The North American Grihastha Vision Team (GVT) held their annual meeting in Prabhupada Village, North Carolina, the last week of April. 

The 12-person team reviewed their year’s accomplishments and planned for the coming year. The future plans include rolling out a new schedule for the four-day VTE Grihastha Training Course, “Strengthening the Bonds that Free Us,” the development of one-day “mini” courses on such topics as Parenting, Finding a Worthy Partner, Communication Skills, and Problem Solving Skills; and expanding the organization to include interested persons as Grihastha Vision Team “associates.”  

Some of the GVT mission objectives include:
1.       Improving the condition of marriage and family life in the Hare Krishna Movement and in society at large and establishing a long range plan for such improvement.
2.       Increasing public awareness of resources, skills, and opportunities available to married devotees, those seeking marriage, or to those who want to assist marriages and families.
3.       Strengthening, enlivening and supporting children, women, and men in their pursuit of a healthy, peaceful, spiritual experience in household life.
4.       Developing programs for the care and protection of widows, single mothers, and their children.
5.       Implementing educational and informational activities to increase public awareness of the benefits of premarital counseling and skill-building training.
6.       Providing training of mentor couples and creating training courses for both lay persons and professionals in parenting and relationship skills.
7.       Maintaining a web site for educational and networking purposes.
8.       Educating the leadership in the Hare Krishna Movement about the benefits of offering marriage education to couples, and preparing the youth in their congregations for healthy Krishna conscious family life. 

Formed four years ago, the GVT is a group of devotees who are eitherregistered counselors or have training in marriage education/preparation. It is the mission of the North AmericanGrihastha Vision Team to support, strengthen, educate and enliven theindividuals, couples and families who are or will be involved with thegrihastha ashram. The GVT works with ISKCON temples throughout NorthAmerica.

The GVT has accomplished the following goals in support of its mission:

• Established a website: www.VaisnavaFamilyResources.org
• Authored a four-day VTE Grihastha Training Course, “Strengthening the Bonds that Free Us” and conducted the course in New York City, New York; Toronto, Winnipeg, and Vancouver, Canada; Washington D.C., and Durban, Capetown, Johannesburg, and Pretoria, South Africa
• Authored a two-day Mentor Couples Training Course and conducted the course in Alachua, Florida; Durban and Johannesburg, South Africa; and Toronto and Vancouver, Canada.
• Conducted a 175-person “Grihasta Attitudes” survey in 2005. (See results of survey at www.VaisnavaFamilyResources.org .)
• Established a Directory of Marriage and Family Counselors and Educators, which is available at www.VaisnavaFamilyResources.org .
• Produced five brochures:  1) 12 Principles of Grihastha Family Life, 2) A Potential Spouse—Seven Qualities to Look For, 3) A Strong Marriage—Seven Vital Ingredients, 3) For Parents—Five Tips, 4) Five Tips to Be a Better Dad, 5) The Importance of Premarital Counseling, which are available for download from www.VaisnavaFamilyResources.org

The next training will be held in Alachua, July 13-15, 2007.

For more information on how to become involved in the mission of the North American Grihasta Vision Team, please contact the GVT via e-mail at gvisionteam108@yahoo.com.