Prison Ministry Update

By Sridevi dasi

Madan Mohan das has seen a marked growth in the Krsna consciousness of a group of inmates in Raiford Prison near Starke, Florida in the last three years. Since the weekly preaching program was started there in 2012, himself, Saranga Thakur das and Krishna Kesava das have been cultivating a small group of prisoners with kirtan, Bhagavad Gita discussion, japa, and prasadam. “They are a captive audience,” Madan Mohan prabhu reports. “Also, they are very motivated and therefore making rapid advancement, considering we only see them two hours a week. All are chanting and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books daily. Some have inquired about initiation, seeing the need for it.”

The program starts with a ten minute “warm up,” where the prisoners have a chance to share and discuss any pressing issues. Then there is a short kirtan, where all are standing and some dancing and jumping very happily. Outside prisoners who are walking by sometimes look in and watch in wonder. Then Bhagavad Gita is read, guided by their questions. At the end prasadam is served in the form of energy bars, since there are heavy regulations about bringing anything in; every food item must be factory sealed. Everyone feels greatly enlivened by the end of the two hours. Each time the devotees enter the prison they must go through at least four check points with sliding bar doors, and then personal search points and metal detectors. It is a very serious and heavily regulated place, where the guards are often yelling at the inmates and no tolerance is displayed for any kind of nonsense.

Madan Mohan prabhu is happy to spread Krishna consciousness in this way, and hopes that Srila Prabhupada would be pleased. He feels right in his element preaching to these jivas who are so appreciative of every little thing that is done for them, and who are genuinely interested to hear. “They are so nice to us, and when I tell them that, they all say there is another side to them that is quite different. So at least for two hours every week they act like real saints. The seeds are planted and they are changing right before our eyes.”