Following devastating and deadly flooding across central and eastern Europe, thousands across the region have been left in difficult circumstances, many needing to flee their homes or huddle on higher floors. Young volunteers from Food for All-UK in London were able to be on the ground within hours, offering hot meals and supplies.

Loka Saranga Das, who leads the Czech Food for All, said, “On arrival, we began cooking prasad for the desperate people, army, and helpers. It’s a big yajna, but I feel from the heart that it is the right thing to do, serving Krishna in unity with people who would likely never come so close to devotion service. The soldiers are helping to distribute prasadam in the town, volunteers are chopping vegetables, and there is so much appreciation and thankfulness. It’s great.”

The torrential rains have gone (for now), flood waters are receding, and the sun is shining again in the Czech town,” said FFA-UK Founder Parasuram Das, “After three days in safety upstairs, without power, running water, or even a cellphone signal, stranded people came down to face a scene of destruction.” Shops are still boarded up, roads are blocked, and there is no public transportation, leaving the cityscape like something from an apocalyptic movie.

Arjuna Das, who serves Food for All-UK in London and drove to the Czech Republic to serve alongside Loka Saranga, said, “The town was submerged by a flood wave brought by the Oder River that was fueled by record rains in northeast Czech Republic. Whole towns were flooded, roads destroyed, vehicles swept away,  and animals drowned. Teams of young volunteers had gathered to assist the rescue workers and the army. A hot meal from our team can go a long way in these miserable conditions.”

The FFA team had just returned from Turkey, where they had been assisting with devastating forest fires there. Now they are dealing with the other extreme – too much rain, both symptoms of climate change.

The generous service of these devotees is a living example of our Vaishnava teachings, “One should distribute Visnu-prasada to everyone, including the poor man, the blind man, the nondevotee, and the non-brahmana. Knowing that Lord Visnu is very pleased when everyone is sumptuously fed with Visnu-prasada, the performer of yajna should then take prasada with his friends and relatives” (SB 8.16.56).

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