The USA Harmony Run passed through the far northern part of Florida, almost 400 miles from Miami. Considering the loop shape of the USA Run and the geography of Florida, this is understandable. We in the south Florida area wanted to share the torch with our brothers and sisters here in the tropics, so on two consecutive Sundays, May 15 and 22, Lunthita, Kharasrota and Durjaya “took the torch to the people”.

The first event was on Miami Beach, May 15.

It was a beautiful, hot day, perfect beach weather, and hundreds of people were out enjoying it. During the summer, many families from South and Central America come to Miami because the rates are great and the beaches are beautiful.

As we walked and jogged down the beach we met many families from Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Germany, Argentina (lots), Uruguay, Venezuela, Chile, Honduras and the Dominican Republic as well as quite a few locals. We were sweetly amazed by the spontaneous enthusiasm with which everyone embraced the idea of the Harmony Run.

Sometimes people from neighboring family groups came over to see what was going on, resulting in crowds of hands all converging on the torch. I don’t think we got more than a kilometer in over two hours and stopped only because we ran out of fuel! In all over 100 people held the torch amid many smiles, offers of spreading Harmony Run efforts in their home countries and good wishes.

The second event was on the following weekend in Hialeah.

At first we went to one of the biggest Latin flea markets in the area. There you can buy just about anything you’ve ever thought of (and much that you never dreamed about) from papayas to machetes.

Amidst the diversion and shopping activities, we again met people from many parts of the Latin world and other places who shared their wishes for Harmony and friendship.

Next, we found our way to Amelia Earhart Park only a few miles away, where families go on Sundays for picnics.

There we met over 120 people, again from many different nations besides the USA: Cuba, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Mexico and Canada to name a few of the nations new to our list.

So many families wanted to hold the torch, and they did, all together! The best comment that I remember from that event was a young Cuban-American girl shouting out “This is magic, magic, magic!”

We can’t wait for next year.

Durjaya - Miami

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