February 22 is Washington's birthday and also is the day for a world's spiritual Guru, Ching Hai. This day was named the "Supreme Master Ching Hai Day" by the governors of six Midwestern United States last year, in Chicago for her many exceptional charitable and humanitarian works for the United States and for the whole world.

Even though she never sought acknowledgements of any kind, Master Ching Hai has been recognized and honored by many government officials throughout the United States and the world. In the United States, she received the Honorable U.S. Citizenship on Oct. 25, 1993, at the city of Honolulu, Hawaii by the Mayor of Honolulu. This day also was proclaimed by Hawaii officials the "Day of The Supreme Master Ching Hai." Here she received the "World Peace Award." In Chicago last year, on Feb. 22, she received again another award, "The world Spiritual Leadership," given by the Midwestern states governors with congratulatory messages from Presidents Clinton, Bush and Reagan. In May 1994, she received "The World's Humanitarian Award" at the international press conference in Taiwan for her tremendous efforts in humanitarian works, especially in helping the world's refugees.

Many of her humanitarian activities in the

United States were: the victims of fire in southern California, victims of floods in the Midwestern states, the lepers and families of retarded children in Hawaii, the homeless and veterans throughout U.S.A., institutions of medical research on AIDS and cancer in USA, etc.

Rarely in history was there anyone who was given so many awards and recognitions worldwide in such a short time and never was there anyone who was given a day named after them, while still living. She has two, both were given by the U.S. government.

Master Ching Hai was born in Vietnam, is now a well-known Guru of our time. She teaches the Truth which is the essence of all major religions. Her teachings have spread rapidly to all corners of the world with the number of followers increasing to hundreds of thousands of people in the last several years. In order to commemorate the first anniversary of the Supreme Master Ching Hai Day, Feb. 22, many of her followers gathered in Peru for a celebration and meditation retreat. These people came from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Missouri. The retreat was filled with peaceful and loving atmosphere with music entertainments afterward.

Hannah Vu, Peru

In view of the serious food shortage caused by devastating floods and drought in Cambodia last year, the International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations in China, Miaoli Hsien, launched an activity - "One kilogram of rice saves an entire country". A total of six thousand tons of rice was donated to Cambodia in two shipments. At present the second shipment of three thousand tons of rice is being loaded onto the Vietnamese cargo ship Van Ky, at Taichung Harbor.

The Supreme Master Ching Hai of the International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations in China, in Hsihu Hsieng of Miaoli Hsien, went to Thailand on the 1st of December last year to give four lectures. After the lecture on the 6th of December, Supreme Master Ching Hai held a dinner party especially for the working staff fellow practitioners from the many countries who assisted in the lecture preparations. It happened that a special delegation from Cambodia also visited the Supreme Master Ching Hai on that day. Among them, the Deputy Chairman of the Emergency Disaster Relief Committee, Mr. Ted Ngoy, talked about the devastating torrential rains in Cambodia last July. In August, the level of Mekong River rose abnormally causing a serious flood disaster. Several hundred thousand hectares of crops were flooded. Other areas suffered from a drought, making it impossible to produce food. According to an estimate by the Cambodian government, a serious food shortage of approximately three hundred thousand tons of rice exists throughout the nation. Thousands of the numerous famine victims were on the verge of dying of starvation. On hearing the news, the Supreme Master Ching Hai was very concerned about the situation in Cambodia and immediately promised to extend a helping hand. She would also call for a worldwide rice donation activity.

Upon Her return to Formosa, the Supreme Master Ching Hai launched the "One kilogram of rice saves an entire country" activity. Consequently, in the short time of less than a month, Her disciples in Formosa donated more than one million seven hundred thousand U.S. dollars. Also, donations of over one hundred and fifty-one thousand U.S. dollars were collected from the general public. Six thousand tons of rice were purchased, which were then divided into two batches, to be shipped to Cambodia for the relief of the victims. The first batch of three thousand tons of rice was shipped in December last year, and arrived Cambodia on the 14th of January. A rice donation ceremony was held in which the rice was accepted by Mr. Nhim Vanda, a special representative of the Cambodian Prime Ministers.

The three thousand tons of rice was distributed in the Battambang province, with King Sihanouk of Cambodia personally participating in the relief efforts. With the presence of the King, the local people felt a joyful atmosphere like that of New Years. King Sihanouk also distributed the rice in the drought affected areas of Svay Dounkeo and Phnom Sam Pao. Every disaster affected family received dozens of kilograms of rice, clapping their hands in joy while receiving the rice. Especially when they saw the words printed on the bags, "The Supreme Master Ching Hai", they expressed even greater admiration and gratitude towards Master.

The second batch of three thousand tons of rice for the disaster relief efforts from the International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Association in China arrived at Pier 25 warehouse in Taichung Harbor on the 24th of February. The Vietnamese cargo ship, Van Ky, transporting the rice had already moored at that pier for loading. The rice was packed into sixty thousand bags. As of yesterday, approximately thirty thousand bags were loaded onto the ship. If all goes as scheduled, loading will be completed by the 2nd of March, when the rice departs for Cambodia.

The Association said that Cambodians are devout Buddhists, so they are especially fond of lotuses. Throughout the country, in ponds and gutters, lotuses can be seen wherever there is water. Frequently, the relief working staff were saddened to see many rice paddy fields totally immersed in water as well as dry and cracked land, both leading to a lack of rice for the local people. Therefore, they hope that the relief rice could reach the hands of the victims as soon as possible.

After helping Cambodia with six thousand tons of rice, there is a balance of more than two hundred and sixty-five thousand U.S. dollars from the donations of more than one million eight hundred and fifty thousand U.S. dollars collected through the Association's "One kilogram of rice saves an entire country" activity. This will be used to help the poor and needy in various places.

The International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations in China help Cambodia with three thousand tons of rice. The rice being loaded onto the ship at Taichung Harbor.

(Photographs by reporter, Ni Shu Chi.)

Reporter Gao Fen-Chen, Hualien

The International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations, Hualien Branch, yesterday (January 24th) sent out several of its members to the Hualien Family Help Center to distribute more than NT$ 140,000 worth of donated cash and daily necessities to the needy families at the center to help their school children with education fees. The kindness and welfare of the project are admirable.

The Meditation Association, founded by the Supreme Master Ching Hai, has been contributing to many charitable organizations all over the province these past few years, extending their help in action to many poor and sick people, and those without anyone to depend on in difficult times. The Association began two to three years ago and has continued to donate to Hualien Family Help Center and to other charitable organizations. As the Chinese Lunar New Year was approaching, this time each child in the needy

families received NT$ 3,000 for their education. The new school term begins right after the winter break. Many poor families have had a lot of trouble raising funds for the education of their children. Thus, the Branch Center chose the time before the Chinese New Year to distribute the donated cash, according to the list given to them from the Family Help Center.

Yesterday, the needy families who received the cash gratefully thanked the members and the volunteers of the Meditation Association for the money and materials, and also for their kind concern. One of the fellow sisters humbly said, "Don't thank me. This is Master's grace!"

Yesterday, the International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Associations Hualien Branch Center representatives went to The Family Help Center to distribute a donation of more than NT$ 140,000 (Photograph by reporter Gao Fen-Chen)