Delivering Divine Radiance and Love
to the Country of Light

Pitching Tents for Victims

Gifts prepared by the relief team and distribution to pre-school children

On the morning of the 21st, the relief workers distributed carefully prepared gift sets and provided mental and emotional comfort at a temple pre-school and then set up tents for victims in a seaside village where the houses had been completely destroyed. Many people were staying in refugee camps and longed to return home if they could have tents and cook stoves because living in a group for a long period added to their suffering. Thus those who received the tents were extremely happy, and the team then hurried to order cook stoves from Colombo for the villagers as well.

The cook stoves for the victims finally arrived on the 24th and during the next two days the sisters and brothers visited six areas in Matara and distributed 350 stoves, as well as clothing, cookies and financial aid for a temple’s re-construction.

Bringing cheer and laughter to pre-school children

According to the original plan, the relief project was scheduled to end on the 25th, but six team members decided to remain in Sri Lanka to continue the work, and they were joined by Mr. Gajadeera, who identified strongly with the team. He later inquired about meditation and wished to learn the Convenient Method, saying, “I’ve seen you work over the past few days and believe your Master to be admirable and authentic.” The initiates then promised to teach him the Convenient Form of practice.

Clearing debris, leveling the ground and setting up tents for victims

 

Master’s Love Reaches Sri Lanka’s Eastern Region

In addition to Matara, the relief team also visited Ampara in eastern Sri Lanka, which has long experienced civil war between the majority Singhala-speaking Buddhist population and the minority Tamils, who are largely Muslim. In Ampara over 10,000 died and 20,000 families lost their homes due to the tsunami. But for political and religious reasons, the victims were not supplied with enough relief materials. So, on the 29th, after purchasing 245 kitchen utensil sets the team traveled to Ampara along with native relief workers, Mr. Gajadeera and his staff.

On behalf of her people, Mrs. Ferial Ashrof accepts relief items donated by the Korean relief team.

In the aftermath of the tsunami the eastern areas of Sri Lanka were being controlled by the Government and visits by foreigners or individual local travelers were forbidden. But with the help of Sri Lankan officials, the relief team was allowed to safely visit the region.

In Ampara, the situation was worse than in Matara as not even temporary refugee camps had been arranged for the victims. So on the morning of the 30th the team set up tents for the refugees and later went to the Ministry of Housing & Construction to donate medicine, tents and the above-mentioned kitchen sets. The Minister, Mrs. Ferial Ashrof warmly welcomed the relief team.

The sisters and brothers next set up tents for victims in Islamabad and Mardomunai in the Kalmunai District. Afterwards the team visited two schools, a Muslim mosque and another refugee camp and distributed tents, kitchen utensils, medicine, cookies, raincoats and other items.

On the 31st, the initiates returned to Matara to distribute various relief materials at the village’s Education Center, schools and temporary refugee camp over the next several days.

Distributing gift sets to students in Matara

Also, in a temporary refugee camp, the team met a four-month-old baby who had been nicknamed “Lucky Boy” after being rescued from the tsunami. Due to the shock of having experienced the disaster, he had a convulsive fit whenever he saw people. But when he met the disciples, he neither cried nor seemed frightened, but instead smiled broadly when they embraced him!

A boy (third from the left) smiles after receiving his new hearing aid.

Then on February 2, the brothers and sisters found an eight-year old boy with poor hearing who had lost his hearing aid in the tsunami. The initiates brought the child to a hospital and the staff recognized them by the words “The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association” printed on their uniforms because the facility had recently been helped by the Association’s Formosan relief team. A physician on the staff said the child needed a new hearing aid, which the initiates bought, and the boy was so deeply moved that he bowed deeply to the relief workers.

On the 3rd the team visited Uyanwaththa Elementary School where most classrooms had been destroyed. After distributing school supplies to the students, the initiates also donated funds to build a temporary classroom so that the students could study in a proper environment.

Breaking through the Language Barrier Reflects Infinite Light

On the evening of the 6th, Samantha, the team’s translator, became the first Sri Lankan working on the relief project to learn the Convenient Method. Earlier, many people including Deputy Minister Gajadeera, had wished to learn the Method, but due to the language barrier the initiates could not teach them. But after the translator learned the Method, four others learned it as well—including Mr. Gajadeera and his coordinators.

On the 7th the relief workers returned to Colombo to prepare for further work in the eastern region and taught the Convenient Form of practice to many local people. In purchasing and packing relief items, the new CM practitioners were of immense help. Afterwards the initiates again visited Ampara and distributed over 1,070 kitchen sets and other relief materials around the Kalmunai area.

As the initiates worked, many local people were touched by their sincere devotion and so sought to learn the Convenient Form of meditation and more about Supreme Master Ching Hai and the Quan Yin Method. Also, as the workers’ activities became widely known to the public through numerous local TV and radio broadcasts, the Sri Lankan people were simultaneously exposed to Master’s teachings. For example, Deputy Minister Gajadeera’s whole family learned the Convenient Method, had excellent experiences during meditation, and thus encouraged their relatives and friends to learn the Method. In addition, some of the new CM practitioners also began to eagerly await full initiation after tasting the spiritual nectar through their CM practice.

From the time the relief team arrived in Sri Lanka to early March 2005, many dozens of Matara residents became CM practitioners, and one offered his home as a meditation center so that the new sisters and brothers could get together to watch Master’s videos and hold weekly group meditation sessions. Thus, Sri Lanka, which means “Country of Light” is now shining more brightly than ever!

Conclusion: Giving is More Blessed than Receiving

The 2005 tsunami recovery project in Sri Lanka was the first overseas aid effort conducted by The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association’s Korean relief team. And it proved to be highly successful as the workers received much more than they gave. Their activities were not limited to physical help for wherever they went they brought Master’s love and light to all aspects of their work, and physical and emotional aid to the victims so that they might overcome the disaster and begin life anew.

Thank-you letter from Minister Ferial Ashroff of Sri Lanka’s Housing & Construction Industry	Thank-you letter from Deputy Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera—Housing & Construction Industry

 

Highlights of the above-mentioned events may be viewed on the CTI TV Entertainment program A Journey through Aesthetic Realms #136 at: http://www.Godsdirectcontact.org.tw/ch/hichannel/index.htm  (in English with Chinese subtitles) Immediately after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami struck, fellow practitioners from The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association arrived in the affected regions in South Asia and East Africa to render relief and convey Master’s love to the victims. For reports on this work, please tune in to our Internet TV program A Journey through Aesthetic Realms Nos. 124, 125 and 126.

 

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