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| Master’s Words
The Way to Heaven’s Mercy and Protection
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Videoconference: Eden on Earth Art Exhibition, Taipei, Formosa, July 5, 2008 (Originally in English)
If we can save the planet and all species thereof, then it is excellent. That is, if all turn to a life-loving diet, the vegetarian diet, then we will continue to live and enjoy prosperity, long life, peace and happiness for a long, long time, forever. And the world will continue to exist in glory and love, like Heaven. That is, if everyone becomes vegetarian and does good deeds. That’s it; only two things that we have to do to save this planet: vegetarian diet, doing good deeds. Very simple. If not, then we cannot save the planet. Nothing we can do, except to rely on God’s grace and our virtue. We have to protect ourselves, only by being virtuous, by being correct, kind, loving and forgiving. We can only protect ourselves by protecting others, humans and animals alike. Protecting humans means reminding them of the noble way of life. That is, refrain from all harm to self and others, including animals and the environment. Strive to do all good according to Heaven’s mandate, helping each other and forgiving at all times. Two things only: Be a vegetarian, do only good deeds. Very simple. This is the best we can do, for now and for all time. Whether it will be the same or it will be darkness for three days, for three months or forever, that depends on humans’ reaction to the present continuous warnings from Heaven and Earth. We’ve been warned from all sides. It is time that we take heed now and return to our natural loving Self. Manifest our love outwardly by protecting and respecting all lives, in action. Meaning again: being a vegetarian and abstaining from all animal products. Not just food, but all animal products. That is the true vegetarian. So, just two things again: being a vegetarian and doing good things for others and for ourselves, of course. But doing good things for others means doing good things for ourselves, because we are all one. And whatever you do, you will reap the reward. If you do good, you will have good reward in return. So for those who walk the way of love, that is, being a vegetarian, being a good human, they will have Heaven’s mercy and protection. There is nothing else we can do to prepare.
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Panorama of Events
Bolivia
World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth
By Mexico News Group (Originally in Spanish)
[Cochabamba] Bolivian President Evo Morales, known as a leader of the world’s indigenous people, called for the first World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, from April 19 to 22, Golden Year 7 (2010) in Tiquipaya, Cochabamba, Bolivia. Over 35,000 people hailing from more than 150 countries attended the climate summit, which offered governments and civil society groups a cherished opportunity to work together to address climate change with the shared goal of halting the devastating impact of global warming. As a result, a collective document entitled “Submission by the Plurinational State of Bolivia to the Ad-Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action” was produced, which incorporates and develops the main content of the “Peoples Agreement” and the draft proposal for a “Universal Declaration of Mother Earth’s Rights.” During the conference, different workshops with topics ranging from action strategies to agriculture and food policies were open to all. Everyone was welcome to voice their concerns and to contribute to the final conference declaration. Representing the world’s indigenous communities, many participants highlighted the traditional values of sustainability and respect for nature, which is much needed to restore harmony on Earth. Official delegates from 47 countries including Finland, France, India, Iran and the UK attended a dialog between the people and governments. Among the recommendations, it was suggested that an international environmental court be created to protect the rights of Mother Earth. To bring awareness to those who took part in the event that the vegan diet is the most efficient solution to climate change, our Association members raised the issue during workshops, and distributed more than 1,000 free vegan sandwiches plus over 85,000 SOS flyers and related information packs created for the conference. The press office was provided with an abundance of materials regarding Supreme Master TV and climate change. In addition, our group was pleasantly surprised by the keen interest of the people in an alternative lifestyle and the fact that many attendees were already aware of the harmful effects of the meat diet and were vegans or cutting down their meat consumption. They were also delighted to see that the government had arranged an area to serve free vegan meals during the climate summit, and a participant’s stand with vegan cakes and treats was a very popular choice for the attendees. The goodwill and determination to save the planet was a shared feeling throughout the event. For banning the use of all animals in circuses in Bolivia, President Evo Morales was honored with the Shining World Leadership Award from Supreme Master Ching Hai. (Please refer to the Shining World Leadership Award column in this issue for detailed report.) President Morales also spoke of the need to reduce meat consumption and shared the relevant information with other Latin American government officials. We are grateful to Bolivian President Evo Morales and all who were part of the World Peoples’ Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth for the love and respect shown to our planetary home. May the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Earth and all beings be protected by formal legislation as proposed by the Declaration formed during the gathering. May our world survive and flourish in peace with more people awakening to the compassionate vegan way of life.
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Chile
The New Eco-Animal Newspaper
By Chile News Group (Originally in Spanish)
[Santiago] Due to their common concern for the current urgent situation of the planet, twelve nonprofit organizations in Chile, including our Association, co-founded a newspaper called Eco-Animal. It published its first issue in May, Golden Year 7 (2010), highlighting hot topics such as global warming and introducing Supreme Master Television to its readers. Their combined efforts also brought the powerful movie Meat the Truth to their local theaters for three months. During that time, our Association’s informative SOS banners were posted at the theater entrances for all movie goers to read. Our local Association members have been actively supporting all the events sponsored by the following organizations: “Protección de los Animales” (Protect the Animals), “Movimiento por la Protección de los Derechos de los Animales” (Animal Rights Protection Movement) and “Agrupación por el Animal Libre” (Free the Animals Group), by providing vegan food and sharing information on sustainable living. Everyone hopes that through their joint efforts, they can raise public awareness on the issue of environmental protection more effectively to help people make a faster transition to a vegan lifestyle. Eco-Animal will continue to provide the most updated news on the planetary condition and to inform its readers of the simplest way to save the world—adopting the plant-based diet.
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Puerto Rico
Celebrating Vegetarian and Meditation Day
By Puerto Rico News Group (Originally in English)
[Puerto Rico] On June 27, Golden Year 7 (2010), our local Association members participated in the Vegetarian and Meditation Day held in the beautiful folkloric town of Croabas in Fajardo in northeastern Puerto Rico, to share the “Be Veg, Go Green, 2 Save the Planet” message. They were thrilled to discover that a lot of people were already aware of the environmental impact of the vegan diet and had already started to choose a more eco-conscious lifestyle. Many of them have visited the Loving Hut restaurants in various locations and watch Supreme Master TV. An environmentalist from the city of Ponce, who stopped by the booth to pick up more information regarding global warming, indicated that she is ready to become a vegetarian and has recently bought her first soy products. An eleven-year-old girl said that she likes to recycle and does many things to help the planet. She is in the process of becoming a vegetarian as well. A mother of four children, who is also a pharmacist with a Masters degree in Nutrition and Holistic Health, is teaching vegetarian cooking classes in the city of Guaynabo. She also offers courses in vegetarian nutrition, in her work with cancer projects. As a guest speaker, one of the Association members addressed the detrimental effects of the meat diet on human health and explained why the livestock industry is the major contributor to global warming. At the end of her presentation, a woman congratulated her, saying that it is important for all the towns in Puerto Rico to have this type of information.
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Australia
Dr. Tavakkoli Speaks on Diet and a Sustainable Future
By Brisbane News Group (Originally in English)
[Brisbane] Dr. Aryan Tavakkoli, a vegan Consultant Physician in Respiratory Medicine in Hutt Valley, New Zealand, has conducted extensive research on the many-fold and far-reaching effects of our diets, and how they affect the environment. She has written and spoken widely about this topic at many venues throughout New Zealand. She also has been interviewed by both local and national radio and newspapers regarding the link between diet and climate change. Dr. Aryan Tavakkoli was invited by our Loving Hut in Brisbane, Australia to give a presentation. She delivered her speech entitled “Greening Up Your Workplace - Our Diet Leading to a Sustainable Future” on September 7, Golden Year 7 (2010), to a room full of teachers, kindergarten cooks, environmental scientists, members of the 7th Day Adventist group, and other interested community members. The following evening, she spoke at another gathering hosted by the Loving Hut in Albion Peace Centre. The seminar was opened by Mr. Andrew Bartlett, the famous vegan politician from “The Greens Party.” Through her talks, the audiences understood better the link between our diet and climate change, and how a plant-based diet is the best solution to this escalating problem. Loving Hut catered both events, enabling the participants to see just how delicious and healthy vegan cuisine can really be. To watch Dr. Aryan Tavakkoli’s speech, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GcKemmnO7Q
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Switzerland
WHO World Health Assembly – Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol
By Geneva News Group (Originally in English)
[Geneva] The World Health Organization (WHO) held its annual World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 17 to 21, Golden Year 7 (2010). The World Health Assembly is the WHO decision-making body and is attended by delegations from all its 193 member states. Every year, it focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. This year, the Health Assembly discussed a number of public health issues, including strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and counterfeit medical products. Alcohol kills 2.5 million people each year, including 320,000 between the ages of 15 and 29. Harmful drinking is a high-risk factor for cardio-vascular diseases, cirrhoses of the liver and a variety of cancers. It is also associated with infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS and TB, and is highly correlated with vehicle accidents, violence and suicides. All the delegations agreed on a resolution to confront the harmful usage of alcohol which contributes to poor health worldwide, devastates families, and damages communities. WHO Assistant Director General Dr. Ala Alwan stated, “The resolution and the strategy set priority areas for global action, providing guidance to countries and giving a strong mandate to WHO to strengthen action on all levels for reducing the harmful use of alcohol.” Effective governance and determined action by all nations involved will ensure the successful implementation of the plan. As WHO Director General Dr. Margaret Chan noted in her address to the Health Assembly, “The strategy sends a powerful message: countries are willing to work together to take a tough stand against the harmful use of alcohol.” WHO will support countries in carrying out the proposal and will monitor progress at national and global levels. Our Association members from Geneva Center had the opportunity to meet and speak with officials, representatives and delegations of different countries. In the process they gave them flyers, documents and DVDs about the urgency of a worldwide change to a healthier lifestyle that includes adopting a vegan diet, which were accepted with great interest.
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United Kingdom
One World Festival to Promote Cultural Diversity
By UK News Group (Originally in English)
[Chelmsford] On May 3, Golden Year 7 (2010), a celebration of the diverse cultures in Essex County, East of England, was held in Central Park, Chelmsford, UK, where people of different ethnic backgrounds such as Polish, Pakistani, Chinese, East Indian, African, Caribbean and Bangladeshi gathered together to sing, dance, tell stories, display crafts, and enjoy food. Our Association members from the Surrey, London and Ipswich Centers took the opportunity and attended this event to distribute SOS flyers, DVDs and other information about climate change, healthy living as well as meditation practice. Many people were amazed by the delicious vegan food samples and were happy to receive a list of supermarkets, health food shops and internet sites where they can purchase the vegan ingredients. Two of our fellow initiates also held workshops on the ancient Chinese Art of Tai Chi and physical fitness, highlighting the importance of a meat-free diet in a person’s well being. The evening ended with a rousing concert of Cuban and Jamaican music by Ska Cubano. Many local communities and organizations expressed interest in the climate change awareness program offered by our Association members and invited them to give lectures and seminars in the future.
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Austria
Loving Hut Inn and Restaurant Pioneering a New Way to Enjoy Life
By Austria News Group (Originally in German)
[St. Kanzian] On July 24, Golden Year 7 (2010), the Loving Hut Inn and Restaurant, the first of its kind, was officially opened in St. Kanzian on the scenic Lake Klopein, Carinthia, Austria. This fourth-largest tourist destination in Austria attracts 170,000 visitors annually. With delicious vegan cuisine, a beautiful European style garden, a playground for children as well as a nice meadow and forest near the lake filled with all kinds of birds singing, it’s an ideal recreation spot. The launch of the Loving Hut Inn and Restaurant was celebrated with a grand opening which delighted many guests from around the globe amongst whom were many dignitaries including nearby St. Kanzian’s Mayor Thomas Krainz and the First President of the Carinthian State Parliament Josef Lobnig. Mr. Josef Lobnig commented, “Here in Klopein, an enterprise opens its gates, thus contributing substantially to fulfilling the wishes of many customers, offering the possibility of the vegan diet, offering customer satisfaction on the one hand and on the other, opening up a path to a great tourist attraction.” In the guest book, the editor of Tierschutznachrichten, the animal rights organization’s journal of “Aktiver Tierschutz Steiermark,” Ms. Michaela Schaller wrote, “It makes my heart sing with joy that there is a place like this! I wish you many guests who appreciate the loving and peaceful atmosphere. Much success and my ♥ felt thanks for your commitment to humans, animals and the environment.” The establishment of the Loving Hut Inn and Restaurant was greeted with enthusiasm by the media in the local community. It was featured prominently in Tierschutznachrichten. Kleine Zeitung, the biggest newspaper in the region, also introduced the resort with a full-page article entitled, “Here Animal Products Are Swept under the Table,” in which it’s written, “Contrary to pork roast with dumplings, the vegan fast food idea is a complete philosophy. And that, according to the press text, means that “Loving Hut was created with the vision that all living beings can live together in peace, love and harmony and in harmony with the environment.” Kärntner Krone Zeitung, the second largest newspaper in that area, also highlighted Loving Hut’s success, stating that within only two years, 163 chain restaurants have been established worldwide. Daniel, one of the happy guests at the inn, wrote an online review at HolidayCheck.at, describing his memorable eating experience at the Lake Klopein Loving Hut restaurant. “The absolute highlight! (It really deserves 7 suns). We really very seldom eat so well and at the same time so healthy. On the extensive menu, you can find everything . . . All very tasty and . . . vegan! It is all beautifully served (the eye eats as well) in a new “feel good” garden. Directly beside the tables is a small children’s playground with a climbing tower, slide, sandpit and mini Hollywood swing, ideal for us with a small child. Everything . . . was perfectly clean. We like it so much that we cancelled our planned late summer holiday in Sardinia! We prefer to come again for a week to have a feast on Lake Klopein.” A hearty congratulations, Loving Hut Inn and Restaurant, as we thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her support of the forward-thinking concept behind Loving Hut International. As more and more people reap the benefits of a cruelty-free vegan lifestyle, may the world advance ever more swiftly toward a peaceful and vibrant future!
