Thank you for getting toys to these children! Its great to help them be kids, as it only happens once in a persons life.
When I first read this post/newsletter, in my mind I thought "Some devotee is going to say this is maya." Well, it didn't happen quite that way, and I also realize it has been explained. It just is something I've heard for so long, and now a grandmother, if anyone were to try to take toys away from my grandchildren & tell them to get to work, well they'd have me to deal with. haha

I do tho, see a question in it all, about how it can 'also' be fun to play with stones, leaves, sticks, use the imagination. Its why I "also" made sure my kids had some of that while growing up. But they had toys from the store too. And labor? Kids should not be overworked. That's why in America there are always against it, cuz its wrong. But should they never do chores? It builds character to help out around the house, plus they feel they are included. Now, the children you have given toys and fun to are not simply helping out around the house, they are impoverished, probably the family is forced to somewhat depend on the income the child brings in, etc.

Extremes.

IMHO its about balance.

Living in luxuary as we are in the west (even during times of recession we have more than these kids and their parents!), is also not balanced. There often are kids with too many toys and don't apprecaite them. But as somene who likes Dr Phil I'd have to say "Who bought them too many toys? They can't buy them for themselves, unless the parent helps or lets them do that too." Anyway, my point is, balance. We have too much, which in turn may cause someone to think what these kids are living is a healthy lifestyle of nature and responsibiltiy or not getting spoiled; whereas they have too little and need some play time, "things" cuz those who grow up with no things can lead depressed adult lives, or actually become materialistic! You did a great thing by giving them toys, it will help them to remember Krishna is kind, so in trun they will be more and more drawn to Him, instead of bitter cuz they did not have a childhood, like so many of our own Gurukulis. Thank you!

[Afterthought: Maybe some in the west with too many toys can send them to the children who need them. Volantarily of course.]