109/Love in Action/Sending Love to Forgotten Corners in the Festive Season

For some, Christmas or New Year's is just another day, but for others it is a very special occasion, and they feel very sad if they have no family, or no one to care for them or think about them on those days. So Master instructed all the Centers around the world to send gifts to the homeless before Christmas. We believe that our little gifts were not simply gifts, but gestures of love from God and from ourselves to share with people, to let them feel warm and loved, to let them feel that this life is not all that cold, after all. Through these small offerings, the needy may gain the courage to move on to something better in the future.

Master also reminds us to thank God that we have something to give, that we are in the position to give, because it could be us, it could be anyone in the position of taker, so we must give as a form of thanks to God as well. She has said, "When you give to needy people, you see the spark in their eyes, you see the gratitude in their hearts, and you feel very near to God."

Of course, Master always contributes, mostly anonymously, whatever She can on any occasion or in any place where help is needed, not just on Christmas or New Year's. But on these special occasions, it means a lot to people in need, so She especially instructed all Centers to give during the holidays, and provided money to those needing extra help for this project. A total of US$18,761.08 was given to the following Centers as requested: Argentina $1,000; Chile $500; Costa Rica $1,000; Hungary $500; Mexico $1,400; Nepal $500; Peru $3,900; Russia $500; Johannesburg, South Africa $212.08; Florida, U.S.A. $4,049; Michigan, U.S.A. $200; San Diego, U. S. A $5,000. All the other Centers around the world carried out this loving activity with their own funds.

Below are selected reports received from various Centers on their 1999-2000 holiday gift-giving activities.

In the cold winter time, homeless people are the most pitiful.

Berlin, Germany

In northern European countries such as Germany, homeless people are the most pitiful during the wintertime. Besides enduring cold and poverty, they suffer from the loneliness and isolation of the big city. Sometimes their lives are even put at risk in the freezing cold climate.

Thus, following Master's loving instructions, fellow practitioners in Berlin prepared large quantities of hot food and warm clothing and distributed them to homeless people on the streets or in underground stations. Each homeless person received a package containing a box of hot food, a high-quality sleeping bag, gloves, a cap, a shawl, warm socks, and other items. With Master's blessing, a very famous department store in Germany offered the sleeping bags at a 60% price reduction, after learning that they were to be used for charitable purposes.

The homeless people were so happy to receive the gifts that they didn't want to stop shaking our hands and waving good-bye to us as we left. After we told one old man that the gifts had come from God, he exclaimed excitedly: "Thank you so much. This is the first time that God has heard my prayers." We thank You, Master, for teaching us how to follow Hiers will in every aspect of life.

Fellow initiates tried very hard to meet the needs of the homeless.

London, UK

On the evening of December 10th, a group of local initiates met in London's Holborn district to distribute biscuits, gloves, hats, sleeping bags, blankets and jumpers. When a couple of brother initiates walking around the area found a group of homeless people, they drove their cars to the crowd waiting in the pouring rain for their arrival. As soon as the initiates opened the trunks of their cars, they were surrounded by eager bodies stretching out their needy hands for all sorts of warm clothing and biscuits. A few of the homeless approached the initiates to let them know what their needs were so that the next distribution trip could be better planned.

Following the previous week's experience, our group was better organized and prepared to meet the needs of the homeless on our next excursion. The support of fellow initiates who attend the local weekly group meditation eased our work tremendously. Those who could not help with the distribution in the evening due to family commitments contributed clothing, hot food and monetary donations. Their sincerity and desire to help was clearly evident.

With Master's guidance and blessing, everything went smoothly, including the weather. Warm clothing, toiletries, biscuits and fruit were distributed in an orderly manner. By the end of the evening, no one went away hungry. The crowd of happy, smiling people waving good-bye as our van left the area gave us the message that our presence had helped to alleviate a great deal of misery.

Montreal, Canada

On December 19th, 1999, a group of initiates from the Montreal Center drove two pickup trucks loaded with food, toiletries, clothing, sample booklets and magazines to the Accueil Bonneau, a charitable center that takes special care of homeless and needy men living in the greater Montreal area. Our brothers and sisters were warmly welcomed by their working staff. On December 27th, 1999, initiates from the Montreal Center returned to Accueil Bonneau, this time to serve food to the homeless.

Florida, U. S. A.

On December 23, packages were brought to the following four homeless shelters: the Leesburg Food Bank, the Salvation Army Shelter, the Orlando Union Rescue Center, The Coalition, and the Sanford Rescue Outreach Mission. Then, we drove around until late in the evening looking for street people who did not even have the chance to live in homeless shelters to give them packages.

The following evening, Christmas Eve, local disciples prepared a magnificent vegetarian feast at two homeless shelters. The dining halls of the shelters overflowed with Christmas presents and decorations for local homeless people. There were toys and sleeping bags for the children, and boxes of cleaning supplies, utensils, winter clothes, and other items for the shelters.