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s coverage of the Loving Hut Inn and Restaurant in Austria,
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Canada
Promoting Sustainable Living at the EPIC Expo
By Vancouver News Group (Originally in English)
[Vancouver BC] From May 28 to 30, Golden Year 7 (2010), the 6th annual Vancouver Sun Sustainable Living Expo, or EPIC (Ethical Progressive Intelligent Consumer), was held at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The event attracted more than 300 exhibitors, highlighting eco-friendly products and services ranging from green wedding planning to food, fashion, health, home and transportation. Many big, name-brand companies including Wal-Mart participated for the first time. Our local Association members managed a booth to introduce the importance of the vegan diet to the visitors through displaying Master’s various publications plus Dr. Will Tuttle’s book The World Peace Diet. Many people learned about the benefits of the plant-based diet for our health and the environment. The Association members felt Master’s light and blessing permeating the entire venue and are thankful for this opportunity to share this vital message. Serving at the Outdoor Green Festival [Victoria, BC] Canada’s largest and 6th annual outdoor green festival—the Organic Islands Festival and Sustainability Expo—was held on July 10 and 11 at Glendale Gardens. For the locals and visitors from afar, this event has become the cornerstone of green living as it strives every year to improve, to inform, and to entertain the public on various topics from waste reduction, alternative fuels, and sustainable transportation to the raw food diet, organic agriculture, and ethical trading. As a loyal supporter of the event, our Association members from Victoria and Vancouver returned this year to provide vegan food samples and to distribute related leaflets. Many visitors marveled at all the tasty foods, while others expressed their interest in joining the Meatless Monday Movement. Our Association members were encouraged by the positive feedback and hope that more Canadian citizens will soon adopt the healthy, plant-based diet.
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Mongolia
Mongolians Blessed with Heavenly Gifts
By Ulaanbaatar News Group (Originally in Mongolian)
[Ulaanbaatar] To officially thank 21 cable TV companies in Mongolia that broadcast Supreme Master Television, Loving Hut Ulaanbaatar hosted a dinner party on May 3, Golden Year 7 (2010). During the gathering, our Association members introduced to the directors and representatives from these cable companies the constructive and entertaining programs from Supreme Master TV as well as the founder of this global TV station, our beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai. All guests were surprised and sincerely grateful to receive a framed thank you letter from our Association, along with a selection of Master’s spiritual books, CDs and DVDs. Thanks to the noble work of these TV companies, almost every Mongolian, including many famous people in Mongolia, has heard about Supreme Master TV and its very important messages. In particular, Ekh Oron TV station, sponsored by the well-known Mongolian Sumo wrestler Batbayar, is very supportive in advocating vegetarianism and Master’s teachings. Thank you, the caring personnel at all the cable TV companies. May your enthusiastic service bring about the fast transformation of society to a bright vegan lifestyle. May God continue to bless Mongolia and her pure-hearted people. Captions: Grand Opening of the Khutul Loving Hut [Khutul] On August 28, Golden Year 7 (2010), Khutul town’s first Loving Hut restaurant was opened. Fellow initiates from Darkhan, Erdenet and Ulaanbaatar cities came to help organize an exciting vegan food sampling event to spread the news. The occasion, broadcast through a local television station, was attended by many local people and distinguished guests who spoke on the subject of global warming. Notable VIPs also present were: the former Governor, Mr. Munkhtuya; member of the National Security Board, Mr. Jargalsaikhan; famous actress, Ms. Purevmaa; and the well-known violinist, Mr. Duinherjav. They appealed to the people to change their diet to save the planet and their children. Bringing the Go Vegan Message to Prison Inmates Since early this year, a group of our Association members have been traveling throughout Mongolia and have visited eight prisons in the country, meeting about 2,700 inmates and 580 staff. They took the opportunity to inform everyone about the global warming crisis, its plant-based diet solution and the benefits of practicing meditation. They also demonstrated how to prepare some vegan dishes and provided free samples. Their presentations were enthusiastically received by all the participants and the head officials of all the prisons promised to add vegan food to the menus for the inmates.
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Malaysia
Launching a Loving Hut Franchise to Advocate the Vegan Lifestyle
By Johore Bahru News Group (Originally in Chinese)
[Johore Bahru] On April 25, Golden Year 7 (2010), the first international vegan chain restaurant, Loving Hut, was officially opened in Johore Bahru State, Malaysia, serving animal-free delicacies to its citizens and advocating the vegan lifestyle. The restaurant is conveniently located at Taman Sentosa, a busy commercial district with easy transportation access. Elegantly decorated, the restaurant is ideal for friends and family gatherings. Apart from displaying Master’s best-selling books for customers to read freely, SOS climate change videos are also played constantly so that the guests can enjoy the delicious vegan food and, at the same time, learn about how the plant-based diet can help our Earth. Through advocating the loving vegan diet, it's hoped that more people will adopt this compassionate and sustainable lifestyle. Participating in an Environmental Protection Exhibition to Increase People’s Awareness towards Global Warming On June 13, the Sin Chew Daily, a newspaper with the highest circulation in Malaysia, held an environmental protection carnival at Foon Yew High School, Kulai Branch School. Our Johore Bahru Center also participated in this grand event. Apart from exhibiting related informative material and video footages, our fellow initiates also distributed SOS Climate Change flyers and organized a charity sale of the global warming DVDs, the proceeds of which were given to the school to help with tuition fees for students in need. To be consistent with the main theme—environmental protection—all the food sold by participating groups was served in reusable plastic containers. Visitors were also encouraged to bring their own green shopping bags. Earlier, on May 28, Vesak Day, the Sin Chew Daily also launched a “One Veg Day a Week” campaign and published the vegetarian declarations of the world elites in their supplement papers continuously for six days in their endeavor to encourage more people to support this Earth-loving movement.
Spreading the “Be Veg! Go Green 2 Save the Planet” Message at the St. Anne’s Festival
By Penang News Group, Malaysia (Originally in Chinese)
[Penang] From July 23 to August 1, Golden Year 7 (2010), the annual St. Anne’s Festival celebration was held at St. Anne’s Church in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. The highlight of the event was a candlelight parade. In addition to local believers of that faith, members from Singapore, the UK, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and numerous other countries also joined in the procession. At the event, our Penang fellow initiates set up a booth to advocate the “Be Veg, Go Green 2 Save the Planet” message. They displayed Master’s publications as well as showed Supreme Master Television programs, which attracted a lot of spectators who asked many questions with some even requesting sample booklets. Our Association members also distributed the SOS Climate Change flyers and explained to visitors the importance of adopting the plant-based diet.
Treading the Organic Path
By Kuala Lumpur News Group (Originally in English)
[Kuala Lumpur] The 5th Malaysian Organic & Natural Products Exhibition, held from September 18 to 20, Golden Year 7 (2010), was organized by the Centre for Environment, Technology & Development, Malaysia (CETDEM) for the purpose of advocating good, clean and fair living habits to sustain healthy lifestyles and to protect the environment from harmful farming methods. The event brought together approximately 150 participants in the organic and natural products sector from around the country. In his official address, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture & Agro-based Industries, YB Chua Tee Yong, gave his assurance that organic farming will be controlled and managed based on the standards and guidelines from his Ministry and only certified farms will be awarded the SKIM ORGANIK MALAYSIA (SOM) seal of approval. This practice will ensure consumers of the authenticity of all organic products on sale by retailers. There also were discussions on sustainable farming methods plus demonstrations of organic cooking as well as ways to make eco-enzyme and household compost. A public forum by medical doctors, nutritionists and researchers conveyed beautifully how “Organic Food Is Better than Conventional Food.” As an invited participant, our Association members set up a booth to play DVDs on climate change, to distribute flyers, and to share different kinds of vegan food. Many visitors, exhibitors and volunteer workers were impressed with the tasty and healthy variety. Knowing that meat eating is detrimental to the environment, they decided to make an effort to reduce their intake from now on. Our special thanks to CETDEM for the opportunity to reach out to many souls who care deeply for the environment as well as for sharing many positive ways and ideas to protect our planet Earth.
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Japan
Loving Hut Tokyo Celebrates Its Second Anniversary
By Tokyo News Group (Originally in Japanese)
[Tokyo] Since its grand opening on June 28 two years ago, Loving Hut Tokyo has earned the reputation of being an authentic vegan restaurant and has been featured in various magazines and vegan guidebooks throughout the country. The restaurant sells mainly lunch boxes, but caters for different events as well. In May of this year, one of Japan’s major convenience stores, “Seikatsu Saika,” began selling Loving Hut’s lunch boxes. Most of their customers are business people working in urban office buildings who welcome this healthy mid-day meal option. Recently, the restaurant has received a number of large orders from hospitals and the Ministries of Education, Culture, Sports as well as Science and Technology of Japan, thus providing more opportunities to promote this cruelty-free diet. Participation in many local events has also been an effective way to share this noble lifestyle, with more than 3,300 vegan meals being served at the June 21, 2010 Earth Day celebration. Moreover, the Loving Hut staff wisely printed QR bar codes on top of the lunch boxes so that information on global warming and the benefits of the vegan diet can be downloaded through scanning of the codes by cell phone users. It’s a great promotional tool in Japan as many people use the QR code system frequently. The Loving Hut Tokyo staff hopes that their diligent efforts will help people make swift changes in their lifestyle to create a peaceful world.
The 10th SOS Global Warming Seminar
By Gunma News Group (Originally in Japanese)
[Gunma] Shizuoka Prefecture is the home of the world famous Mount Fuji and many of Japan’s signature products such as green tea, apples, tangerines, strawberries and wasabi. To raise public awareness about global warming and its potential threat to this beautiful place, the Gunma Center held its 10th SOS Global Warming seminar on July 3, Golden Year 7 (2010), at the Shizuoka Convention & Arts Center (GRANSHIP) in Shizuoka City. The participants had the opportunity to watch DVDs related to the subject and to listen to insightful speeches. One of the three guest speakers who is the director of a Japanese non-profit vegetarian organization awakened the audience to the gruesome cruelty involved in the livestock industry. The seminar was a great success and all 30 participants promised to adopt an organic vegan diet. One commented, “Such detailed scientific data is difficult to ignore. This is the first time that I have heard about it. Everyone is so busy in their daily lives that they neglect to notice the world around them. I will endeavor to do whatever I can to spread this information to people near me.” Another guest said, “I have been watching Supreme Master Television, and I feel very privileged to have been able to take part in this seminar . . . I am strongly drawn to becoming a vegan and to refraining from doing any work that’s associated with killing. From now on, I will strive to help alleviate global warming.” The initiates were delighted with the outcome of the seminar and felt honored to contribute their part to the noble mission of saving the planet.
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Korea
An International Book Fair and Veggie Promotion
By Korea News Group (Originally in Korean)
[Seoul] From May 12 to 16, Golden Year 7 (2010), our Association members displayed Master’s publications at the 2010 Seoul International Book Fair which took place in the COEX exhibition hall in downtown Seoul. The event, with the theme “The Book Reads the Future,” was hosted by the Korean Publishers Association and attracted 595 publishers from over 20 countries. Our group rented two booths and exhibited the Korean versions of The Dogs in My Life, and The Birds in My Life, the English version of The Noble Wilds, as well as Master’s other spiritual books and News Magazines. In addition, DVDs and video clips on animals were played. Two hands-on programs were designed to encourage the guests to be more involved, to help them better understand that animals are our friends, and that we should coexist in harmony with them. A Veggie Promotion and Animal Protection Campaign co-hosted by a few NGOs took place in Myungdong, the heart of downtown Seoul, on July 29 to introduce cooling plant-based summer energy food to replace the traditional meat protein through food sampling, performances, distribution of flyers and a signature collection campaign. Free vegan food was provided by one of our Loving Hut restaurants. The event was covered by SBS and Yonhap News Agency as well as other media. Loving Hut Actively Serves the Public [Seoul/ Incheon] Two vans were converted into bright yellow Loving Hut vehicles by our Seoul and Incheon Center Association members. To introduce and to promote the plant-based diet, they drive around the city selling vegan burgers and vegan sandwiches in public areas. Free sampling is also available at times, to entice the passersby to try this new healthy cuisine. People who have tasted their food have commented that the flavor is terrific, much better than expected! [Busan] In July, the 5th Loving Hut was opened in Busan, which is the 40th one in South Korea. Located in Geumgok-dong district, the restaurant serves a large variety of delectable vegan dishes to its customers. To ward off the summer heat and to help people stay healthy, nutritious meals including vegan chueotang were offered free of charge to 100 guests on July 29, Jungbok Day, one of the hottest days of the year according to the lunar calendar. Guests were happy to learn that vegan food was perfect for rejuvenating the body and increasing stamina. Loving Hut restaurants in all the other cities in Korea have also been actively participating in local events to support the “Be Veg, Go Green 2 Save the Planet” movement. On June 11, Golden Year 7 (2010), Busan Loving Hut had the honor of serving an organic vegan lunch at a conference co-hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the South Korean Environment Ministry. Attended by government officials from 97 countries and representatives from 50 organizations, the five-day event was organized to establish a new panel called The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). This new team will help enhance the collaboration between the development of government policy and scientific research in order to halt the unprecedented decline of biodiversity and ecosystems. Prior to the conference, a UNEP-supported report urged a necessary shift away from animal products in order to minimize its dramatic climate impacts. Achim Steiner, the Executive Director of UNEP, mentioned during the Q&A session, “Production of livestock, in particular meat products, is an enormously intense one in terms of consumption of resources. Therefore, the panel is saying that, yes, let us change our lifestyles. Reducing meat consumption is part of the solution in a world with soon 9 billion people.” The catering was a success, and at the lunch, the participants had the opportunity to discuss with each other the health and environmental benefits of the vegan diet as well as to read the related guidebook that was given along with the meal. [Daegu] Since February of this year, the Daegu Loving Hut (Shin-Mae branch) has been providing free meals to some students who can’t afford to buy lunch. After consulting with the schools and the community office, the restaurant staff selected 15 students from 9 schools in their neighborhood and gave each of them 25 food vouchers, which enables them to enjoy healthy meals free of charge. The service has been warmly received by the parents. The mother of one of the recipients called the Loving Hut to tell them, “My son was always hungry, but now he is full because of your food vouchers.” The chief of the Gosan1-dong Community Office also visited the restaurant in person to express his appreciation. Commemorating the Release of the Korean Version of The Noble Wilds [Busan] From July 25 to August 1, to celebrate the publishing of the Korean version of The Noble Wilds, the #1 Amazon best seller written by Supreme Master Ching Hai, our Association members organized a seminar, a photos exhibition and a concert in Busan. The seminar was held at Sarang Bang Hall. After watching a video related to the book, VIPs including distinguished professors, the famous movie director, Mr. Kim Hee-Jin , and a poet gave insightful comments and read congratulatory letters. The event concluded with several performances and a hearty vegan buffet. The audience learned to appreciate the beauty and the spiritual meaning of this publication. A monk said that he felt the powerful heart charka energy while he was reading the book. Inspired by its contents, director Kim firmly decided to adopt the vegan lifestyle. A gentle and loving atmosphere filled Young Gwang gallery where The Noble Wilds photo exhibition was held. Visitors were deeply moved by the spiritual message of this treasured book. The day before the conclusion of this event, an “Eco Music Concert” entertained guests with songs by the well-known vegan singer Park Chang-Geun, in addition to dances and instrumental performances. It was heartwarming to hear that many attendees were encouraged to become vegan. [Gwangju] In order to promote vegan school lunches and to address the urgent issue of climate change, Hope Group Meal Alliance for a Green World organized an international seminar on May 15 at the Chonnam National University Convention Hall in Gwangju City entitled “A Complete Meal Heals Children’s Health & the Earth.” Outside the venue, our Association members in Gwangjiu, together with Green Action of Chonnam National University, offered free vegan food. Those who attended the seminar were amazed by the variety and taste of the plant-based delicacies and were even more convinced that it really is easy to make a dietary change in schools and in their own lives.
