The main thing that Manny misses when he goes business trips are Buddhist discussion meetings. If he could take all of his Buddhist friends with him it wouldn't be so bad. He thought of all of these things as he did his morning gongyo in Takoma Park, Maryland.  

Eight hours later, he was checking in to a large beautiful hotel on a Jamaican beach. He could hear the sound of Daimoku. He asked the clerk "What is that sound?" (He knew. He just wanted to know if the clerk knew.) She didn't. 

As he approached his room, he discovered the sound was coming from a meeting hall across from his room. He put his suitcase on the bed, got out his beads, and hurried across the hall.

The room was packed to capacity with men chanting vigorous Daimoku. Manny joined in. Even though there was no Gohonzon in the room, everyone was chanting as sincerely as if there were.

After gongyo, the members asked who he was. He explained that he had done morning gongyo in Takoma Park, Maryland, that morning and that he had just finished doing evening gongyo in Portmore, Jamaica.

The topic for the Men's Division meeting that night was "The Mysterious Law." Clifford Brown, who is the Men's Division leader in Jamaica, said that Manny's experience was a good example of the workings of the Mysterious Law.

The owner of the hotel had just started to practice and wanted to dedicate this meeting hall in his hotel to Buddhist activities.

The next night, the Jamaican Culture Department hosted an Introductory Meeting in a local school. The neighbors brought their own chairs to the school. There was great yard music and lots of experiences. It was well attended because the members in the area invited all their neighbors. 

The following day, Manny attended a Kosen Rufu Gongyo.

Manny had a great trip and returned with a deeper appreciation for the workings of the Mysterious Law.

He looks forward to future business trips to Jamaica.

[This experience was given at a recent Takoma Park Men's Division Meeting.]