Children are happy with their new toys and sleeping bags.

San Diego, California, U. S. A.

"Hey, you people are great! I've never had this kind of wonderful Christmas before," one veteran homeless person exclaimed, after a fellow practitioner handed him a rolling luggage carrier and an envelope of cash. Additionally, the homeless found T-shirts and blankets in their luggage carriers.

Fellow practitioners came up with the idea of giving rolling luggage carriers to the homeless for Christmas, given the fact that they typically walk the streets carrying their humble personal belongings in their hands or in shopping carts.

The evening of December 23 was very beautiful when we arrived at the local shelter for homeless veterans on Midway Drive. We told the residents that the evening had been made possible only because of the instructions and gifts of love from our Master. "Our Master cares very much about homeless veterans like you who endangered your lives for your country."

Here and there, some veterans were happy just looking at their new gifts, and others tried in the dim light of the shelter to read "The Key of Immediate Enlightenment" sample booklet or the News magazines. Others spoke to our Aulacese fellow initiates in broken Aulacese.
They bid us farewell with comments such as, "Hey, man, this is great. Never happened before in my life! Thanks so much to your Master!"

Los Angeles, California, U. S. A.

The Los Angeles Center prepared almost 400 individual bags of items for the homeless, some of which were given directly to people living on the streets in the LA area. The Orange County area near LA has a very large homeless population, so we also went to the Catholic Worker Soup Kitchen, veteran's homeless shelters, and the Orange Coast Interfaith Shelter in Orange County to share Master's love with the residents. Master's gifts were warmly received by the people, who were very delighted with Her generous nature, and asked for more information about our organization. We gladly obliged and handed out many copies of The Supreme Master Ching Hai News.

Ohio, U. S. A.

Before Christmas, brothers and sisters in Ohio got together to prepare more than 300 packaged gifts for homeless people in the local area, and delivered the parcels to shelters as Christmas presents. We also signed up to cook for more than 200 residents of a homeless shelter in Cincinnati as a Year 2000 gift.

When we arrived at the shelter to serve food on January 9, 2000, the residents were very happy to see us. We had served food at the shelter in previous years, and one homeless woman hugged a sister initiate and said that she had missed our group very much.

One brother had brought a whole box of News magazines (#108) to the shelter, which served as a perfect gift for the residents. About 98% of the homeless people at the shelter were African American, and the cover of News #108, showing Master's compassion to all the people of the world without discrimination among races really attracted them. The magazines were picked up quickly by the residents, as were Master's sample booklets.

Our brothers, sisters, and young initiates served the shelter residents with great care and compassion, inquiring about the foods that they liked the most. Each homeless person also received a gift package. We helped them to select the gifts with loving care, and tried to match the colors of the hats and gloves in the packages with the colors of the clothes the residents were wearing. We could tell that everyone at the shelter was happy with our visit, but also realized that our small gifts were nothing compared to Master's boundless love, which was brought to the homeless through Her disciples.

When we said good-bye, the shelter residents clapped their hands to show their appreciation, saying, "Please come back soon." The atmosphere was filled with love. We were touched by Master's manifest love and care for the homeless through our work. Master is like the sun, which gives its warm rays to the world without discrimination.

Seattle, U. S. A.

Once again, this year, Seattle fellow practitioners showed their love for their fellow human beings by providing food for the city's homeless on Thanksgiving Day.

Cape Town, South Africa

Abuzz with happy fellow practitioners, the Cape Town Center prepared parcels of food, personal hygiene products, bundles of clothing, and blankets for local homeless people. Topped with candy and The Supreme Master Ching Hai News magazines and sample booklets, the packages were bagged and lovingly garnished with ribbon, and included 100 loaves of fresh bread for all.

The next day, our first stop in delivering the parcels was a night shelter, 'The Haven' in the Cape Town district of Wynberg. Esme, the shelter's project manager, was delighted, receiving us very warmly. Children and older folk gathered around the Christmas tree at the shelter, and one energetic mama did a little jig and sang spontaneously. Another woman recognized Master from the posters that had been put up in Cape Town for Her lecture in 1999. In commenting on our visit, Esme said, "In the end it is always the Supreme Master who comes."

Our second stop, a place without an address (vaguely known as Hlatini) made a deep impression on the initiates, with its shanties (huts/houses) made of old tin and discarded boards, its smell of open bush toilets, and its children covered with flies. However, by contrast, one lady showed us her house, which was clean and neat. Her roof was full of holes, yet her attitude was cheerful and strong. She said, "We are suffering here, but I pray to God every day." After receiving their provisions, all the residents were very happy, posing for the camera, and asking for copies of Master's booklets.

