximately 5:30 am. I managed to average 10 minutes 40 seconds per kilometre. I was praying for a service mood, something which I lack. The enjoying spirit is indomitable despite all the suffering it brings. As part of my japa journey I begged the Lord to allow me to do some service and that He kindly show me what it should be.
As it turned out, the idea to encourage 1000 devotees in Melbourne to pledge to distribute 50 books each came to mind. It seems doable to me. That would increase our book distribution immensely and would fit in with the global challenge presented at the GBC meetings. I tucked the idea away and continued chanting.
On my return I found an interesting letter in my inbox after breakfast. Ojasvī had met with Dvija Pītāmbara and Gopa Vṛndeśa and they had come up with a plan to distribute 500 sets of fifty books each. I was quite amazed that they were working on exactly what I was broadly praying for. I took it that Kṛṣṇa endorses the idea and so in a later telephone conversation gave Ojasvī support and encouragement to build out the plan more thoroughly so we can announce it at the Gaura Pūrṇimā festival.