A visit to Hounslow ashram

We were in London in 1987, and had been trying without success to get an appointment with Shri Mataji. She had asked us to see Her and report on our visit to Sierra Leone. However, the circumstances relayed back to us indicated that Shri Mataji had so many people on Her list to see that it would probably not happen. While living in Hounslow ashram, around 10.30 in the morning I answered the phone.

‘Shri Mataji here,’ Wow! Kristie was stunned into speechlessness, but managed to reply something coherent.

‘I am coming around to Hounslow to look in the attic at some saris I have stored there, and I will be there for lunch,’ She said.

Panic! What to give Shri Mataji to eat?  Coming from Australia this was a big deal for me, however, Marylin Leate came to the rescue. The English were used to Shri Mataji’s menu, so off we went to the shops to buy lamb cutlets. Marylin said Mother liked them in mint and vinegar. So yes, we prepared a feast for the people living in the ashram, and then word got out and other yogis started to arrive. Shri Mother enjoyed Her lunch.

‘What’s wrong with South Africa?’ She then asked us.

‘I don’t know what’s wrong with South Africa Mother, but West Africa is very good,’ Peter replied.

With that Peter produced photographs of the West African yogis and their children. Shri Mataji was keen to learn the story of the yogis there, and the land that we had purchased to build an ashram on.

‘How much did all this cost you?’ She asked.

‘$1000, USA,’ we replied.

‘Go and get the money,’ Mother said to a leader who was with Her.

‘No Mother,’ we said.

‘You Australians!’ She replied.

Kristie then asked if could Patrick Sherrif, one of the Sahaja Yogis from Sierra Leone, come to England for a puja.

‘Yes,’ She nodded and said.

How wonderful this play was that was being worked out, and Shri Mataji never got to look in the attic for the saris. The lunch went until late afternoon.

  Kristie Corden


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