Special Reports
Special Reports 
Love Makes You Grow, And Makes The Universe Go On
Embrace This Sky Of LoveThey Need Love -- A Note From The Medical Team
A Sunny, Breezy DayThe Beautifying Angels
A Different Life
The lessons of love are boundless and all encompassing. Listen to the
voice from deep within our souls, then we will understand. Because of
love, it makes us grow. Because of love, it makes the universe, the world
go on.
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This Buddhist country of lotus is so beautiful and free of contamination; Cambodia is a country with a glorious past, yet her people have gone through the painful experience of war. All we can observe here are urgent needs for help, loving care and medical aid. Influenced by Master's compassion, we (the working team and medical team) have come here. The innocent little children ought to be enjoying their worry-free childhood. Instead, we see them holding their fists tightly to endure the pain from their pus-filled and inflamed wounds. Their tiny bodies denote that they are suffering from malnutrition. Their naked feet, full of ulcers caused by wounds dressed by mud, are indicative of their poverty. It is a miracle that they stay alive in such conditions. Medical care, so essential in the civilized world, is like a myth in the Arabian Nights to them. We look like a baby in an incubator who has no immune ability - sheltered by civilization in every way. Conversely, they bravely display their elasticity of adapting to life. |
All these things are to provide us with "lessons of love". Whenever we are concerned about other people's sufferings, we forget ourselves and thus become somewhat elevated. We, fellow practitioners, come here striving for the same objective. A little ailment could not possibly deter our earnestness. All these lessons are arranged by Master, God, the Bodhisattvas for us to learn! Helping others is helping oneself, and loving others is loving oneself. The lessons of love are boundless and all encompassing. Listen to the voice from deep within our souls, then we will understand. We didn't decide to come here for any reason, except love. These people do not really need or have to rely on anything that we give them. Everything is functioning according to the will of God, the Bodhisattvas. We come here only to learn lessons of love. Only love can help us grow. The universe, the world, continues to function only because there is love. |
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Ordinary people may find the disposal of garbage a necessary but disgusting task. However, fellow sisters in the sanitation team volunteered to do the job with joy. They deeply realize that it is easier to develop our noble quality within with the help of a lowly situation. The main duties of the sanitation team are categorizing and disposing of the garbage, and cleaning the environment. Disposal of the garbage includes incinerating and burying it. Regarding the cleaning of the environment, anything concerning cleanliness that can be observed could be within the work scope of the sanitation team. There are also many temporary assignments, like repairing water pipes, covering toilet pits, and paving roads. According to sister Shen of the sanitation team, one doesn't need experience to work in Raising Center. We might be new to the job, but if we are not limited and distressed by the mind, the job can be done naturally. Another resident disciple said that, all the working members here have reached a unanimous understanding - give help wherever it is required. The feeling of working in different positions but in cooperation makes them flow harmoniously as if they were one. Sister Shen said that there are always difficulties wherever we work. This place is no exception. Once, she was bitten by a snake but she didn't have the slightest feeling of fear. She just calmly treated the wound herself, because she believed Master is always taking care of us. In the same situation, an ordinary person would be terrified and would not know what to do. She said, "We don't even have to pray, and Master's incredible power has already solved the problem." |
Rain and storms are inevitable. Under whatever situations, it is most important to maintain a strong faith in the Master-power/ Truth. Should we encounter problems in our work, just meditate more and pray to the inner Master for help, the problems will be solved naturally. If we generate a peaceful ambiance from within, denoting our desire for cooperation and coordination, naturally the work can be accomplished easily and perfectly. Sister Shen said that we come to this land and volunteer to brave any challenges. Whatever is within our ability, we should contribute more effort in that respect. Furthermore, we will become more enlightened as we work. Therefore, if fellow practitioners could personally participate in the work, the experiences derived can help their inner wisdom to manifest. Only the information generated from within (the wisdom) is error free! Then, we truly realize that the sky over Raising Center is a sky of love, towering above a world of joy and laughter. We also come to the understanding that only Master's love can embrace all these things. |
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| We don't often see the suffering and lamenting in the comfortable civilized parts of the world. However, Bodhisattvas manifest in a physical body to Lo Sapo World for this particular purpose. |