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Formosa
People from all Walks of Life Promote Going Veg to Save
the Planet
By Formosa News Group (Originally in Chinese)
[Formosa] In Golden Year 7 (2010), people from all walks of life in Formosa have organized many different activities to promote the idea of going veg to cool the Earth as well as to remind the public about the important role the vegan diet has in mitigating global warming. The “Be Veg, Go Green 2 Save the Planet” campaign has been sweeping through Formosa since its commencement. In the media, some famous TV show hosts, in collaboration with Taiwan Public Television, have produced a series of programs entitled, “The Battle to Save the Planet.” The show hosts invite experts to share their thoughts on worldwide natural disasters caused by global warming and to discuss the possible solutions. They call on the public to eat more fruits and vegetables, and less meat to save the Earth. To help people understand the disadvantages of meat consumption, the President of the Formosa Public Welfare Advertisement Association, Mr. Xu Zhongren, encouraged advertising agencies in Formosa to broadcast a 30-second TV commercial “Eat Less Meat, Save the Earth and Save Taiwan” beginning on April 1. He also asked members of the association to set up “Save Taiwan, Eat Less Meat” posters in their retail outlets. The President Chain Store Corporation, the sub-group of The President Logistics Corporation where Mr. Xu is working, promptly responded in support of his initiative. Since April, all of their stores have begun selling many brands of frozen vegan foods. Religious groups in Formosa are promoting vegetarianism enthusiastically as well. They have worked together with many restaurants to encourage people to go veg as a way to purify their body, mind and the environment. They also distributed free vegan meals to the public. In response to Master Cheng Yen’s plea of “The Vegetarian Diet Is a Must,” Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital organized a vegetarian prayer event asking people to follow a pure vegetarian diet for the month of July for spiritual purification. Led by the director of the hospital, some 500 participants—including staff, volunteers and patients—joined in the event. Yi Lan Saint Mary’s Medicine, Nursing and Management College called on its students to abstain from meat on Mondays. They also scheduled another meat-free day promoted by the Parish to reach the goal of protecting the Earth as instructed by Pope Benedict XVI. The NGOs in Formosa have established the platform for “Meatless Monday” and have spread the message through various activities. Now, even the restaurants that serve mainly meat dishes have started to pay attention to “Meatless Monday.” Mr. Xu Xianhong, the President of the Association of Chain and Franchise Promotion, Taiwan, and Mr. Huang Xian Xiang, the President of Xiang Xin International Cuisine Group, attended the meatless day activities. Mr. Huang also requested his meat restaurants to fully support the “Meatless Monday” campaign. These grass root activities launched by civic groups have been acknowledged by the Formosan government. Right now, the Yuan Legislation and other government agencies are taking part in the save the earth campaigns. At the end of April, the Formosa Economic Planning and Development Committee established the “Carbon Reduction Performance Review Panel.” On June 5, World Environment Day, Formosan President, Mr. Ma Yin-jeou, announced the Environmental Education Law which requires all organizations, public institutions, preschools, elementary schools and government officials to participate in the environmental education program for at least 4 hours every year so that environmental protection awareness takes root in people’s lives. The Formosan Education Bureau, National Science Committee, and National Science and Technology Museum all joined hands to set up the first climate change exhibition with the theme “2010 Science Season: Love Earth with Action – Climate Change Exhibition.” During his opening speech, the Minister of Education, Mr. Wu Qinji, requested everyone to eat less meat and to work together to reduce carbon emissions, showing more love toward the planet. Taipei City Mayor, Mr. He Longbin; Tao Yuan County Mayor, Mr. Wu Chiyang; Hsinchu City Mayor, Mr. Hsu Ming Tsai; Hua Lian County Mayor, Mr. Fu Kunchi; Tainan City Mayor, Mr. Hsu TianTsai; Kaohsiung City Mayor, Mr. Chen Ju; and Pingtung County Mayor, Mr. Cao Chihong all publicly expressed their support for the “Going Veg 2 Love the Earth” campaign and encouraged everyone to follow suit. The most encouraging news is that the younger generation in Formosa understands the importance of adopting a vegetarian diet to fight global warming and they have taken action. According to an unofficial statistic, since the beginning of the “Meatless Monday” campaign, sixty percent of the schools in Formosa have responded to the request for meat-free lunches at frequencies ranging from once a week to once a month. The Taipei City Education Bureau designated this year as “Ecology Education Year” and promotes having “one vegetarian day a week” for the purpose of environmental protection and to help students form the dietary habit of eating less meat and more fruits and vegetables. The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association members are always seen working quietly behind the scenes of these spontaneous promotion activities. Fellow initiates from different counties, townships and cities have held almost a thousand seminars in schools, organizations, companies and communities. They also have been distributing informative leaflets on a regular basis. With more people joining the plant-based diet circle in Formosa, the number of vegetarians/vegans has soared from two million (mainly religious believers) to four million. So far this year, the sales figures for the vegan vacuum packed meals sold at the four major convenience store chains has reached 500,000 which is 2.9 times greater than the number sold in 2008. We are hoping that everyone will adopt the healthy, Earth-sustaining, vegan diet in the near future to save our precious world.
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| Panorama of Events
USA
Cooking Classes and Cooking Contest
By Los Angeles News Group (Originally in English)
[Los Angeles] Since early this year, our Association members from Los Angeles have been giving free vegan cooking classes to the public at the local libraries. After two months of presentations, several libraries have invited the cooking team to their libraries to hold the classes without any charge or need of application forms. They even offered to make announcements at the libraries and place advertisements in the local newspapers. So far these invitations have been extended to 2011. The gatherings have been very successful and the participants were very delighted to discover the tastiness of the vegan dishes. Many of them had wanted to become vegetarians for a while, but had no idea how to start. They were excited to learn to cook vegan dishes and to find vegan recipes online so that they can try them at home to share with their families and friends. References: http://www.VeganLosAngeles.com From April 20 to early May, our Association members were invited to participate in the “Judges Come to Your Home Cooking Competition” that was held by ZWTV, a new Chinese television digital channel 57.9 broadcasting in Southern California. All three of our vegan cooking teams received the Superior Award and two of our brothers who participated in the homemade food section received the Popularity Award. May more health-conscious people learn to make tasty vegan dishes and dine at local vegan restaurants to ease their transition into this loving, eco-friendly dietary choice. Book Fair Unveiling a World of Cultural Enrichment Attracting more than 130,000 book lovers over the weekend of April 24, the 15 th Annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books was held on the campus of the prestigious University of California, Los Angeles. Amidst 300 diverse exhibitor booths representing booksellers, publishers, and literacy and cultural organizations, this largest and most esteemed book fair in the country featured over 400 authors. There also were appearances and engaging readings by celebrities, such as the acclaimed vegan actress and animal welfare advocator Alicia Silverstone, and actress Bernadette Peters. Our Association members showcased Supreme Master Ching Hai’s #1 international bestselling books, The Dogs in My Life, The Birds in My Life, and The Noble Wilds. Their presentation conveyed the message of cherishing our co-inhabitants and the environment. Visitors lingered to read the books and went away with SOS flyers, vegan cupcakes and big smiles. Our appreciation goes to the Los Angeles Times, the University of California, the city of Los Angeles and all the supporters of this wonderful event. May humanity’s love of reading be a timeless vehicle for elevating our world. A Seminar with Dr. Will Tuttle at Loving Hut Upon invitation from the Loving Hut located in a large shopping mall in Orange County, California, Dr. Will Tuttle conducted a two-hour seminar, on Saturday afternoon of September 4, Golden Year 7 (2010), on his outstanding twenty-first century book, The World Peace Diet. Dr. Tuttle introduced his publication to about 35 audience members. He explained how most people have been living their lives eating at least three times a day without ever thinking about what it took to bring that food to their table. Such a habit of not thinking about what happens during the behind-the-scene processes has been carried into their daily lives in the attitude of how people treat one another, with wars and violence still continuing in today’s world. He encouraged those present to live deeply and honestly. Everyone was completely taken by Dr. Tuttle’s speech. The seminar was followed by a Q&A session in which someone asked how to deal with loved ones who are not into veganism, a challenge common to many people. Dr. Tuttle responded that we can never change another person since the real transformation can only come from inside oneself. He then made reference to one of his own experiences when several years ago during a holiday family gathering, his sister teased him about being a vegan. However two years later, one day she suddenly called him and said that she had become a vegan after hearing and reading so many things in the news about the meat diet. It just takes time for some people finally to make such a major change in their lives. But the important thing is to begin planting the seeds now. Dr. Tuttle also said, “There are only two kinds of people on this planet, vegans and pre-vegans. I trust that as long as 10% of the population on this planet are vegans, the rest will just follow.” He concluded the seminar by playing a piece of piano music from his CD, “Islands of Light” that he had composed. The audience was totally immersed in his beautiful music. At the book signing event afterwards, the Loving Hut staff served vegan refreshments and introduced to the interested guests the vegan cooking shows conducted at the restaurant, and also by our Association members at local libraries in Los Angeles and San Diego. They introduced Supreme Master Television to them as well, for further information about vegan cooking, climate change and so on. The seminar turned out to be a great success. May the partnered effort of Loving Hut and Dr. Tuttle bring a positive transformation to all the participants and help them choose this compassionate Earth-saving lifestyle. The Grand Metro Bus Campaign
By Virginia News Group (Originally in English)
[Washington, D.C.] Our Virginia Center joined forces with our Association members from other states on the east coast of the USA and on August 16 launched a metro bus campaign promoting the vegan diet. Thanks to the generous assistance from CBS Outdoor, North America's most diversified Out-of-Home media provider, large taillight posters, with phrases such as, “A Vegan Diet Is The Fastest Way To Stop Climate Change” and “Be Veg, Go Green 2 Save the Planet,” have been affixed to 50 metro buses. The promotion will run for at least four weeks on the busiest routes in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. It’s estimated that the impressions from such advertisements can reach over 4 million people. Let’s pray that the campaign will plant many seeds for future vegans. Loving Hut Selected as the 2010 Best Food Vendor
By Florida News Group (Originally in English)
[Florida] Orlando Fringe Festival, the longest-running Fringe Festival in the U.S., returned to Loch Haven Park in May for “12 days of theatre, art, dance, music and madness.” It included free outdoor stage performances from over 70 local, national and international companies. Loving Hut for the second time joined the event as a vegan food vendor. However this year, they had better equipment and also increased the variety of the delicacies they provided. The Fringe Festival website commented, “Everyone who’s eaten from the Hut agrees that it’s not only nice to have this vegetarian /vegan vendor as a non-meat option at the Festival, but that just about everything they serve is actually quite tasty.” At the end of the event, Loving Hut was voted as the 2010 Best Food Vendor, and was gifted the art piece –“Golden Spore” created by Doug Rhodehamel and received the Audience Choice Awards from thedailycity.com. Loving Hut in Florida is currently offering a free vegan cooking class once a month and has taught classes in the county libraries. In addition, they provide a weekly all-you-can-eat buffet at affordable prices and contribute the extra food to churches and homeless shelters.
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| Spiritual Tips
Good Actions Bring Heavenly Benefits
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai at an international gathering
on July 18, 2009 (Originally in Chinese)
Thank you for supporting good ideals and helping the world, helping the planet, helping humans and helping animals. It’s good for you to do it: Good for you and good for your merit. Heaven takes note. Anything good you do is noted as good in Heaven. Also, anything bad we do reduces our points. Every good thing we do, every good job we do, a good profession even, earns points in Heaven. For example, if you are a farmer and you grow organic food for people, Heaven gives you very high points. If you make clothes or weave clothes for people, or blankets and all that, Heaven gives you very good points. For anything that benefits the children of God, Heaven gives you good points and high points; anything that’s harmful to the children of Heaven brings minus points. Not only bad points but minus points: minus and bad points, so we go down. Every good profession that fulfills people’s needs brings us up with good points. Good profession, good job—good points. Bad profession, bad job—bad points. So even if you sell steamed buns, that’s a good profession. Even if it’s just part-time or a weekend job, it earns different points, more points, extra points, apart from meditation; and putting flyers in there is more extra points, and saves the planet. Because your idea, your heart wants to save the people, wants to save the humans and save the world. Six billion people, that’s a lot of merits! And many, many millions of animals; that’s a lot of merits also. So, put all your heart, your love into it. Then of course you have merits; even if you don’t want it, you have it.
