The Supreme Master Ching Hai
By Hungary Relief Team (Originally in Hungarian)
Our Association members in Budapest, Hungary, in following Supreme Master Ching Hai’s caring instruction to assist those in need during the cold weather, have been distributing warm clothes, blankets, tents and vegan food to our homeless friends living on the streets, under bridges and at underground railway stations. From January to May 2016, we used EUR 3,581 from Master’s relief fund and EUR 359 from our local Association members for this humanitarian work.
On January 17, we cooked 200 portions of a lentil dish and soy patties, and shared the vegan meal with those living in a homeless shelter. We plan to serve vegan food there regularly in the future.
On January 24, we distributed another 200 servings of vegan bean goulash with soy protein, warm tea and vegan cakes to the homeless people in four different shelters and those on the streets. We also left blankets at the shelters. The guests there were very appreciative of the special care, as they only had mattresses to sleep on.
From January 28 to February 29, with prevailing low temperatures, we realized the needs of the disadvantaged people on the streets and those in homeless shelters, and delivered homemade vegan food and basic supplies, along with Master’s book I Have Come to Take You Home. In addition, we purchased a large amount of fleece material and made it into warm blankets. With Master’s fund, we also bought socks, undergarments, gloves and warm boots.
On January 28, we went to a homeless shelter and distributed vegan sponge cake and pudding, and a few blankets, coats and hats to about 80 women staying there. A week later, we visited three shelters in Salgótarján, 110 kilometers from Budapest, and left more blankets, warm boots, clothing and other items. The recipients were sincerely thankful for everything. The director of one shelter was very happy to receive Master’s book I Have Come to Take You Home, commenting that it would be very good for her soul, and she will share it with others.
On February 7, we cooked about 200 servings of a vegan lentil dish and made vegan traditional Hungarian salty cake with potato called “pogácsa.” The lentil meals were served to the people on the streets in different areas of Budapest, and the pogácsa was given to the Mother and Child Home in Miskolc.
On February 14, we visited Alsószentmárton Village near the Hungarian and Croatian border, where all the residents are Romani and are facing economic challenges. We also brought 300 kilograms of vegan food items to the village high school operated by the Dharma Gate Buddhist Church. Later, we went to the nearby town and purchased 400 kilograms of additional vegan food including potatoes, onions, flour and oil. Each of the 76 students from 55 families was able to receive a large bag of food. We also gifted the school library with the Hungarian language editions of Master’s book I Have Come to Take You Home and Dr. Will Tuttle’s The World Peace Diet. It was a heartwarming experience for us to meet such dedicated and loving people.
After obtaining a list of 95 very needy families around the country, we decided to try our best to provide assistance for them over the next few months. On February 20, we drove 25 kilometers to a family in Kistarcsa to bring some vegan food to a mother and her five children. The mother told us that God always helps them at the right time.
During the following week, we distributed vegan food items to a family with six children in Őrbottyán and 15 families in Abaliget, located in southern Hungary. The mayor of Abaliget kindly let us use the City Hall’s van for shopping. We prepared packages in the boardroom of the town council. Each package contained various vegan foods and Master’s “Walk the Way of Love” leaflet in Hungarian. The mayor and the staff were very grateful for the gifts, which we were so happy to share.
In April, apart from giving vegan basic food supplies to three families in Kaposvár with the assistance of a kind, local woman, we also visited a couple in the Baptist Homeless Shelter in Budapest. As the woman had to use a wheelchair and her partner had lung cancer, they were asking for help on a social website. The couple happily received vegan food, cleaning products, multivitamins, clothing and shoes.
Our team also learned about the Animal Center in Sárospatak, founded by Mr. Törő Gáborral, a vegetarian and former teacher. The center is home to about 400 dogs. On May 28, when the center was open for volunteers, we delivered vegan dog food as well as the Hungarian language editions of Master’s book The Dogs in My Life and Dr. Will Tuttle’s The World Peace Diet. We also shared Master’s and Dr. Tuttle’s publications, and vegan dog food with a loving woman who keeps rescued animals in her own courtyard at another village. She was very thankful.
Our Budapest Association members are deeply grateful to God for all the opportunities to help those in need and to grow spiritually through our participation in this caring mission. We pray all those without homes, both humans and animals alike, will soon find permanent, warm and loving places to live.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for Winter Relief Work and Helping People and Animals in Need in Hungary
| Description | Amount (EUR) | Receipt |
|---|---|---|
| Supplies (clothes, gloves and blankets), food (vegetables, bread, spices and soy protein) and cutlery | 359.38 | A |
| Supplies (clothes, shoes, gloves, socks, boots, kitchen utensils, cleaning products, cutleries), food (fruit, bread, noodles, soy protein), vegan dog food and transportation | 3,581.82 | B |
| Total | EUR 3,941.20 (US$4,395.34) |
Winter Relief Work – January 17, 2016
Winter Relief Work – January 24, 2016
Winter Relief Work in Salgótarján
Winter Relief Work in Budapest
Winter Relief Work in Miskolc
Winter Relief Work in Alsószentmárton Village
Assistance for Families in Need
Animal Center in Sárospatak