Cali
Eighty-six initiates flew from Bogota to Cali with the Master, filling the entire plane except for about 10 seats. The Master and His party were greeted at the airport by another huge enthusiastic crowd, who could not contain themselves in their ecstatic joy to be at last in the presence of the Blessed One. The Master was taken to the Tetecuy Hotel, where He was to stay; and the local Satsangis had, in their thoughtfulness, provided cars for all the initiates who were accompanying Him.
On the way to the hotel, the caravan was forced to stop due to a car accident on the side of the road. It developed that the car belonged to a dear initiated lady, who, with her children, had been hurrying to see the Master when the car overturned, throwing her and her children out of the car. Although the car was totally destroyed, the dear ones received only a few cuts and bruises; and all the mother wanted was the Master’s blessing. So the family was picked up in various cars of the caravan, and the mother was taken directly to the Master, who received her in His room and consoled her. She said that she knew all the time there would be no real injury, because the Master was protecting her.
The talks in Cali were given twice a day, at noon and in the evening, at the Consejo Municipal Building. It was a difficult time to make arrangements, due to the Christmas season and also the Sugar Festival, a Colombian holiday, which were taking place at this time; nevertheless, thanks to the hard work and devotion of the local representatives and leaders, excellent arrangements were made, and the dear ones derived great benefit.
A meeting of the Colombian group leaders was held in Master’s room, at which He stated that in the future, the workers in South America should work hard in Master’s cause, because thousands of people in South America would be coming up. At this meeting also, the Master announced the appointment of Dr German Duque of Popayan as co-representative in Colombia, to work with the present representative, Senor J. Ricardo Nunez.
On Christmas Day, Master gave a beautiful Christmas talk, which was much appreciated by all.
On 26th December, the Master gave Naam to 126 grateful dear ones at Cali.
On 27th December, at 8 a.m., Master gave His farewell message to the Colombians and the whole Western world1 at the Consejo Municipal Building; then He went to the airport and flew to Caracas, Venezuela, His last stop in the Western hemisphere.
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Footnote: 1) See Sat Sandesh, January 1973: ‘Farewell to the Western World,’ by Kirpal Singh.