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| Master Says
The Top Four Killers
Video message from Supreme Master Ching Hai, Vegan Earth Day for a Vegan World Woodland Hills, California, USA, June 21, 2009 (Originally in English) Throughout hundreds of thousands of years of history, humankind has evolved. We have come a long way. How far may surprise us. And it may surprise us that even war is not the worst thing that happens. There are far worse killers. If you allow, I will name them for your sake, perhaps for my sake as well. We live together on the same planet; we have the same concerns. So what concerns you, concerns me. There was a time when humans killed other humans – even just to eat. Now, doing so is a crime. We call it murder – people killing people, the most heinous crime of all crimes. Whether old or young, light skinned or dark, Christian or Muslim, Buddhist or Sikh – to take the life of a human is in some places still punishable with one’s own life being taken in return. Today, people kill animals to eat. But now humanity is being called to an even more elevated and compassionate moral level of conduct: A future day is dawning where killing animals, too, shall be called a crime. It has happened in some places already. In America, a teen has just been recently judged as to have committed a crime by killing serially 19 cats. In the civilized society that should be; we protest war; we hold rallies to stop the senseless killing of human against human; we plead with governments to enact policies of peace; we judge the murderer as one whose standards are less than human, as one guilty of an act so unimaginable that the person is shunned by society for the rest of his or her life. An entire elaborate legal system is established; an enormous squad of personnel and forces are employed to impose punishment for the reprehensible act of causing death to another human, for robbing others of their beloved or their kin. Evidence is gathered, juries are summoned, the most learned judges preside, armed guards stand watch, impenetrable prisons are built, police risk their safety in defense of human life, and schools and families teach moral conduct - all to prevent such crimes from occurring. We take much time, energy, and our collective resources to protect life thus. One day, we will also protest against the murder of our animal co-inhabitants. And by extension, we will denounce anything in the future that kills, because killing is a crime that must be stopped. These silent killers, they are unnoticed by most of us. They are in our home every day. I will try to point them out. It may surprise you, it may not. To some of you, it is obvious; to some of you it will be the first time that you realize who our enemy truly is. The Top Killers KILLER #1: MEAT MEAT or animal products, animal so-called food. Surprised? There will be more. MEAT kills literally billions. A staggering 55 billion animals, 8 times the entire global human population, are killed for human consumption each and every year, with a total loss that translates to more than 150 million beings killed every day. This is not even counting the several billion fish that perish. Humans, too, die each year because of meat and fish, and anything related to animal consumption. Nearly 33 million people succumb to meat-related diseases annually through heart disease, cancer and other conditions that claim the lives of more than 90,000 persons each day; 90,000 persons die each day because of animal consumption! And then there are those who cannot obtain food because the grains they need are used to feed animals that will be killed for meat. Approximately 25,000 people die of hunger every day, on top of the 90,000 people who die because of meat. There are 25,000 people who die of hunger indirectly, also because of meat. And now on top of this, we have hundreds of thousands of people dying each year, as the victims of meat-caused global warming. We have tens of millions of others who are made homeless due to climate change. We call them climate refugees, if there is such a term; in fact, they have no status. And this does not include the innocent wildlife and domestic animals who suffer because of meat-related problems. Meat causes global warming, and kills and kills and kills. Therefore, MEAT is murder, a crime that must be stopped. Although some of you already know the horrifying effects of meat-related diseases, I’ll make a rundown here for the sake of those who are not aware. SOME DISEASES RELATED TO MEAT CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION: Mad cow disease (90% of the population at risk). Swine flu, you know already, presently the world pandemic. Ebola-Reston virus. Cured meats and fish increase leukemia risk in children. Antibiotic-resistant “superbug” infections from a strain of Staphylococcus aureus. Blue tongue disease. E coli. Salmonella. Bird flu. Pig's disease (PMWS). Listeriosis. Shellfish poisoning. Pre-eclampsia. Campylobacter. Clostridium difficile. Diseases, hidden even in healthy-appearing livestock. SOME OF THE COSTS OF MEAT EATING INFERTILITY: Eating just one serving of meat per day increases the risk of women’s infertility by 32 percent; the more meat consumption, the more risk. HEART DISEASE: Over 17 million lives lost globally each year. Cost of cardiovascular disease is at least US$1 trillion per year. CANCER: Colorectal cancer: Over 1 million new colon cancer patients diagnosed each year as well; more than half a million die of it. In the United States alone, colon cancer treatment costs about US$6.5 billion. Millions of people are newly diagnosed with other meat-related cancers every year. DIABETES: 246 million people are affected worldwide. An estimated US$174 billion spent each year on treatment in just the United States. OBESITY: Worldwide 1.6 billion adults are overweight with 400 million more who are obese. Costs US$93 billion each year for medical expenses in the United States alone. At least 2.6 million people die annually from problems related to being overweight or obese. ENVIRONMENTAL COST: Meat and related productions: Uses up to 70% of clean water. Pollutes most of the water bodies. Deforests the lungs of the Earth. Uses up to 43% of the world's cereal. Uses up to 85% of the world's soy. Causes world hunger and wars. Causes 80% of global warming. PLUS MORE… The list goes on! SOME OF THE COSTS OF MILK CONSUMPTION Now, even MILK, which we have been told officially is good for us, is on the contrary poison and causing diseases (and of course financial loss). Here are some: Bacterial microbes, pesticides and enzymes found in cheese, derived from the inner stomach linings of other animals. Up to 80 percent of the calories in cheese are from pure fat. Breast, prostate and testicular cancer from hormones present in milk. Listeria and Crohn’s disease. Hormones and saturated fat leading to osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Linked to higher incidence of multiple sclerosis. Classified as a major allergen. Lactose intolerance. And of course global warming! PLUS MORE… The list goes on. Luckily for us, we can avoid all these by a simple cure: the VEGAN DIET. HERE ARE SOME BENEFITS OF A VEGAN DIET Lowers blood pressure. Lowers cholesterol levels. Reduces Type 2 diabetes. Prevents stroke conditions. Reverses atherosclerosis. Reduces heart disease risk 50%. Reduces heart surgery risk 80%. Prevents many forms of cancer. Stronger immune system. Increases life expectancy up to 15 years. Higher IQ. Saves 80% of a total cost of US$40 trillion for reducing global warming. Uses 4.5 times less land to grow food. Conserves up to 70% clean water. Saves 80% of the cleared Amazonian rainforest from animal grazing. A solution for world hunger: Frees up to 3.4 billion hectares of land. Frees up to 760 million tons of grain every year; that is half the world’s grain supply. Consumes 1/3 the fossil fuels of those used for meat production. Reduces pollution from untreated animal waste. Maintains cleaner air. Saves 4.5 tons of emissions per US household per year. Stop 80% of global warming or more. The list goes on. But that’s not all. I wish that’s all there was, but it’s not. To clean up our society and to protect world citizens from other deadly diseases, we also have to eliminate other root causes, such as alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Permit me to list them all here for the benefit of those unaware, and for the sake of our children, because these are killers also.
KILLER #2: ALCOHOL ALCOHOL kills millions, slowly or quickly. There are 2.3 million alcohol-related deaths per year worldwide. It is a crime that we must stop. HERE ARE SOME OF THE TRAGIC TOLLS of ALCOHOL 2.3 million alcohol-related deaths per year worldwide. Each year alcohol-related illnesses cost: US$186.4 billion in the United States alone, from US$210 to US$665 billion globally. Diseases caused by alcohol: All kinds of fatal illnesses such as liver, breast, colon cancer, etc… and cardiovascular disease as well. Please refer to our website because I can not list all of the details here. First, it will be too long, so we have a website: www.SupremeMasterTV.com/KILLERS. In this you will find more information about what kills us, what kills our planet, what kills our children, because the list goes on. Okay, I’ll continue to list them for you here. Higher amounts of alcohol increase cancer risk. Even half a glass of wine daily increases the risk of mouth or throat cancer by 168 percent; and metal toxicity. It causes also brain damage such as amnesia and dementia, and brain shrinkage. It causes vital organ failure including: heart failure, liver, kidney, stomach, pancreas, eyes. It causes birth defects like mental retardation, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, stunted growth, facial deformity, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and miscarriages. Also it causes violence. Alcohol-related violence includes child abuse in 50% of the cases; violence toward loved ones in 30% of the cases; violent acts in 40–80% of the cases; Suicides in 20-50% of the cases. And the list goes on. SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF AVOIDING ALCOHOL Luckily for us, we can escape all that suffering and prevent it for our loved ones by avoiding alcohol. Here are some visible benefits. A) RESTORES THE HEART: Stroke risk reduced 50% by quitting smoking and restricting alcohol consumption, along with more exercise and higher fruit and vegetable intake. Researchers in Spain find that alcohol-free beer reduces cholesterol levels along with other potential heart benefits, without any of the risks associated with alcohol consumption. B) FINANCIAL SAVINGS: A Canadian study estimates alcohol intervention programs could save 880 lives and US$1 billion every year. C) REDUCES MORTALITY: A 10% decline in vodka sales resulted in a significant decrease in alcohol-related deaths in Russia in one year. Exercising, drinking less alcohol, eating fruits and vegetables, and not smoking extends life expectancy by 14 years. D) REDUCES CANCER: A World Cancer Research Fund study finds that reducing meat and alcohol consumption decreases cancer risk. E) AIDS RECOVERY: The brain’s regeneration and performance are increased once alcohol consumption ceases. Alcoholic hepatitis patients can gain complete recovery if the patient gives up alcohol and has a good diet, like the vegan diet. Bodybuilding.com states that bodybuilders who refrain from alcohol consumption experience benefits in terms of muscle gain, hydration, recovery, metabolism and mental focus. F) BOOSTS SOCIETY WELLNESS: A New Zealand liquor ban resulted in 98% less liquor offences as well as a reduction in other crimes. Research in New Mexico, USA shows that Sunday bans on alcohol sales resulted in fewer collisions and traffic casualties. Alcohol-related crimes dropped by 15% following an alcohol ban in Aberystwyth, UK. An alcohol ban became permanent in the jetty area of Coffs Harbour City, Australia, due to its success in reducing crime. In the US state of Florida, raising the legal drinking age from18 to 21 significantly reduced auto accident-related fatalities. A voluntary ban of alcohol sales to youth under 21 in the UK’s Marske village was made permanent as crime and anti-social behavior were reduced by the ban. An alcohol ban in US colleges helps overall alcohol abstention and reduces bouts of drunkenness and secondhand effects of drinking.
KILLER #3: DRUGS Now we come to killer number three, namely, DRUGS. Drugs destroy lives, intelligence and function of countless of our kind, wreaking grief and havoc on families, darkening or terminating people’s future, youths’ future especially, as youths are impressionable and easily fall into this kind of temptation. Drugs can do all that. Drugs kill, often at a tragically young age. Is this not an intolerable crime begging to be stopped? Allow me to tell those who are still not informed. SOME OF THE TRAGIC TOLLS OF ADDICTIVE DRUG ABUSE It causes over 200,000 deaths per year, not including crime related fatalities. It costs US$181 billion in the United States alone, and US$33 billion in the UK annually. A lifetime cost of current drug addiction amounts to US$575 billion in the UK. HARMFUL EFFECTS OF DRUGS INCLUDE: Brain damage. Stroke. Heart disease. Liver disease. Tuberculosis. Emphysema. Cancer. Depression. Suicide. Permanent memory loss. Mental illness. Higher infant mortality. Increased crime and violence. Impotence. DRUGS CAUSE CRIME AND VIOLENCE: Illegal drugs are a factor in 50% of burglaries in the United Kingdom each year. In the US, 60% of people arrested each year have been taking illegal drugs. 650 heroin addicts in the US committed 70,000 crimes in a three-month period. SOCIAL COSTS OF DRUGS: US businesses lose US$100 billion per year due to employees’ drug and alcohol abuse. Australians pay US$53 billion per year for health care, law enforcement and lost productivity of drug users. SOME ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS as well. Every GRAM of cocaine produced DESTROYS 4.4 SQUARE METERS OF RAINFOREST, WITH 300,000 HECTARES OF RAINFOREST LOST EACH YEAR TO COCAINE PRODUCTION. DEATH DUE TO DRUGS: 52 people die each day due to drugs in the US. In Canada, substance abuse is attributed to 21 percent of total deaths and 23 percent of potential life years lost due to early mortalities. PLUS MORE… And more. And more. How to regain our healthy, normal and worthwhile life? There is a solution. You have a solution. HERE ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF ADDICTIVE DRUG ABSTINENCE TREATMENT In the US, treatment for drug addiction has been shown to save lives, as observed over a 1 year period, reduce crime and rebuild families, along with: 69% of those treated being drug-free at least one year after treatment and 64% reduction in arrests one year after treatment. Again, this is just a one year observation, and the trend should continue… and would continue as people regain their normal health and clarity of mind due to the drug-free lifestyle. A California, USA study found that for every US$1 invested in drug treatment, US$7 was saved through reduced crime, health and welfare costs, and increased income stability. Some 60% of cocaine and heroin in the US is consumed by people who get arrested in the same year; thus, treatment that helps them to overcome drug addiction reduces crime and market demand for drugs. A doctor in Arizona, USA, identified a new outpatient treatment for methamphetamine addicts, showing an over 60% success rate in rehabilitation. Twenty years of research in the US has demonstrated that drug treatment programs are effective in reducing crime, as well as improving the health and social function of the participants. Drug-free workplace programs are found to result in: Lower absenteeism. Fewer accidents. Higher productivity. Improved morale. Better employee health. Decreased use of and expenses for health benefits. Lower corporate insurance premium costs. And the list goes on, of course. We have all that on suprememastertv.com/KILLERS. Please refer to it for more details. Also we have them here and there on almost all our SupremeMasterTV.com blogs. So please check them at random. Also on suprememastertv.com/SOS.
