Last Thursday, 23rd of December, the devotees' visit to the Children's Hospital was reinforced with additional surprises for the children. By the grace and effort of the devotees, we brought to the hospital not only the usual prasadam sweets and cookies, but also toys and balloons along with a Kirttan led by Sri Ritu Raj Prabhu.

A full Sankirttan team went along to the hospital made up of Srimati Amita Shakti Devi Dasi; Srimati Kamala Nayan Devi Dasi; Srimati Mandakini Devi Dasi; Sri Iswara Prasad Prabhu; Srimati Shyama Nandini Didi, who played very nicely the karatals; Sri Gaurachandra Prabhu, who is the photographer of the occasion; and Srimati Rukmini Devi Dasi from Colombia, as well as Srimati Rukmini Devi Dasi from Venezuela.

Certainly it was a very sweet visit because we had the additional presence of a very special guest: Bambú, a golden retriever, that is not only a television star, but was very willing to make the children smile.

We went around four floors of the hospital including the oncology unit and neuro surgery unit, chanting the Mahamantra, and distributing prasadam and giving away balloons to the children as well as toys, and coloring sheets of baby Gopal. And of course, Bambú received much applause for all the tricks he very happily did to surprise the children.

At the end of the visit a bike, donated by Srimati Mandakini Didi, was given to little Victor, a twelve year old boy who accompanied the devotees through all the visit to the Hospital.

These children, who are suffering the sickness and miseries of the human body, sincerely smile when they hear the Mahamantra. They are very happy to hear the devotees singing, which can only be possible by the Grace of Srila Gurudev who has expressed the following, which is also on a poster on the walls of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math:

"The Hare Krishna Mahamantra,
it is very difficult to understand
how it is supreme. It is there in
the highest, intimate Pastimes of
Radha and Krishna, and it is also
there to rescue the most fallen
souls."

— Vrinda Devi Dasi