Supreme Master Ching Hai’s Compassionate Heart for Aulacese Students

The Aulacese are very spiritual people. On the map, you can see that the physical shape of Au Lac is unique, like an "S"-shape or like the Tao symbol. Au Lac is the only country appearing in this shape! Backed by the mountains and facing the sea, the whole shape is like this. Spiritual lands bear great people. Age after age, many high spiritual practitioners, great heroes and renowned philosophers have been born in that country, but the world does not recognize these facts.

~Supreme Master Ching Hai
Excerpted from “The Au Lac Refugees - A Blessing for The World”
Hsihu Center, Miaoli, Formosa April 3, 1992 (Originally in Chinese)

It has been over 31 years since the 1975 exodus of Aulacese refugees who left Au Lac by boats, heading for unknown lands. Compared to other immigrant communities in the United States, the Aulacese community is a fairly new one. However, in this short span of history, the Aulacese have proliferated, contributed and become an integral part of the communities and countries they have adopted as their new homes.

Thirty-one years later, the Aulacese now living overseas have established for themselves a financially stable and comfortable life through hard work and diligence. Yet, ever mindful of their former refugee status, these same Aulacese strive to provide a strong foundation and a better future for Aulacese youth and disadvantaged members of the community who are in similar situations as they were before.

In any society, it is always important to guide the young people to build a strong moral foundation. The Aulacese overseas have crafted a motto for their community: “The strength, morality and prosperity of a country rest solely on the strength, morality and beauty of its youth.” Those of the younger generation are indeed the future leaders of tomorrow!

Recently, an article in the Viet Bao Daily newspaper caught Master’s attention. The article reported the activities of the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) at Orange Coast College. Under the guidance of Advisor Dr. Hue Pham, the VSA Scholarship Foundation was established to help disadvantaged students pursue and continue their studies in an institution of higher learning. Seeing the need in this meaningful endeavor, Supreme Master Ching Hai decided to contribute US$10,000 to the VSA scholarship fund to assist the underprivileged students, as She has always done through similar scholarships in other countries, including a recent contribution towards the scholarship fund for destitute university students in the Philippines. (Please see News #170, “Drops in the Ocean of Love” section.)

In the lecture “The Au Lac Refugees - A Blessing for The World”, Supreme Master Ching Hai also revealed:

Au Lac’s people have great blessings spiritually, but not in the worldly sense. Some of them are saints. Some have practiced very well, to a very high level. They have sacrificed their attained positions and descended as refugees in order to help the world, sowing spiritual seeds in many countries. Only Master knows. Therefore, I strive everywhere to help them, not only because they are my countrymen, but also for the whole world.

The VSA is active in many colleges and universities throughout the United States, including UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), Yale, and USC (University of Southern California). Its aim is to promote diversity, cultural awareness and community enrichment.

Centrally located in Orange County, the largest Aulacese community abroad, the Orange Coast College (OCC) VSA is considered to be the most active and strongest organization of its kind. Annually, the OCC VSA hosts a Culture Night to celebrate, share and introduce audiences to the beauty and grace of many Aulacese cultural traditions.

On July 12, Golden Year 3 (2006), representatives from the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association went to Orange Coast College to deliver Supreme Master Ching Hai’s generous contribution to the VSA Scholarship Fund. Executive Director of the VSA Scholarship Fund, Douglas Bennett and Dr. Hue Pham, Dean of Counseling and Special Services, wholeheartedly welcomed our Association members and they expressed their gratitude to Master on behalf of the students.

Executive Director Douglas Bennett: We’re very grateful to receive this gift of $10,000 from Supreme Master Ching Hai in support of the Aulacese Student Association here at Orange Coast College. The money that is provided for the scholarship would be very valuable, and it is the largest gift that we’ve ever received for this particular scholarship. Dr. Hue Pham and I are very excited that we can partner with the Supreme Master Ching Hai to provide this benefit for our students. It would be able to help a lot of students who are members of the V.S.A. to be successful in their studies, whether it’s here at O.C.C. or if they’re transferring on to Cal State or a UC in California or in the East Coast.

Mr. Douglas Bennett (middle), Executive Director of VSA Scholarship Foundation and Dr. Hue Pham (right), Dean of Counseling, happily received US$10,000 contribution from Master Ching Hai for the needy students.

The letter of appreciation from Orange Coast College Foundation, USA

Dr. Hue Pham: I’ve heard of Supreme Master Ching Hai and I was able to watch some of Her programs on TV before. When I was contacted and informed that there’s a possibility of a monetary contribution from Supreme Master Ching Hai, I said, “That’s wonderful!” I really appreciate Supreme Master Ching Hai for giving us this scholarship and this is the biggest contribution that we’ve ever had for this organization. From the bottom of my heart, and all of the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) here, I’d like to thank you so very much. And I wish Her well, and I wish that more and more people will hear Her teachings, especially spiritually, which is the food (for the soul) because there is the special need to be able to find our inner peace. And also, if everyone can be able to create their own inner peace, that peace will be able to spread out to the whole world, that’s my wish.

Executive Director Bennett also wrote a letter of appreciation to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her gift to the students.

Therefore, the Aulacese abroad bear a heavier responsibility than those in Au Lac, because currently in Au Lac people do not have the means for development. But we do overseas, so we must take full advantage of these available means to develop our spiritual life, our mind and capabilities to the maximum level.

~Supreme Master Ching Hai
Houston, Texas , USA March 1, 1991 (Originally in Aulacese)