In his mother's arms, a child was covered with pocks, some of which were suppurated. He was sucking on his own tiny and injured thumb while flies were attacking his naked body. His mother looked at me, I understood her without knowing her language. A seven-year old boy, who is shorter than normal five- or six-year old boys, was lying against his mother's chest. He was congested and had a fever, and occasionally opened his big spiritless eyes. His anxious mother spoke in a language I didn't understand, hoping that we could help her child. We tried to hold back our tears. Another three-year old child had an injured index finger cut by something. The long and deep gash had not been sterilized and dressed for a week. After being cleaned and sterilized, the wound showed suppuration and swelling; the child did not even cry. I believe that the pain was not only from his index finger, but also from the young mother's heart. |
There were many more suffering circumstances caused by poverty and shortage of medical supplies. If it was not for Master's compassion, who would see to their needs and hear their inner cries? I remember what Master always says: To love each other is to look in the same direction." We can see Master's boundless love, especially in the most needed places. She always takes care of everything thoroughly, no matter how tedious things may be. Too many things are beyond description. The best way is to see it and do it. Isn't it the same with spiritual practice? |
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Dear Mommy, Thank You for allowing us to live a fresh, stimulating and interesting life everyday in Cambodia. The following short poem is a scenario of our little fellow practitioners, from various countries, living happy lives through Your holy love and care. |
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The Gardening Team of the development Project at Raising Center is responsible for beautifying the environment. They learn how to live a simple and satisfied life from the daily work. Every morning after breakfast, the sisters in the gardening team congregate at the front gate before going to different sites to trim trees, flowers and picked up dried leaves. They water the plants, pave stone roads, and support newly planted saplings with stakes so that they will not be blown away by the next gust of wind. Sister Mei-Gui Wu told us that when one of the sisters found a nail that has been hammered onto the trunk of a big tree, she was very upset and even cried. Also, when another sister dug the earth and accidentally hurt a tiny sentient being, she was sad for many days. This kind of love comes from the understanding that "all are one". Therefore, let us realize why Master wants us to silently recite the Holy Names at all times; because we might hurt other sentient beings without being aware of it. As the front gate is the place where important guests are received, the sisters have planted many bright and beautiful flowers right in front of the Guest House. Colorful butterflies fly to and fro like fairies, while bees buzz around admiring one flower and the next looking for nectar; the scene resembles that of a fairyland. When the soft wind blows, a slight fragrance lingers in the air. Not to be outdone, the birds chirp merrily. The neighboring second Guest House is even more beautiful, more than what the eye can take in, with just too many things to see. Most of the flowers there were taken from the wild; therefore, they are very precious and most beautiful. |
When the work continues near Buddha Bath Hall and the Octagon Gazebo, a lot of wild flowers and withered trees are found there. So the first thing the sisters do is to dig with shovels, pulling out the roots gently, and then using a saw to cut off the smaller roots. The Korean sisters are very lively and cute. Whenever they are about to chop off the roots, they would yell, "Long life! Long life! Long life!" Then they would laugh together and sing a song to celebrate a job well done. Under the joyful atmosphere, they worked non-stop. Soon, all the withered trees are cut off. Even though the sisters cannot verbally communicate with each other -- because of the language barriers -- with just a few gestures here and there, the job is done smoothly. It is very pleasant. When the hour approaches the end, the team prepares to put the chopped trunks, piece by piece, into the wagons to be sent to the tool room where they will be piled neatly, ready to be used; the longer ones will be used for building cabins, and the shorter ones will be used for boiling water and cooking rice. Making use of waste materials truly depicts the simple, happy life at Raising Center. |
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Sometimes a change of environment can help us correct the habits which have been accumulated over a long period of time, and further develop a different lifestyle so that our bodies and minds will change and we will become completely different and new individuals. |
Before sister Dudu came to Raising Center, since her family managed a vegetarian food store, she often would use rich and varied ingredients and could easily make many different kinds of delicious food. She also had the habit of sitting in front of the TV, not wanting to get up; therefore wasting a lot of time. After she came to Raising Center, she discovered that here there is a relative lack of vegetarian ingredients, and that vegetables, melons and fruits are the main foods. She then came to understand that food can be cooked very simply and still be delicious. Especially when she ate the vegetables that had been grown at Raising Center; the taste of a joyful mood melting into the vegetables was incomparable to any other delicious food. After she stayed here for a period of time, she also naturally changed her habitual dependence on the TV set. |
From the above experiences, she deeply realized that a person can actually be changed and it is not as difficult as we think. Because we are too used to our life-long lifestyles, we become bound by our environment. At the same time, we rely too much on material things and forget that our lives can be simple and happy as well. Besides, as long as we are willing to try, we can lead quite a different life. |