Fence Project at Palm Beach Mahabodhi-August 2008:
We are applying for the permit to construct the fences in front and back of the building.
Most of the masonry blocks have been given to us by one group of our kind friends. They are stacking up in files, as seen in the photo, and are ready to be used. Thank you for your constant support! We will start as soon as we can.
It is the back of our place. And the files of masonry blocks are there to be ready for the construction of the fences. Again, thank you for your kind support!
Charitable Activities, Winter 2007-Spring 2008:
Free School Projects:
We join our Vietnamese Buddhist nun and Indian volunteer group in order to help the poor village children to read and write in their Indian language. Here is the school, free of charge, that has recently open in Mathihani Village, Bodh Gaya, India. (January 2008)
At this humble school, textbooks, notebooks, pens and pencils, and even the salary to a local teacher, are provided by our volunteer group. It is encouraging that the children are serious and eager to study.
Even during the Winter time, the children continue to come to class. The new straw roof managed by our group offers some relief to them. However, there are more to be done. We also hope that the villagers will see a need for a better school construction, as originally suggested by us.
A visit to the location during Summer 2007, before the group decided to open the school here at Mathihani village. The hut was on a piece of vacant public land, in the middle of an open rice field without any tree for shading. The eager and positive learning attitude from the children had motivated us to begin this particular school project.
Another Free School Project:
We continue to support the school for the poor children in another village long the road from the town of Bodh Gaya to Mahabodhi Temple. We help them with funds for textbooks, notebooks, pens and pencils, uniform, and also with the teacher funds. Their studies are in progress. Another group of pilgrims to Mahabodhi Temple during this Winter season also helped them out during their visit. Here are a few photos brought back us from the Buddhist pilgrims.
Students sit on plastic sheets out side of the brick building. The blackboard is placed against the brick wall. The village women also join the pilgrims in the background.
Here, it is fortunate that the villagers had allowed the group to borrow their brick village hall for class. However, it is cold this winter and the pupils occasionally study outside to take advantage of a sunny day.
Actually, students are taking their Midterm Exams outside.
The Buddhist nun, her volunteers, and the local teachers have used various resources for teaching. They even migrate the classes to another location by the side of the road to take advantage of a sunny day during the Winter months.
A visit by us to this village school in Summer 2007.
It is fortunate that this brick village hall has a few small rooms for classes. Regardless of the dim condition of the rooms and the fact that they have to sit on the floor covered with plastic sheets, the young students were eager to study. Hoping that the village will get electricity one day!
Food Donation
Here is a view of the food donation to the poor villagers in Bodh Gaya, India, during the past Winter months. Our volunteers bought the grains, including rice and lentils, in the local market and then divided them into small packages to be given as donations.
We have worked together within our capability. Many thanks to our Buddhist nun and her volunteer groups for their effort to reach the poor people in the remote villages.
In addition to the given meals, each family of the poor villagers received a bag of 4.40 pounds (2 Kg) of rice.
We hope that the living conditions of these poor villagers will be improved!