The Supreme Master Ching Hai
By Âu Lạc News Team
(Originally in Aulacese)
January and February 2013
The traditional Tết holiday is the most important of Aulacese celebrations. It is a time when family members gather to pay their respects and express New Year’s wishes to their friends and loved ones.
Before Tết Quý Tỵ (New Year of the Snake) in 2013, Supreme Master Ching Hai sent a gift of US$20,000 and asked our Association members to kindly use the sum to help the elderly individuals living alone or in hardship.
As the nation eagerly prepared for the coming New Year celebrations, members of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association formed teams, prepared gift bags and set out to spread Her love in Northern, Central and Southern Âu Lạc.
Festive Gifts Delivered in Northern Âu Lạc
In the provinces of Thanh Hóa, Bắc Ninh, Hải Dương, Quảng Ninh, Thái Bình and Hải Phòng, many aging residents face hardship due to illness or living circumstances, and have no one to depend on.
With US$3,720 of Supreme Master Ching Hai’s contribution, our northern team purchased supplies and filled 240 gift bags with blankets, clothing, cookies, candy, rice cakes, instant noodles, seasoning powder, soy sauce and cooking oil, along with cash assistance totaling VND 12,000,000 (US$577).
On the morning of January 5, 2013 our team departed early to ensure that all the gifts were distributed before noon. Upon arriving at their various stops, we found many residents gathered in large groups, their faces beaming with excitement and joy. Upon receiving their gift bags, the recipients expressed their thanks to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her kindness, and wished Her good health so that She may continue Her charitable work.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for New Year Gift Distribution to the Elderly in Northern Âu Lạc
| Description | Amount (VND) | Receipt |
|---|---|---|
| Instant noodles, rice cakes, sugar, cooking oil, seasoning powder, clothing and blankets | 65,370,000 | A1 |
| Cash assistance | 12,000,000 | B1 |
| Total | VND 77,370,000 US$3,720 |
Tears of Gratitude in Central Âu Lạc
In Central Âu Lạc, our Association members lovingly distributed over 1,000 gift bags to elderly individuals and to monks in need. Each bag, valued at VND 400,000 (US$20), contained vegan cakes, preserved fruit, medicinal oil and cream, rice, sugar, cereal, soy milk, blankets and other items, along with cash for each recipient. All was made possible by Supreme Master Ching Hai’s generous contribution of US$10,000. Upon receiving the gifts, many of the grateful recipients were moved to tears.
Joining our team was a former prison inmate interested in spirituality who was invited in the gift distribution by our Association members. Upon seeing our team members’ affection and concern for the people, the man was deeply touched, saying that he had never before seen such an expression of love. When we visited an elderly woman living alone, we found that she had no utensils in her home, so we promptly went out to purchase utensils for her. While our team members were out, the former prisoner willingly cleaned part of her home, later revealing that he was blessed by a vision of Supreme Master Ching Hai, and that he is now vegan, wishes to follow Her teaching, and would like to be initiated into the Quan Yin Method of meditation.
An 83-year-old nun from Đắk Rông, Đắk Nông Province was moved to tears when she learned that Supreme Master Ching Hai had sent her a gift. She also said that she was deeply thankful to our local Association members for their great support of Supreme Master Ching Hai’s lectures and charitable work. It was through Her lectures and charity work that she came to learn about Supreme Master Ching Hai, whom she greatly admired for Her noble sacrifices. The nun added that she was sincerely thankful to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her concern for others, and promised to continue helping the poor and needy in her area.
Throughout the relief activities, our team felt Supreme Master Ching Hai’s powerful blessing, and was clearly aware of Her role in elevating humanity through Her love and compassion. Even those in need who seemed to be experiencing the greatest difficulty were still happy and considered themselves fortunate.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for New Year Gift Distribution in Central Âu Lạc
| Description | Amount (VND) | Receipt |
|---|---|---|
| New Year gifts including cakes, preserved fruit, candy, rice, soy milk, cooking oil, blankets, medicinal oil and scarves | 195,348,000 | A2, B2 |
| Cash assistance | 23,000,000 | C2 |
| Transportation and other expenses | 1,700,000 | D2 |
| Total | VND 220,048,000 US$10,579 |
Unforgettable Tết in Southern Âu Lạc
In the southern portion of Âu Lạc, our Association members purchased supplies with a US$6,280 contribution by Supreme Master Ching Hai. They eagerly distributed 320 gift bags in the southwestern and southeastern provinces as well as in Sài Gòn. Aside from cooking supplies and vegan food, each bag given to the recipients included an envelope containing VND 200,000 (US$10).
Upon receiving the bags, the people were deeply touched. They said that the gifts, filled with love and grace, made this year’s Tết especially heartwarming and unforgettable.
Our Association members throughout Âu Lạc who were involved in this special Tết gift-giving effort were sincerely grateful to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her boundless compassion, and for giving them the opportunity to share Her love with those less fortunate.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai for New Year Gift Distribution in Southern Âu Lạc
| Description | Amount (VND) | Receipt |
|---|---|---|
| Rice, vegan noodles, cooking oil, sugar, soy sauce and vegan food | 64,000,000 | A3 |
| Cash assistance | 64,000,000 | B3 |
| Expenses for transport of relief items | 2,630,000 | C3 |
| Total | VND 130,630,000 US$6,280 |
Throughout the relief activities, the team members paid their own expenses.