KILLER #4: TOBACCO Nearly five and a half million people every year are robbed of their life-breath by TOBACCO. Smoking changes one’s genetic structure, permanently, causing a higher risk of cancer. Sadly, this is the single most preventable cause of death in the world, making tobacco also a crime. HERE ARE SOME OF THE TRAGIC TOLLS of TOBACCO 5.4 million smoking related deaths per year worldwide. COSTS OF SMOKE RELATED ILLNESSES: US$96 billion in the United States alone. “Light” and “mild” cigarettes just as harmful. Causes cancer and diseases in animal companions. Speeds the aging process. Toxic residues of third-hand smoke also kill. We have not included the harms that tobacco do to the children as well. Now, tobacco causes: HEART DISEASE: Coronary thrombosis, Cerebral thrombosis, Kidney failure. CANCER: Lung Cancer, Esophagus Cancer, Kidney Cancer, Bladder Cancer. CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE: like Emphysema, Bronchitis. STROKE IMPOTENCE ADDITIONAL HARMS FOR SECONDHAND SMOKING INCLUDE Sudden infant death syndrome. Infertility. Miscarriages and premature deliveries. Childhood asthma, bronchitis, ear infection. Cleft lip or palate. Hyperactivity and aggression in asthmatic boys. Circulatory problems in women. And more, and more, and more. The list goes on. SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF AVOIDING TOBACCO Of course, again, lucky for us there is a solution for all this tragedy: AVOID TOBACCO. Say NO to tobacco. Here are beneficial, life-saving choices for you. A) SMOKING BANS SAVE LIVES. Quitting smoking and restricting alcohol consumption, along with more exercise and a higher fruit and vegetable intake, reduces the risk of strokes by more than half. United Kingdom’s ban on smoking in public places reduces passive smoke effects, which are linked to loss of life for more than 11,000 people every year. In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said that sales of tobacco to underage youth have reached all-time lows in all 50 states. The number of young smokers aged 18 to 29 has fallen by 30% in Victoria, Australia, thanks to the smoking bans in pubs and clubs. Smoking rates in Japan have been declining, reaching an all time low this year. B) SMOKING BANS mean reduced Acute Coronary Syndrome: Rome, Italy, experienced an 11.2% decrease in acute coronary events in the first year after a smoking ban in public places went into effect. Israeli researchers reported that people who stop smoking, the increased risk of sudden cardiac death seems to disappear immediately. The National Sanitary Institute in France announced a significant decrease in heart attack rates following the country’s smoking ban, with a decrease in secondhand smoke effects as well. New York, USA experienced an 8% decline in hospital admissions for severe heart attacks, after a comprehensive smoking ban, which translates into healthcare savings of US$56 million in one year. C) SMOKING BANS mean Better Health: Data from the National Population Health Survey shows those who smoke have higher rates of chronic conditions such as bronchitis, asthma and high blood pressure. Smokers and those exposed to secondhand smoke develop colon cancer about 7 years earlier than nonsmokers. D) SMOKING BANS mean Healthier Children: Research from Michigan State University in the USA and The David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre in the UK show that the smoking habits of mothers during pregnancy increase asthma risks in some children. Children regularly exposed to secondhand smoke have more than triple the risk of lung cancer as well as higher risks of other respiratory problems later in life. E) SMOKING BANS are Good for Business: In his annual report, UK Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson said a public smoking ban would save an estimated £2.7 billion per year: Namely, £680 million saved by having a healthier and more efficient workforce. £140 million saved through fewer sick days. £430 million saved from productivity loss from smoking on the job. £100 million saved from clean up costs related to cigarette smoking. PLUS MORE… And more, and more. Now you can see, we have to prioritize our choices. Either the abundant, beautiful, peaceful planet, or sorrow, suffering, or worse: loss of all lives. And ALL these crimes of killing – from MEAT, ALCOHOL, DRUGS, TOBACCO – MUST AND WILL stop. In their place, what will we have? Happiness, longevity for animals and humans alike. Limitless health and wellness. Intelligence and creativity. A shared love and joy as never before remembered. In short, we will have a new, wondrously elevated humanity in all aspects. Together, let’s envision this future, our well-deserved beautiful future, in which all lives are upheld and cherished as one and the same. Let’s be happy, because it seems that this day is already dawning. May Heaven bless us all! And God loves us! So for the sake of all that lives on this planet, let us make a wiser choice. For example: Instead of meat, we become vegan. Instead of polluting the world, we go green. Instead of intoxicants, we will be merged in the blessing of God, through prayers, yoga, meditation, etc. And instead of planting drugs, we plant organic vegetables and fruits. I wish you all the best in the embracing love of Heaven. So be it. Thank you for doing your part. May you be blessed. To watch the Supreme Master Television’s coverage of this videoconference, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/WOW1046s.php
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UN Urges Move to Vegan Diet
By UK News Group (Originally in English)
A major new report by the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management calls for a radical change in the way that economies look at resources, especially when it comes to their effects on the environment. The report entitled “Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production: Priority Products and Materials” was launched in June 2010 by both the UNEP and the European Commission. As outlined by UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, it states that the two leading causes of environmental pressures are energy and agriculture: “Two broad areas are currently having a disproportionately high impact on people and the planet’s life support systems—these are energy in the form of fossil fuels and agriculture, especially the raising of livestock for meat and dairy products.” The report identifies agriculture and related food consumption as one of the most important drivers of environmental pressures affecting habitat and climate change, water use and toxic emissions. It also explains that the growing global population and developing economies will cause impacts to be even more accelerated unless patterns of production and consumption were to change, especially starting at home with people’s everyday choices. Specifically highlighted is that an unsustainably large proportion of the world’s crops are fed to animals, with the report also stating that agriculture, particularly meat and dairy production, accounts for 70% of global freshwater consumption, 38% of total land use and 19% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Last year, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said that food production would have to increase globally 70% by 2050 in order to feed the world’s growing population. However, the UNEP now states in this new report that the current agriculture industry would be overwhelmed by population growth and that diets rich in meat and dairy products are unsustainable: “Impacts from agriculture are expected to increase substantially due to population growth increasing consumption of animal products. Unlike fossil fuels, it is difficult to look for alternatives: people have to eat. A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products.” One suggested solution to steer people away from animal flesh is to place a tax on meat that reflects its effect on the environment. European Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik said that he believes this is the direction the UNEP should be heading: “About the consumption of meat . . . I certainly believe that we would need some tax reform . . . I think that’s the direction in which we should go . . . certainly, the thoughts of limiting meat consumption should be taken seriously!” The report, which will be presented to world governments, urges policy makers to adopt strict but creative measures to avoid adverse consequences. Bravo UNEP International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management, European Commission and all scientists involved in producing and supporting this forward-thinking report. We pray that all governments worldwide take quick and decisive steps to create a sustainable planet that can be enjoyed by all. To watch Supreme Master Television’s program, United Nations Environment Programme Report: Worldwide Diet Change Is Necessary, please visit: http://video.godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/EE1405.php
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Shining World Leadership Award
Mongolian President Calls for Compassionate Governance
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By Ulaanbaatar News Group (Originally in Mongolian)
Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj is a dedicated, progressive leader who has brought about many changes to benefit his nation. Soon after being established in office in June, Golden Year 6 (2009), he initiated an amnesty law to help free prisoners of war. On January 14, 2010, His Excellency announced that he would use his presidential rights to pardon all prisoners condemned to death, by commuting all such verdicts to 30 years’ detainment. He said, “The majority of the world’s countries have chosen to abolish the death penalty. We should follow this path.” Since his term began, not a single death sentence has been carried out. In his speech to Parliament explaining why it is necessary to abolish capital punishment, President Elbegdorj eloquently stated, “There could be a multitude of reasons and varying circumstances and settings for committing a crime that carries a death penalty. Yet, the guiding principle for the Head of State on whether to approve a death penalty must be singular. That single principle is to pardon the offender. As the Head of State of Mongolia, I will remain faithful to this principle because it guarantees and safeguards the value of human life.” President Elbegdorj has always worked toward a transparent and honest governance, freedom of speech in the media, poverty elimination and environmental protection. At the December 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, His Excellency mentioned during an interview with Supreme Master TV that a conversion from livestock raising to vegan farming would be preferable for the environment and for his fellow citizens. In recognition of the country’s outstanding compassionate action in making changes in the judiciary system that allow for greater leniency, fostering rehabilitation and treasuring life, Supreme Master Ching Hai granted the Shining World Leadership Award to Mongolia. The Award was presented to President Tsakhia Elbegdorj on April 23 in his presidential office by our Association members. He graciously accepted this honor and expressed his sincere appreciation to Supreme Master Ching Hai. Our respectful congratulations, President Tsakhia Elbegdorj, for your noble stand in support of life and mercy. Blessed be such exemplary leadership in encouraging similar tolerance among all decision-makers, for the benefit of Mongolia and indeed the world.
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Bolivia – World’s First Country to Ban Use of All Animals in Circuses
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By Chile News Group (Originally in Spanish)
Circus animals lead agonizingly cruel and stressful lives, being confined to small cages and constantly being transported thousands of miles from city to city. Life on the road does not provide them an opportunity to have adequate food, water, exercise or veterinary care. Lacking social interaction, mental stimulation and a regular physical work out, these animals often go insane with boredom and exhibit behaviors typically seen in abused animals such as head rocking, repetitive movements and chewing their own limbs. They often become sick due to unhygienic conditions and insufficient physical activity. In 2009, to stop the cruelty involved in animal circuses, the Bolivian Congress passed the 4040 Law of Circuses without Animals to ban the use of all wild and domesticated animals in traveling circuses. Wild animals or certain species have already been prohibited in circuses in Austria, Costa Rica, Croatia, Israel, Singapore, Finland and Denmark. Bolivia distinguished herself as the first to ban every wild and domestic animal from circuses. Ms. Anita Serrano Revollo, co-founder and president of “Love for the Animals – Bolivia,” was a co-author of the law. She had initiated the campaign that brought about this decision with the support of The Honorable Ximena Flores, Member of the Bolivian Congress, and UK-based animal protection group Animal Defenders International. In describing how the law became a reality in parliament, Ms. Flores said, “We had to work in a much more systematic way, to win the 130 votes from the members of parliament and the 27 votes from the senators.” “It gained the acceptance of the deputies, was approved, and finally reached the office of the President of the Republic, His Excellency Evo Morales. With that acceptance, we had the opening that we needed, and the confidence of the President who finally signed that decree into law, which now governs the entire country.” The 4040 Law of Circuses without Animals states that the use of animals in circuses “constitutes an act of cruelty.” It sets fines for transgressions and allows for animals to be taken away and to be placed in a better environment by officials. The Bolivian government immediately started to inform the general public about this new law. The media also played an important role in spreading awareness. In addition, work began to bring former circus animals to new, safe homes in sanctuaries. For their pioneering legislation to protect all kinds of animals from exploitation in circuses, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored Congresswoman Ximena Flores with the Shining World Leadership Award. Furthermore, for signing the bill into law, His Excellency Juan Evo Morales Ayma, President of Bolivia, was also a recipient of the Shining World Leadership Award. In receiving Master’s Award and Her various publications from our Association members, Congresswoman Flores said, “It is an honor and I truly receive this gift with great humility, but more than for me, I receive it on behalf of all of you. There are many of us who did it, many people who are here, whose faces I recognize, and I acknowledge their struggle. Then, of course, many thanks and my greetings and respect to Master Ching Hai, on behalf of the Bolivian people also, because I’m sure that Her thinking is shared by many of us, that we are facing the same direction, to have a more humane world free from animal suffering. Thank you very much.” Heaven bless you, Congresswoman Ximena Flores, President Evo Morales and Bolivia, for leading the way in protecting the well-being of our animal co-inhabitants. Many thanks as well to concerned citizen Ms. Anita Serrano Revollo for your continuing efforts to bring this and other issues on animal protection to your leaders’ attention. May nations everywhere join in eradicating the suffering of circus animals and eventually all animals, as we pray for harmony between humankind and every part of God’s creation, for a joyful future.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/EE1437.php
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Honoring a Wise President of the Philippines, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
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By Formosa Award Group (Originally in Chinese)
Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, former President of the Philippines, stepped down from office in June, Golden Year 7 (2010), having served her country for nine years. To express appreciation to President Arroyo for her tremendous contribution to the country, many celebrations were held in her honor in the Philippines. One of the grandest events was arranged in the main hall of the famous St. Paul University in Manila. As Supreme Master Ching Hai is well-known to the Philippines for the love, care and financial assistance that She has frequently extended to the people there over the years, Madam Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Commission for Culture and Arts, wrote a special letter to Her inviting Her to attend this grand occasion. To convey Her gratitude to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her efforts to uplift the nation, endowed with security and economic stability that has brought prosperity, peace and blessings in addition to creating a bright future for the people, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored her with the Shining World Leadership Award. A spectrum of brilliant entertaining programs performed during the celebration on June 7 showed the deep respect, love and appreciation of the Filipino people from all walks of life towards President Arroyo. The highlight came when representatives from The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association presented the Shining World Leadership Award to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on behalf of Supreme Master Ching Hai. The Letter of Commendation written by Master to the President was shown on the big TV screen at the event, bringing heartwarming emotional responses from the participants. Channel 5 of the National Broadcasting Network (NBN) aired the entire celebration. The Manila Bulletin, the No.1 newspaper in the Philippines, and the Presidential Palace official web site also reported the Award presentation. Our sincere appreciation to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who strives to create a world filled with understanding, love and tolerance. May this beautiful and benevolent country of the Philippines continue to be blessed by God to prosper in peace.
