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Human beings are of such nature that they should have not only
material facilities but spiritual sustenance as well. Without spiritual sustenance, it is difficult to get and maintain peace
of mind.
~ The Dalai Lama
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Our Current Project: Building a Village
Temple Summer 2009 Burma is a country deeply steeped in the ancient
religion of Buddhism. As such, an overwhelming majority of the population are followers of the Buddhist teachings and the
Triple Jewel (the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha) is highly revered and venerated. Against the backdrop of poverty and deficiency,
Buddhism provides a beacon of light and serves as a place of spiritual refuge for the people. Known as the “Land of
Pagodas”, Buddhist shrines and temples function as vital places of religious worship and social congregation for the
devotees and are intrinsically woven in the fabric of their daily lives.
However, in the remote rural areas, the
people do not have the financial means to construct a much wished-for place of worship where they can gather together for
spiritual nourishment and mutual support. Metta Heart is honored to fulfill the wishes of the rural residents for a village
temple which serves as a community center for the local people. Along with the construction of the temple, a hand-pumped well
will also be built to provide clean water for the surrounding community. The temple will also serve as a school for the children
in villages that do not have schools, thus bringing the access of education and literacy to transform the lives of the younger
generations who live in remote regions.
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The projects below were completed!
Update on charity work in Burma after
cyclone Nagris, 2008
With the generosity and kindness of our donors, all the funds we raised to provide aid to Burma following the aftermath
of cyclone Nargis were forwarded toward the relief efforts. In addition to giving each family cash, needed essentials such
as food, medicine, blankets, tents, plastic coverings were also handed out. Metta Heart also built a home for a needy family.
The Burmese people were touchingly
sincere and grateful for the aid that they received. On their behalf, Metta Heart would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our donors
for their kind support!
Below
are a few selected photos of the charity missions in Burma.
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Burma needs our Metta
August
2008
As we all know, several months ago, cyclone Nargis,
a storm of devastating magnitude, hit the country of Burma, one of the world’s poorest regions. It was the worst natural
disaster in the modern history of the Burmese people and the fifth deadliest in the world during the last forty years. As
a result, hundreds of villages were destroyed and tragically hundreds of thousands of lives were also lost following the destruction;
as for the living, their once simple lives were forever affected. Even with the assistance of all the various aid organizations
both abroad and domestic, the people there remain in need of our support and care to help sustain their lives; otherwise,
they may face a second wave of devastation
if additional relief is not provided. The key areas that are in need of aid are adequate shelter, clean water, food
supply, medicine and sanitation.
With a country that is still in dire need of our
concern, the assistance we continue to provide will make a difference in the lives of the people. There is a saying, “A
morsel of food when hungry is likened to a mouthful when full,” by the same sentiment, “A little giving from the
heart goes a long way.” In this respect, Metta Heart is proud to support the charity missions of
the Venerable Master Chon Tri, the Abbot of Phap Van Temple (Dharma Cloud Temple) who has been personally helping the people
in Burma following the aftermath of the storm. Scheduled for the end of August and again in October, the Venerable Master,
along with a group of Sangha members who are studying in Burma, will embark on a second and third round of charity work to
help the people in need; the first charity expedition took place in June.
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Burma and China need our Metta May 2008
On
May 2, 2008 a cyclone of cataclysmic proportions hit Burma and tragically the lives of the people there were forever changed.
Life under a repressive regime became even more intolerable as millions of Burmese people were left homeless in desperate
need of shelter, food and adequate medical care while mourning the loss of tens of thousands of their fellow countrymen with
another tens of thousands still unaccounted for. The tightly controlled government has since let in a trickle of foreign aid
to help with the relief efforts. Some progress has been made; however, there is still an urgent need for much more help from
the outside world to relieve the plight of the Burmese people who were affected by the storm.
Ten
days later on May 12, another disaster occurred as a 7.9 earthquake shook the grounds of Sichuan Province, China. In an instant
the normal rhythm of life as the people knew it were cruelly taken from them. In the quake’s wake were piles of dust
and crumbling stone and the devastating loss of families torn apart as loved ones were never to be seen again. The searing
pain and anguish of parents as they grieve for the young lives lost and the bereavement and hopelessness of the innocent children
who are now orphans having lost their family members can be felt by those of us who have watched and followed the heart wrenching
news.
For anyone who would like to help, we at Metta Heart will forward the full amount of any donations earmarked for these
two disasters to directly help the people as specified by our donors.
These
two major disasters and others around the world should serve as reminders of the ephemeral nature of life, a central Buddhist
teaching. In these turbulent times of man-made crises and natural catastrophes, we should take a moment to reflect on this
truth and cherish everything in our lives; from the people we are blessed with, to the material comforts we are fortunate
to have. Right now the world needs our prayers and the earth needs our loving kindness. Hopefully, with our heartfelt prayers
and acts and thoughts of kindness, we can work toward a more compassionate and sustainable world.
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Hope is knowing that people, like kites,
are made to be lifted up.
~Anonymous
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