After we heard about Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban, some of us from the International Pure Bhakti Yoga Society thought it would be a great opportunity to go and distribute prasadam (spiritual food), books and kirtan to the victims. By the mercy of our spiritual master (guru), Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, many members of our organization around-the-world supported us and sent donations so we could make this happen. Nine of us (3 from Manila, 5 from Baguio, and myself) left on December 13th for the over 800 kilometer drive to get there from Manila.

Right after we crossed the San Juanico bridge we smelled the foul smell of dead bodies and trash. The city was dark and felt spooky. We were recommended to a hotel so we drove there and checked-in. The hotel had no water, so the young men went to bathe at the pump. At the pump they were called outsiders and one of the older members of our group told the people that we have come to distribute food and to help, still leary, they accepted his explanation. So many looters came into the town after the typhoon and stole whatever they could so now people were understandably very paranoid.

By the mercy of the Lord, someone overheard us discussing that we need a place to cook. He offered that we could use the front of his house as he was not staying in it. It was such a blessing to have our own space and that the house had a faucet with running water.  

Followers of bhakti-yoga (bhakti meaning devotion and yoga meaning to link), offer their food first to God, Krsna. We offer our food (only vegetarian food) to Krsna with special prayers and this food then is called prasadam - which means, the Lord's mercy. The food become spiritualized by first offering it for the Lord's pleasure and not our own, and then He gives His mercy in this way.  

Krsna says in the holy scripture Bhagavad-gita: “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.”

As soon as we told our neighbors what we were doing and after they had their first dish of prasadam, they were happy to help us in any way by providing us extra chairs to sit on and extra folding tables. We were on a street in Barangay 46 and it was a very pious street. Within a day everyone was chanting and their leeriness of us flew far away.  We gave them prasadam every day.

We were able to make over 500 servings a day of champarado, and serve it in a different village each day. We also made pancit one day and on another day rice and vegetables with soy.

The response from the locals was overwhelming. Each day we chose a different Barangay (village) to go to and we would stop our van, bring out our big pots of prasadam make an announcement who we are and that we are distributing food. We would then begin to chant the maha-mantra, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, and everyone would start to dance and read the mantra either on our sign or from their book (page 17).

Our spiritual master, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja has explained, "These names are more powerful than fire. If you put your finger in fire, knowingly or unknowingly, the fire will burn you. Similarly, whether or not you are aware of the power of His names, your chanting will burn all your unfavorable moods – your ignorance and offenses. He will give you His love and affection, and soon you will be happy forever."

When we arrived in various villages, we saw the people's faces were sober and helpless, and once they heard the singing and joined in, and received their plate of prasadam and books, all their features changed. They glowed with happiness and hope.

One day we went to a place called People's Center. It was a cultural center and now is an evacuation center for refugees whose homes all got wiped out. I befriended a girl named Jessa there. Her eyes had such a sadness, yet she would always smile at me. We talked about karma and vegetarianism and she was very receptive. We distributed prasadam and books at her evacuation center and she told me the next day that everyone loved the food and were still singing after we left.

It is a tradition in the Philippines to light candles for those you know who have died on the 40th day anniversary of their death. So, on the 40th day after the typhoon, everyone in the city was lighting candles. We came back to our street after distribution and we saw the kids on our street lighting candles. We went over to them to take a picture,  when we got to them, they had their book (Way of Love) open to page 17 where the maha-mantra was written and they were chanting. We were so amazed. We then had a big kirtan (loud congregational chanting) in the street with so many kids and adults joining in.

The house we used for cooking is ideal for a feeding and information/spiritual aid center. We are hoping to be able to rent it for several months so we can continue to cook for as many individuals as we can reach and also share our philosophy with them. We are all suffering in this world and by relating with each other with love and affection and God in the center can we make the world a better and peaceful place.

We arrived being considered outsiders and we left being considered family and dear friends. The kids on our street became attached to us as we did to them. Everyone on our street saw us off, asking us to please return, and the kids followed our van down the street as we drove off.

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