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European Commission Helps Rebuild Tsunami Stricken Sri Lanka
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By Singapore News Group (Originally in English)
The European Union donated EUR147 million last year for tsunami recovery assistance in Sri Lanka. Part of the donation made it possible for the International Organization for Migration to reconstruct an impressive EUR1.88 million Vakarai Maha Vidyalayam school building in collaboration with Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Education. This school accommodates more than 1,000 students and represents not only an educational commitment by and for the people but also a strengthening of the social fabric of the many cultures that are interwoven into the area. In recognition of its outstanding devotion to humanity’s wellbeing, Supreme Master Ching Hai conveyed the Shining World Leadership Award to the European Commission (EC). On November 11, Golden Year 6 (2009), representatives of the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association traveled to Colombo, Sri Lanka to make the presentation to EC Ambassador Bernard Savage, who was delighted and honored to accept the Award on behalf of the Commission. He applauded the work that the Supreme Master Ching Hai and Association members are doing throughout the world and says it is very much in line with the European Commission’s vision and work ethic. The staff members at the EC were incredibly warm and helpful. They were very appreciative of the gifts of books, DVDs and vegan sweets from the Supreme Master. Mr. Savage’s personal assistant said the books would go into the Commission’s library for all to read. During an interview, the Ambassador also noted the many other activities that the EC is involved in, such as road rebuilding, sewage treatment plants, housing redevelopment, and social planning. He expressed time and again his excitement as well as feelings of worth and honor to be able to help oversee these Sri Lankan projects for the Commission and her partner states. May all students and staff enjoy a safe and secure future in Heaven’s grace, and may God bless all the European member states for their benevolence and care towards those in need.
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Jordan and Iraq Ban Smoking in Public Places
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By Award News Group (Originally in English)
Jordan and Iraq took the first step towards creating new, clean-air countries by banning smoking in public places. They now have joined the many other nations in the Middle East such as Qatar, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan, who are fighting tobacco addiction. The Jordan Ministry of Health announced that smoking in public places including the airport, malls and tourist-related restaurants is banned as of March 2009. The ministry will carry out the law by imposing a JD15-25 fine on those caught smoking in public facilities or a penalty of imprisonment ranging from one week to one month. In addition, the ministry provided for each institution to choose one of its employees as a law enforcement officer to make sure that people are obeying the smoking ban in these places, especially in governmental agencies. Most of the country’s malls have already begun implementing the new ruling, with progress going well and people now able to breathe clean air. The Iraq Parliament has imposed a new smoking ban in all government, school and other public sector buildings to help reduce statistics which currently estimate that 55 people die each day from smoking-related illnesses. The goal is to eventually forbid smoking in offices, cafés and on public transport as well. Substantial fines of up to US$4,000 for violating the law will support its adherence plus a smooth and effective implementation. In recognition of their landmark legislation to decrease smoking and to promote the health and wellbeing of the citizens, Supreme Master Ching Hai gave Jordan and Iraq the Shining World Leadership Award. On January 20, Golden Year 7 (2010), the Award plaque and the framed letter from Master were presented by our Association members to Iraq’s Minister of Health, Mr. Salih Mahdi Mutlab al-Hasnawi, at the grand opening ceremony of the first Iraqi Health Office in Amman, Jordan. The Iraqi Health Minister, the Jordanian Health Minister, the Iraqi Ambassador and nearly 200 important VIPs from the largest NGOs were in attendance, including representatives from UNHCR, WHO, CARE, the International Red Cross and many others. Thirteen television stations were there covering the event as well as Supreme Master Television. Many government officials also received Master’s DVDs and books. Mr. al-Hasnawi was very touched and almost moved to tears during the Award ceremony. There was a very high and noble understanding and acceptance of the intent of Master’s message, not only by the Iraqi minister but also by the Jordanian minister, the Ambassador and the other officials in the room. On May 18, our Association member presented Dr. Nayef Al-Fayez, Jordanian Minister of Health, the Award, the accompanying letter from Master, a selection of Her books, DVDs and CD’s as well as some chocolates, in the Groud Hotel Kempinski in Geneva. The Jordanian Ambassador to the United Nations and several other officials were also in attendance. Dr. Al-Fayez was very pleased and expressed his warm gratitude, adding that Jordan is also going to ban smoking on buses and trains. Our appreciation, Jordan and Iraq, for these measures to improve the lives of your fellow citizens. May many governments be similarly inspired to strive for the blessing of clean air and a smoke-free world. To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of the Iraqi Minister of Health’s Award presentation, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/EE1339.php
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Khan-e Forough-e Mohabbat - The Light of Kindness in Iran
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By Iran News Group (Originally in Persian)
Ms. Ghazaleh Lotfi has always had a dream to have many children and a big family. Five years ago, she was inspired to open Khan-e Forough-e Mohabbat (Light of Kindness House), a loving home for children in need in Mashhad, Iran. There, a group of dedicated individuals provide a nurturing and caring environment for children who have lost their parents to death, addiction or poverty. At the Forough-e Mohabbat homes, special attention is paid to the individual resident children’s emotional, physical and educational needs in addition to their personal interests and talents. Apart from science, mathematics and other subjects typically included in a standard school curriculum, the children are taught music, art, yoga, religious values and traditional Iranian culture. They also study the Qur’an. The goal of the organization is to bring out the best in each child and to provide them with a genuine family atmosphere so that they can grow up in a healthy setting and eventually contribute constructively to society. For their dedicated, selfless endeavors, Ms. Lotfi and Dr. Ramin Zafari, founders and executive directors of Forough-e Mohabbat Charity Institute, received the Shining World Compassion Award from Supreme Master Ching Hai. The Award ceremony took place on August 6, Golden Year 6 (2009) in Tehran, accompanied by a music concert given by the children of Khan-e Forough-e Mohabbat. Our Association members presented the crystal plaque, framed letter and US$10,000 contribution from Master as well as a selection of Her books, DVDs and CDs, to which both Ms. Lotfi and Dr. Zafari expressed their heartfelt appreciation. On behalf of the entire loving Forough-e Mohabbat family, young Hoda expressed a message of affection and gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai. “Because of your beautiful spirit and loving attention, you have made our spiritual Mum and Dad so happy; we are grateful to you. My brothers and sisters and I are so overjoyed that God has given us a benevolent friend from the other side of the world who loves us and values us; and we thank God for this . . . .” Supreme Master Ching Hai sent a beautiful reply to Hoda and all the residents at Khan-e Forough-e Mohabbat. “You are not empty-handed. Your hands and hearts are full of love and readiness for the service of others in the very near future. I love you all and Heaven loves you. ♥♥” We thank the dedicated staff of the Forough-e Mohabbat Charity Institute in Mashhad, Iran, who selflessly strive to improve the lives of children in need with much love and attention. May Allah bless all children with caring homes and all the nurturing experiences they require to lead the world effectively to future peace and harmony.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/EE1367.php
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Saving the Ancient Leatherback Turtles
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By Florida News Group, USA (Originally in English)
Matura Beach in Trinidad is one of the nesting places of leatherback turtles that have been traveling the world’s oceans for the last 100 million years. However, in the 1980s, nearly one third of the turtles that nested on that beach were killed by poachers for their meat and egg, or due to fishing, coastal development and pollution. In order to save these beautiful creatures from extinction, Suzan Lakhan Baptiste, a local woman and her team of dedicated volunteers formed Nature Seekers in 1990 and started cruising the beach every night during the turtle nesting season. She often walked alone until sunrise to make sure that every female leatherback was safe. She even quit her daily job to suit her patrolling schedule. In 1993, Mrs. Baptiste received a prestigious award from the United Nations Environment Programme. With her courage, compassion and great leadership, she and her group have won the battle of saving this graceful marine species, and completely stopped poachers’ activities. Today, leatherback turtles enjoy a survival rate of virtually 100 percent on Matura Beach. In recognition of her enormous efforts in saving these animals and elevating human consciousness, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored Mrs. Suzan Lakhan Baptiste with the Shining World Compassion Award, which was presented to her by our Association members last September in Matura, Trinidad. At the Award ceremony hosted by Mr. Dennis Sammy, Manager of Nature Seekers, Mrs. Baptiste was given a framed Award letter and a beautiful crystal plaque from Master as well as Her internationally best selling books. In addition, she received a check of US$10,000, which was Master’s contribution to Nature Seekers. As a token of appreciation, Mr. Sammy presented Master with a Turtle Adoption Certificate, certifying that a turtle called Matura was adopted by Her. Following the Award presentation, a vegan lunch was served to all the guests. Our humble thanks Mrs. Suzan Lakhan Baptiste for your compassionate endeavors, safeguarding the lives of these precious beings through your exceptional love, nobility and heartfelt care.
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Hong Kong Bovine Savior
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By Hong Kong News Group (Originally in English)
For more than a decade, the chairwoman of the World Animal Rights Charity Association, Ms. Au Yeung Sin Yu has provided a comfortable and loving environment for over 100 rescued bovines. In recognition of her noble and mercifully endeavor, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored Ms. Yu with the Shining World Compassion Award and a US$10,000 contribution, which was presented to her on May 6, Golden Year 6 (2009) by representatives from our Hong Kong Centre. Ms. Yu, also known as Yeung Yeung, is a compassionate vegan who volunteered her service at the Vietnamese Refugee Camp in Hong Kong for more than 10 years. Then one day in 1997, she heard a news report on the radio about the government catching stray cows and sending them to the slaughterhouse; some had even fallen from the crane in the process. Feeling very distressed about this kind of situation, she went to different government departments to inquire about them. Finally, she found a group of detained cows; all skinny, helpless and teary-eyed. She decided to help them and founded the World Animal Rights Charity Association, also known as the Cow’s Home Hong Kong. Over the years, Ms. Yeung Yeung has rescued more than a hundred bovines from the government, farms and auctions, using her savings as well as money from sold properties and jewelry. Currently, there are about 116 of these beautiful animals, including wild cows, oxen, milk cows and buffalos, living in Cow’s Home. Treating them like beloved pets, she has given each one of them a name and works more than nineteen hours a day to take care of them. Apart from letting them graze on fresh grass, with the help of two hired workers, she also prepares super nutritious meals for them. Ms. Yeung Yeung said that cows have a lifespan of more than thirty-year, so she would like to keep them in good health for the rest of their lives. Upon receiving the Award and the financial assistance, Ms. Yu expressed her deep gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai for the timely help and said all the funds will be used to build a new Cow’s Home. We thank Ms. Au Yeung Sin Yu and all the volunteers, who lend a hand in this compassionate work, for their loving care of our bovine friends. May Cow’s Home Hong Kong be an ever peaceful and restful place for these loving creatures to pass their days.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/AW1044.php
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A Place of Peace and Knowledge for Underprivileged Children
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By Formosa Award Group (Originally in Chinese)
In the 1990s, Mr. Uttam Sanjel began telling stories to children living on the streets in Nepal and from this, was inspired to help them receive an education. He sacrificed his dream of becoming a Bollywood star and started building sturdy, earthquake-resistant structures with simple, inexpensive, easy to obtain bamboo. He called the schools “Samata Shiksha Niketan” which means “Place of Peace and Knowledge.” In addition to offering education and guidance, these schools also provide food and lodging for destitute children. In recognition of Mr. Uttam Sanjel’s charitable deeds benefiting the underprivileged kids, Supreme Master Ching Hai conferred on him the Shinning World Compassion Award. On December 3, Golden Year 6 (2009), our Association members travelled to the Bamboo School in Kathmandu, Nepal, and with all the teaching staff and students in attendance for the ceremony, presented Mr. Uttam Sanjel with the beautiful plaque, a US$10,000 contribution and a commendation letter from Supreme Master Ching Hai. Mr. Sanjel was greatly encouraged by this acknowledgement and expressed his heartfelt gratitude. He later wrote a letter to Master thanking Her for Her love, support and contribution. He also described the current situation of these educational institutions and his vision of their future. “Our school is a home for all helpless children and this has only been possible with God’s helping hand behind us. At the present time, we have eleven schools in eleven districts of Nepal where around 18,000 children are being educated. Our plan is to extend this to building a school in every one of the 75 districts of Nepal. Within 10 years, this will be extended to include colleges. For this to happen, we need to have moral support and goodwill from across the world, and this is why we are so grateful for your contribution.” We sincerely thank Mr. Uttam Sanjel for his loving example and compassionate efforts of providing education for underprivileged children. With God’s blessing, may his school extension projects soon become a reality, creating a brighter future for all Nepalese children.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/EE1416.php
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A Vegetarian Doctor Lovingly Takes Care of Homeless Dogs
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By Formosa Award Group (Originally in Chinese)
Dr. Zareen Patel of Pune, India, is a vegetarian, a clinical geneticist and also a guardian angel for stray dogs. She uses her income and dedicates a great deal of her time to taking care these homeless animals. She built a shelter close to her ancestral home that sits on half an acre of land to house nearly a hundred dogs. She works tirelessly day and night, looking after those loving beings. Upon arrival, each one is vaccinated, sterilized, and then given some healthy vegetarian food. To commend the compassionate deeds of Dr. Patel and her shelter staff, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored them with the Shinning World Compassionate Award along with a US$5,000 contribution to support their noble mission. On December 6, Golden Year 6 (2009), our Association members presented Dr. Zareen Patel the Award, which she shared with all her staff. In thanking Supreme Master Ching Hai for acknowledging her work, she also conveyed her great admiration to Master for Her charitable deeds worldwide and for all the positive programs on Supreme Master Television. She promised to use the money to improve the wellbeing of the dogs, getting them spayed or neutered, feeding them better food, building new houses, and planting more trees to help cool down their living environment. As a remembrance of this special recognition and to express her gratitude, Dr. Patel decided to name her place The Supreme Master Ching Hai Dog Shelter. She said, “Life is something that is very precious to all of us, including animals, so we have no right to kill them. My message to the world is: Stop killing animals. And that’s how I think we will help the animal kingdom.” Dr. Patel wishes that one day all animals will live in a world of peace loving care and tolerance. She also encourages people to put themselves in the place of the animals, because they deserve to be treated kindly just as we do.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interviews and coverage of this Award presentation,
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Pioneering Efforts in Advancing Animal Rights and Welfare
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By Bulgaria News Group (Originally in Bulgaria)
“Vier Pfoten,” or Four Paws, is an international foundation with headquarters in Vienna, Austria, and multiple branch offices throughout Europe. In 2008, the foundation signed an agreement with the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food to jointly implement Bulgaria’s Animal Protection Law. This official agreement is the first of its kind in the European Union between a government and an animal welfare organization. Four Paws will be included in the planning, preparation and execution of all necessary rules and regulations. The main focus of the agreement is on farm animals, laboratory animals and animals in zoos and circuses. Four Paws has been active and best known in Bulgaria, for ending the cruel treatment of dancing bears, for its 12-hectare “Dancing Bears Park” near Belitsa town, for the animals’ rehabilitation, and for its caring efforts of homeless dogs. To recognize the outstanding achievements and dedicated work of Four Paws in establishing Bulgaria’s Animal Protection Law and the protection of the dancing bears, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored Mr. Dadi Einarsson, Head of the Bulgarian Branch, with the Shining World Compassion Award. The crystal plaque, along with a letter expressing Master’s love and appreciation, was presented to Mr. Dadi Einarsson on June 19, Golden Year 6 (2009), by members of our Sofia Center. Thank you Four Paws for being such a noble example for other organizations and individuals to follow. May we all enjoy a kinder and more harmonious coexistence with our marvellous animal friends, bringing great peace to our world.