Our third stop in Cape Town was an area under a bridge that serves as a home for street people whom even the shelters refuse. We were warned by a would-be escort, with a bright red whistle around his neck, that the place was very dangerous. He then brought some women out to receive supplies from us. It was heart wrenching to see these women, scarred by physical and alcohol abuse, accepting the parcels quietly in a kind of dazed amazement.

Next, we made a trip to the large township of Nyanga. Once before, initiates had organized a video seminar of one of Master's lectures in this area. A smiling local resident, Pumela, said she had known that there would be very happy people coming to the area this Christmas, and had been wondering how it would happen and how to help them.

Finally, we dropped off some blankets and food for a parking attendant who had joyfully watched over Master's car in Cape Town during Her lecture tour. His family was living on the streets, but he said that he hoped he could find a home "so his children could grow up right." He also said he thought that Master was wonderful, and hugged Her picture, expressing to Her his love and gratitude.

Costa Rica

On the day before Christmas, fellow initiates brought food, soft drinks, vegetarian meals and bags containing shirts, trousers, shoes, socks and wool blankets to homeless people living in the streets of San Jose. Most of the street people sleep at night with only cardboard boxes for shelter.

Panama

On December 18 a Telethon was organized by a local group, Club 20-30, to raise funds for hungry children. Club 20-30 is a nonprofit organization consisting of young men from 20 to 30 years of age who concentrate their efforts on helping needy people in various ways. This year, the group focused on helping undernourished children, because in Panama poor nutrition is a serious problem. Members of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association contributed US$5,327.00 to the people in charge of a local TV program, who were very pleased with our help. On December 24, 1999, we also went to a community directed by the order of Mother Teresa to contribute food and clothing.

Covered with their new quilts, the homeless feel their lives are not that cold.

Hong Kong fellow practitioners extend Master's love to the people most often neglected by society.

Formosa

Fellow practitioners in Formosa delivered cash to poor households and visited homeless people living in the underpasses of railway stations, in corridors and staircases in stadiums, in park pavilions, beneath walking bridges, and outside temples, sincerely hoping to warm their bodies with winter clothing, and comfort their souls with Master's love. Deep in the night, many homeless people were already sleeping; as fellow practitioners quietly and gently covered them with quilts. The expenditures for this "Heartwarming Winter" activity for poor households and homeless people throughout Formosa totaled NT499,037 (about US$16,098).

Hong Kong

A cold front swept in a few days before Christmas Eve, and following Master's instructions, fellow practitioners in Hong Kong promptly launched a three-day love operation, extending care to homeless people. Arming ourselves with new winter clothing, socks, candies and biscuits, we spread out in the streets of old districts, visiting tunnels and bridges where destitute old people, new immigrants and young addicts were living, some in paper boxes, just to get a bit of warmth. Some of us also went to transition quarters for the mentally disabled. Receiving help from various social service organizations, we distributed personal necessities to many needy people, including members of new immigrant households and low-income people. English-Chinese dictionaries were also distributed to needy students. Later, through the help of the Society for Community Organization, we went to places like cold weather shelters for released prisoners and drug addicts, and night quarters for the single and poor, and also visited people hiding in empty trucks on the street and behind concrete benches in a football stadium, to extend Master's love and concern to these people, who are often neglected by society.

Istanbul, Turkey

Upon receiving Master's instructions, we began buying provisions early in the morning of the next day. After learning about the kindness of our beloved Master, several shop owners drastically cut their prices and gave us incredible offers. From blanket shops to food stores, many shop owners were willing to deliver the goods to our place in a very short time, just a few hours, even though it was during Ramadan. During the observance of this holiday, the Turkish people take a whole month off from work to rest and to pray to God. But, upon hearing about the good-hearted intentions of our Master, they were touched and ready to help as much as we asked of them. As soon as the prayer and rest period required by Ramadan ended at 5 o'clock, many people, not only our fellow practitioners, but relatives and neighbors as well, suddenly appeared and began helping us. We worked until 2 o'clock in the morning. Whole families - fathers, mothers, and children - running, rushing, keeping busy and working so effectively.

On the second day, we divided into two groups: one finished the packaging, while the other loaded the packages into the truck. At our first destination, the poorest area in Istanbul, there were only a few men on the streets. But after they received their packages, almost instantaneously, a queue of people formed. All of them were deeply curious about who would give them such a gift in such hard times. They were so happy, holding and examining their packages as their faces shone with joy.

Thank Allah for sending us such a gift in such hard times.

After the first stop, we reloaded and went on. As before, the people came rushing, pushing to receive their gift, oblivious of the rain. Their faces wore huge smiles. All of them repeated, "Thank Allah." Fellow practitioners also took packages for the needy people near their homes. After visiting three different areas, and with only a few packages left, we finally headed home. On the way, we met two homeless people who were begging from passersby. When we handed them the packages, they were so surprised! They just looked at us, and even though they could not say a single word, their eyes sparkled with gratitude.


"Hey, we have never had this kind of wonderful Christmas before."