In Miami in October 2000, President Bill Clinton met Swamishri for the first time. He was so touched by the meeting that during a visit to India the following year with an entourage of 50 community leaders and prominent Indo-Americans he altered his schedule and met Pramukh Swami Maharaj again in Gandhinagar on 5 April 2001.
President Clinton lost track of place and time as he continued to praise Swamishri’s loving nature. The President took Swamishri’s leave and had barely reached the car when Swamishri’s attention turned to a different group of people. Swamishri’s eyes started searching for a group of villagers that had come from Kutch. The sadhus and devotees were preoccupied in discussing what President Clinton had said about their guru; but their guru was interested in meeting a few villagers who had lost their livelihoods in the recent earthquake.
Swamishri met Sidikbhai, Satishbhai and Jadavjibhai with the same excitement and energy that he had met President Clinton.
Swamishri held their hands as he said, “I hope you are doing well. It is a good thing that you came here. You have faith in God and therefore he will help you get through this difficult time.”
Swamishri asked them how they were going back. He told the sadhus to make arrangements for them to return home, “Make sure you book a sleeper coach. They will get tired travelling back to Kutch in a seating-only coach.”