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| Shining World Inventor Award
3G Solar, Israel Low-Cost Green Power for All
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By Award News Group (Originally in English)
Israeli company 3G Solar has developed the first commercial-size solar energy system that uses colored dyes rather than the more costly silicon, and remarkably also functions in sunless conditions. Similar to the natural process of photosynthesis this third generation solar technology utilizes simple organic dyes much like the way nature uses the green pigment in plants and algae to absorb light and convert sunlight into energy. Dr. Jonathan Goldstein, Founder of 3G Solar, and Mr. Barry Breen, CEO of 3G Solar, explain that the manufacturing costs are very low, about a fifth of conventional silicon or thin film production for first or second generation solar power technology because the manufacture of 3G Solar does not involve the use of a vacuum room and other expensive semiconductor equipment. It utilizes a unique and simple technique with printing machines, much like printing a shirt. Furthermore, the manufacturing process can be setup locally, and is ideal for areas in developing countries where there is no electricity. In recognition of this outstanding green energy achievement and inspired creativity helping to save our planet, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored 3G Solar with the Shining World Inventor Award. A ceremony was held in Jerusalem, Israel at the 3G Solar headquarters. In addition to the Award, the 3G Solar team was also gifted with US$10,000 from Supreme Master Ching Hai as well as a selection of Her latest books and DVDs, which were presented to them by our local Association members. Mr. Breen and his staff expressed their gladness and deep gratitude for Supreme Master Ching Hai’s encouragement and appreciation of their green efforts, saying, “I really thank you for recognizing these developments. And the entire crew thanks you for this Award.” We applaud 3G Solar Ltd, for such visionary approach to help our world establish a more self-sufficient and prosperous natural way of living. May the day soon come when we abandon our reliance on fossil fuels and turn towards God’s bountiful resources of free energy.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/EE1359.php For further information about 3G Solar, please visit: http://www.3gsolar.com/
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A New TB Screening Technology Brings Great Benefits
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By Formosa Award Group (Originally in Chinese)
According to statistics, tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that is responsible for affecting the greatest number of people and has the highest fatality rate in Formosa. Primarily the financially disadvantaged are the most vulnerable. Professor Lai Hsin-Chih and his research team at the Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, recently developed a low-cost TB test stick which takes just a few minutes to detect the disease and it only costs NT$50 per unit (approximately US$2). With this new technology, TB can be easily identified at an earlier stage, thus greatly alleviating the suffering of the patients. To commend Professor Lai Hsin-Chih for his outstanding achievement in medical biotechnology, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored him with the Shinning World Inventor Award, which was presented to him at Chang Gung University on May 21, Golden Year 7 (2010) by our Association members. Surprised by this formal recognition, Professor Lai humbly expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai for the Award. More than twenty associate professors, assistants and students were present at the ceremony. At that time, our Association members also took the opportunity to share with them Master’s publications as well as some informative material related to climate change. Our sincere thanks Professor Lai Hsin-Chih for your innovation in medical technology, that helps create a healthier future for humanity.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/EE1430.php
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| Shining World Inventor Award
Safe Plastic Disposal Technology Helps Create a Sustainable Environment
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By Formosa Award Group (Originally in Chinese)
Polycarbonates (PC) are very strong elastic plastics that have been used extensively for many years to make daily utensils. However, according to scientific research, polycarbonates contain Bisphenol A (BPA), which is a hazardous pollutant to the environment and to human health. Two Indian scientists, Professor Mukesh Doble and research scholar Trishul Artham, invented an advanced technology to disintegrate polycarbonate plastics. The process involves pre-treatment with ultra-violet light and heat as well as exposing the plastics to three fungi. Using the chemicals already in the plastic as a source of energy, the fungi can decompose the PC plastics effectively within 12 months without releasing any harmful BPA. Supreme Master Ching Hai acknowledged this outstanding invention by granting Professor Mukesh Doble and Mr. Trishul Artham the Shinning World Inventor Award. Our Association members travelled to the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai, India, on June 9, Golden Year 7 (2010) to make the presentation. In the Biotechnology Laboratory, the two scientists shared the joy of this special occasion with 25 of their colleagues. Professor Doble said that he felt very honored to receive this Award, and was grateful to Supreme Master Ching Hai for recognizing their work. He believes that this will encourage more inventors to dedicate their efforts to safeguarding the planet; and hopes that this Award will help raise people’s awareness to protect the environment, thus creating a more beautiful and sustainable world for ourselves and for generations to come. Our grateful salutation to Professor Mukesh Doble and Mr. Trishul Artham for their love and wisdom in developing this green technology which enables all beings to enjoy better health and a cleaner environment.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation,
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| Shining World Hero and Kindness Award
Touching an Armed Robber with Love
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By Arkansas News Group, USA (Originally in English)
One day in July last year when Mr. Ronnie Frazier was working at E-Z Mart, he was confronted by an armed robber demanding money. Instead of immediately giving him the cash, Mr. Frazier calmly asked the man why he needed the money. Upon learning that he needed US$40 for medicine, Mr. Frazier gave him the exact amount from his own wallet. Touched by Mr. Frazier’s kindness, the man accepted the money, thanked him, and left. In recognition of Mr. Frazier’s noble heart, inner strength, loyalty and integrity to his employer, as well as his gracious and respectful example of courageous assistance to a stranger, Supreme Master Ching Hai conferred on him the Shining World Hero and Kindness Award. “Your trust in the goodness of humanity,” She wrote in the Award letter, “is truly heartening and wonderfully inspiring - a shining example of how each of us can transform our world into Heaven just by touching the heart of another. May God bless you abundantly for your fearless spirit and pure-hearted sense of goodness and caring compassion.” On September 11, Golden Year 6 (2009), members of the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association went to Ft. Smith, Arkansas to present the Award to Mr. Frazier at his home, where they were warmly received. Along with the beautiful plaque and letter, a Hero T-shirt, Master’s publications and vegan sweets, Mr. Frazier also received a check of US$400 from Master. Overwhelmed by Master’s generosity, Mr. Frazier expressed his hope that the world would become more giving and closer to God.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/EE1276r.php
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| Shining World Heroine Award
A Story of Love, Bravery and Faith
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By Philippines News Group, (Originally in English)
Virginia Rojo is a six-year-old girl living in Barangay San Jose, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. One day, while her mother and 9-year-old sister were out delivering laundry, little Virginia was at home sleeping with her infant brother Joren. Suddenly, she awakened to a house engulfed in flames. She immediately picked up baby Joren, and protecting his body with her own, ran out of the burning house. She later said, “Papa Jesus told me to wake up and save my baby brother.” Through her quick-thinking actions and bravery, her brother remained safe and sound. However, she was hospitalized with second-degree burns to her face and hands. Upon hearing of Virginia’s heroic story, Supreme Master Ching Hai was deeply touched and granted her the Shining World Heroine Award for her courage, insight and composure as well as for reminding people of their child-like heart and caring spirit. In the Award letter, Master wrote, “Accolades can never truly describe the purity of heart you showed to sacrifice yourself on a simple, intuitive thought from Papa Jesus. We can only thank you, Virginia, not just for saving your brother but for bringing the light of an angel into our world, brightening our lives with love. May the Heavens sing in praise of your graciousness and vigilance.” On April 14, Golden Year 7 (2010), when our Association members visited little Virginia at a shelter, they were immediately taken by this sweet girl who hugged and kissed them like they were her family members. She appreciated all the vegan foods and toys brought to her and kissed Master’s photo affectionately. In addition to the Award plaque, Master also contributed US$2,000 to aid in Virginia’s recovery. More presents included a Heroine T-Shirt plus Master’s DVD’s and books. Virginia and her family were filled with gratitude at receiving the Award and gifts. They are currently building a new house to start a new life, and they said the funds would be a great help. We salute your faith and courage, little Virginia, in your selfless actions that saved the life of your baby brother. Wishing you smooth sailing back to perfect health and God’s continued protection for you and your family, now and always.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation,
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| Shining World Hero Award
A Hero’s Salute to Officer Eliot Swainson
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By Boston News Group, USA (Originally in English)
On October 10, Golden Year 6 (2009), on behalf of Supreme Master Ching Hai, our Houston Center Association members presented the Shining World Hero Award, at their local Quan Yin Vegetarian Restaurant, to Texas Officer Eliot Swainson for his altruistic act of risking his own life to help save another. While on duty in one of the underground train stations during the US presidential inauguration last year, Officer Swainson heard cries and saw that a 68-year-old woman had fallen onto the tracks. Seeing that another train was quickly approaching, he managed to reach down and push her into the safety of a narrow crawl space that he had just learned about in training the day before. The woman was successfully sheltered from danger and was later treated for just a few minor injuries. In January 2010, one year after his courageous action, Officer Swainson reflected warmly, in a letter to Master, on the Award ceremony, expressing his appreciation to Her and for Supreme Master TV’s accurate and touching coverage of the event. He noted: I was shocked and pleasantly surprised by your story of the event. Your story captured the events of that morning very well . . . . Whether watching the story on your “Note Worthy News” telecast or reading the letter you sent, I was surprised at some of the small detail that had been added that gave a whole different understanding about the event, unlike other news sources that covered it. I was watching the “Note Worthy News” segment one evening with my then 3-year-old daughter in my lap. When the spot in the story got to where they mentioned the “Shining World Hero Award,” she turned to me and said, “Daddy they called you a superhero.” I laughed and corrected her and said, “No, that is the name of the award, Shining World Hero Award.” So, thanks in part to you, I have no doubt that in the years to come, when she gets older and she looks back at some of the stories of this event and your award, she will be reminded to do what she can to help others as she walks through life. Officer Swainson further added about the Award plaque: Throughout the year of 2009, I was repeatedly asked if I had ever received the Master Ching Hai award, or some version of that question. Even now, after having received your beautiful acknowledgement, it is still asked about or a request is made to bring it back to work so others can look at it or admire it. Your award created much attention and interest. He also graciously thanked our Association members for their hospitality and sharing an enjoyable evening together. A hero’s salute to you, Officer Eliot Swainson, for your selflessness, wise and quick actions. May Heaven continue to protect you in your noble duties.
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| Shining World Hero Award
A Courageous Radio Announcer
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By New Zealand News Group (Originally in English)
At the time the 8.1 magnitude earthquake hit the Samoa Islands region on September 29, 2009, radio announcer Epati Tamati was working in a beachside radio broadcasting studio in Apia, Samoa. Knowing there would likely be a tsunami on its way to his area, most of the city evacuated to higher ground, yet he decided to stay at his post, stating “God will protect me.” Through radio broadcasts, he immediately made emergency announcements of a possible tsunami and urged people to move quickly to safety. Later, when a powerful tsunami struck the Samoan Islands region, the southern coasts of the country were the most heavily affected, while Apia, where Mr. Tamati’s work place is located, remained safe. His courageous act may have saved the lives of hundreds of islanders who evacuated because of his warning. During that day, he remained in his studio, which quickly became a vital point of contact for families of the affected. People were able to phone in to leave a message and even be broadcast on air. Family members all over the country and also in other parts of the world, including the USA and New Zealand, called into the station and were able to receive news of their loved ones. Mr. Tamati’s heroic story was published in newspapers in New Zealand. Soon afterwards, he was recognized by Supreme Master Ching Hai with the Shining World Hero Award. On December 2, Golden Year 6 (2009), our Association members presented the beautiful crystal Award plaque to Mr. Epati Tamati along with a letter from Master, a Hero T-shirt and a selection of Her books, CDs and DVDs. During the Award ceremony, attended by his family members, Mr. Tamati spoke of his love for his fellow citizens and trust in God as the motivation for risking his life on that day. He sincerely thanked Master for acknowledging his good deed and humbly,said, “I work for the people of Samoa, and whatever happens, I do my job.” Thank you Epati Tamati for showing such selfless and noble courage in a time of disaster; God bless you and your loved ones. We pray that the lives of all those affected by the tsunami will quickly return to their normal, peaceful state. To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/EE1220c.php
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| Shining World Hero Award
The Red River Guardian Angel
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By Toronto News Group, Canada (Originally in English)
Mr. Faron Hall, formerly homeless and dependent on alcohol while living in Winnipeg, the capital city of the province of Manitoba, Canada, has made great changes in his life. He now has housing and has completed a program to free himself of addictions. This brilliant transition began around the time that he risked his life twice to save others in separate events of distress. In May 2009, three teenagers were having fun on the Provencher Bridge’s sidewalk as they were going toward the bridge. One of them, Joey Mousseau, pole-vaulted over a railing onto what he thought was the pedestrian bridge, but instead of landing on concrete, he fell into the water far below. At that time, Faron Hall and his friend Wayne Spence were sitting under the bridge when they saw Joey take the plunge into the icy river. Without hesitation, Mr. Hall leapt into the frigid, fast-moving Red River, swimming at an angle against the current to reach the boy, who was unable to swim due to back injuries from the fall and was being quickly carried downstream by the rapids. Upon reaching Joey some 30 meters from the riverbank, Mr. Hall had to prevent the panicked teen from pushing them both underwater. He managed to coax Joey into turning onto his back and was then able to bring him safely to shore. The two of them were pulled out of the water by Wayne Spence just before complete exhaustion overwhelmed Mr. Hall. Not long after that, in September 2009 when Mr. Hall was with three friends at the riverbank area near Norwood Bridge, one of his friends, Tara Lynn Beardy, fell into the water. Another friend, Chris Harper, immediately jumped in to try to help her, but both were struggling to stay afloat as neither knew how to swim. Again, without a second thought to his own safety, Mr. Hall leapt into the river where he grabbed both Tara and Chris. But the current was too strong, so he could only save one at a time. After pulling Tara back to shore, he quickly returned for Chris. Despite the freezing waters and his exhaustion, Mr. Hall repeatedly dove underwater in search of his friend. Tragically, Chris succumbed to the fast-flowing river. However, Tara Lynn Beardy’s life was saved, thanks to Mr. Hall and his selfless bravery. Reports of Mr. Hall’s actions were replayed on national TV and radio newscasts and appeared in newspapers across the country. His story touched the nation’s heart, with accolades and support coming from all corners. The Faron Hall National Fund for the Homeless was created in his name through the Winnipeg Foundation. The once-destitute Hall has now become a source of hope and inspiration to others. Many call him a hero, the Guardian Angel of the Red River. But he has never sought recognition for what he considers just a natural act of helping out another person. He humbly attributed his timely valiant actions as Heaven’s way of giving him a fresh start in life. In recognition of his courageous efforts, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored Mr. Faron Hall with the Shining World Hero Award. Numerous media were in attendance at the Award ceremony on December 16, Golden Year 6 (2009). A framed letter of commendation and a crystal plaque were presented to Mr. Hall by our Association members. In addition, he was gifted with Master’s #1 international best-selling books and various other publications as well as a Hero jacket. True to his selfless nature, he has in turn given the jacket to a homeless person in need of it. Supreme Master Ching Hai has also made a contribution of US$2,000 to the Faron Hall National Fund for the Homeless. Mr. Hall expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Master, “To have such a noble organization honor me with a plaque, it’s overwhelming and I’m really appreciative. Never in my wildest dreams have I ever expected recognition to this high esteem, and it’s something that I’m going to remember. Every time I look at it, it gives me a sense of pride. It makes me proud to wake up in the morning, happy to wake up, knowing it changed my life.” We thank Mr. Hall for his humility, bravery and self-sacrificing example of brotherly love. Praised be his compassion and giving spirit which brightens the lives of fellow beings.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation, please visit: http://video.godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/EE1262.php
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| Shining World Hero Award
Valiant Sacrifice of Ones Life to Save Others
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By Formosa Award News Group (Originally in Chinese)
In May 2010, by the seaside near Goa, India, Father Thomas Remedios Fernandes was enjoying a picnic with a group of his fellow parishioners. Suddenly, they heard calls for help and when they looked around to see where they were coming from, they saw three young people struggling in the turbulent waves. Without regard for his own safety, Father Fernandes dove into the water to rescue them. He succeeded in saving them all. However after he brought the third person back to shore, he collapsed of exhaustion on the beach. He was immediately taken to the hospital but unfortunately later passed away. Father Fernandes’ funeral mass was held on June 6. Upon learning of this unfortunate incident, Supreme Master Ching Hai expressed Her heartfelt condolences and asked our Association members to attend the funeral. She also honored Father Fernandes with the Shinning World Hero Award and offered a US$3,000 monetary contribution to help with any necessary expenses. Father Fernando, who works in the same parish, accepted the Award on behalf of the deceased Father Fernandes. He also conveyed his deep gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her contribution to humanity and for Her loving concern towards Father Fernandes. The Fernandes family members also extended their sincere appreciation to Master and prayed for God to bless Her for Her compassionate endeavors. Supreme Master Television conducted an interview with friends and family, who all stated how profoundly touched they were by Father Fernandes’ boundless love. When he was alive, he always tried his best to assist the needy both materially and spiritually. He especially spent more time with the young parishioners, guiding them on the correct path when they were confused and in need of help. Father Fernandes’ motto was: “Love your enemies more than you love yourself.” Though Father Fernandes is no longer with us, his shining example of love and bravery will continue to inspire people for a long time to come.
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| Shining World Hero Award
An Extraordinary Whale, Mila
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By Korea News Group (Originally in Korean)
The beluga, or white whale, is known for its intelligence and playful nature. Unlike many other marine mammals, beluga whales like to work closely with humans. Last year, a 9-year-old beluga named Mila from the Polar Land Theme Park in Harbin, northeast China, saved the life of a diver. While participating in a diving contest, Ms. Yang Yun’s legs were suddenly paralyzed by the freezing water when she tried to swim back up after a dive. Recalling the moment, Yang Yun said, “I began to choke and sank even lower. I thought that was it for me—I was dead—until I felt this incredible force under me driving me to the surface.” It was Mila, who sensing the danger, swam toward Yun, clasped the young woman’s legs gently with her mouth, and brought her to safety. Since then, Yun has felt a special connection with Mila. The story of Mila has been published by various newspapers and has enabled more people to realize the divine nature of animals and the need to protect them. For her swift, life-saving act, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored Mila with the Shining World Hero Award and a US$500 gift to provide her with veggie snacks, care and comfort. All were brought to Mila at her aquarium on February 18, Golden Year 7 (2010). When the Award letter was read, Mila moved close to the representatives of our Association and smiled. In addition, her caregiver was given Master’s DVDs and books on animals. Our salute of admiration, Mila, for your heroic actions that saved Ms. Yang Yun’s life! Thank you for blessing us all with your divine presence.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/AW1302.php
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| Shining World Hero Award
“So Young, Yet So Brave”
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By UK News Group (Originally in English)
At just eight months of age, black Labrador pup Toby successfully kept an intruder from entering the family home, while his caregivers Jonathan and Samantha Morton were asleep upstairs. Despite potentially fatal injuries that were inflicted from the encounter, Toby’s fearless spirit overcame the situation, and he chased the man outdoors before collapsing from his wounds. Thankfully, the resilient canine made a full recovery and has since been recognized by the veterinary charity PDSA with a Certificate for Animal Bravery. Saying that he dared not think what would have happened without his beloved dog’s intervention that night, Mr. Morton declared, “Toby is our hero.” For his great intelligence and courage, Supreme Master Ching Hai granted Toby the Shining World Hero Award. On August 6, Golden Year 6 (2009), our Association members presented Toby the beautiful Award plaque, along with many gifts from Master that included a Happy Doggie coat, a bed and £500 for veggie food and treats. His caregivers also received a selection of Master’s books and DVDs with some vegan chocolates. We join in saluting heroic Toby for his unwavering loyalty and love. You certainly are an angel in disguise and a true blessing for your human companions. Wishing you many years in happiness and shared appreciation with your caring family.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/AW1128t.php
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| Shining World Hero Award
Jackson Came to the Rescue
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By New Jersey News Group, USA (Originally in English)
Last year on Easter Sunday, Mr. Jeffrey Pattie put his eight-month-old Doberman pinscher Jackson out into the backyard of their house in Rahway, New Jersey, USA. Suddenly, Jackson rushed back to the house. As Jeffrey let the dog in, he appeared to be extremely agitated, jumped on Jeffery, barked loudly with his hair standing on end, and refused to calm down. He didn’t stop until Jeffery followed him to the backyard fence where Ms. Gloria Szkambara, their 90-year-old neighbor, was found laying on the ground, calling out for help. Mr. Pattie immediately telephoned for assistance, while Jackson stayed by her side until she was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Fortunately, Ms. Szkambara was treated in time and soon recovered. Without Jackson’s speedy action, she may not have survived this ordeal due to the wintry cold temperatures. Upon hearing Jackson’s story, Supreme Master Ching Hai conferred on him the Shining World Hero Award for his exceptional life-saving action. On October 2, Golden Year 6 (2009), on behalf of Jackson, Mr. Pattie accepted the Award along with $200, a Hero dog jacket, a Hero dog scarf, a big dog cushion, plus vegan dog food and treats presented by our Association members. He also received some of Master’s DVDs, animal books and vegan moon cakes. Jackson was very excited and cooperative. He enjoyed the vegan treats so much that it surprised his caregiver who said he would try to feed vegan food to all his dogs. Jeffrey also mentioned that it was time for him to become vegetarian as well. Thank you loving and caring Jackson for being humans’ best friend, for your selfless, heroic actions and for inspiring your caregiver to choose the noble vegan lifestyle. May God fill your days with much happiness.
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To watch Supreme Master TV’s interview and coverage of this Award presentation, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/AW1302j.php
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| Aphorisms
Exert Greater Loving Kindness and Protection
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Videoconference in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. November 8, 2009 (Originally in English)
The more we exert our loving kindness and protection towards all beings, the greater we will be in the world, the greater will be the feeling in our heart as well as in the Kingdom of Heaven.
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| Letter of Appreciation
A Loving Partnership
“We envision
the day when everyone in the world ~Water.org
By Missouri News Group, USA (Originally in English)
Matt Damon, Academy Award-winning actor and founder of the charity H2O Africa, has co-founded another new charity called Water.org with Gary White, Executive Director of the non-profit group WaterPartners. The goal of the new organization is to provide safe drinking water and sanitation to hundreds of millions of people in developing countries. Currently, the organization works on nearly every continent and in many countries including India, Haiti and Ethiopia. In addition, a partnership-building process is put in place to ensure that once a well is built, it will be maintained and truly will improve the lives of the people. In teaming up with WaterPartners, Mr. Damon explained how “every 15 seconds, a child in the developing world dies from a water-related disease . . . . As a clear leader in the sector at delivering innovative and sustainable solutions for those in need, WaterPartners was the natural choice with whom to work to truly affect lasting change.” In recognition of this noble enterprise, Supreme Master Ching Hai contributed $50,000 to Water.org, which our Missouri Center initiates had the privilege to present to Mr. Damon at their headquarters along with a letter of salute from Supreme Master Ching Hai and a selection of Her recent publications on October 12, Golden Year 6 (2009). Our Association members were welcomed graciously by Chief Operating Officer Mike McCamon, Senior Communications Manager Nicole Wickenhauser and other staff at Warter.org, who were deeply touched by Master’s generosity and love. May Heaven bless Mr. Matt Damon and all those at Water.org for their tireless efforts in bringing clean drinking water to all the beautiful citizens of planet Earth. We pray that many lives will continue to be touched by this loving partnership.
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| Letter of Appreciation
A Five-Year-Old’s Love for Others
By Pennsylvania News Group, USA (Originally in English)
One day in February, Golden Year 6 (2009), Riley and her mother Rhonda were watching the Today Show on TV, which described the hardships and needs of the Darfur refugees in Africa. Observing that instead of toys, the children only had “sticks, stones and dirt” as she put it, Riley decided right then and there that she was going to send her old toys to the children in that school. However, Riley didn’t stop here. On the way to school, she said to her mother, “Hey, I think I’m going to ask all of my school friends to do the same thing.” So she did that. Rhonda said, “Next thing you know, we have collection boxes all around Mechanicsburg, and we’ve collected hundreds of thousands of toys.” Starting with one preschooler, a difference was being made—through Riley’s Toys for Darfur, which generated a huge response in her community. They have received contributions from Riley’s school and neighborhood friends, former teachers and people who read the story in the paper. In addition, the media have also been helping to spread the good news of these wonderful deeds. Radio station BOB 94.9 invited Riley to share her heart-warming story with their audience. When asked why she wanted to send toys to the children in the refugee camps in Darfur, she said, “Because they didn’t have any toys and then it wouldn’t be fair if I got all of them.” With the loving support of her mom and dad, Riley’s consideration and kindness brought comfort to more than 3,500 refugee children, in just the first shipment of toys through World Vision, an international humanitarian organization. When Supreme Master Ching Hai heard of this inspired, little angel’s noble, thoughtful project, She contributed US$10,000 to assist her and her family, which enabled Riley’s Toys for Darfur to evolve into a foundation and help children throughout Africa. The caring child said she would save the money for the school to build a big climber and playground. Riley and Rhonda were deeply grateful upon receiving Master’s generous gift that included Her bestselling animal books, and wrote Her a thank you letter, saying they can now send toys four times a year to Africa, hoping to fulfill their aim which is to give each child in Africa a toy. We sincerely thank Riley, her family and all the generous fellow citizens for their altruism and dedication in helping to comfort the children worldwide who so desperately need it. May Heaven bless you all abundantly.
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Reference: http://www.rileystoys.org/index.html
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| Letter of Appreciation
Caring Irish Cyclists
By Award News Group (Originally in English)
Last August, a group of the Pathways to Palestine Irish cyclists, led by insulin-dependent diabetic Eoghan Quinn and accompanied by a small but dedicated support team, reached Jerusalem, Israel, after a 6,000-kilometer ride, cycling through 14 countries and two time zones. Their aim was to raise funds to provide for neo-natal care and medical resources for burn victims in Gaza, where the medical infrastructure has been damaged. The intrepid travelers received support from around the world, including a formal motion of commendation passed by the Scottish Parliament and a reception in the Irish Parliament hosted by Irish MPs and Senators. In recognition of their remarkable and altruistic endeavor, Supreme Master Ching Hai sent a US$15,000 contribution and a Letter of Salute to the caring cyclists, in which She wrote, “The global community appreciates your wisdom that shows by direct, peaceful and constructive love in action to meet the urgent unattended needs of the sick and injured . . . .In addition, your enthusiasm and loving example are sure to make many others act, helping these innocent victims of war even more.” Thank you, the Pathways to Palestine Irish Cyclists and Support Team, for your ride to save lives, which has helped bring much needed care to the lives of so many. We wholeheartedly applaud and acknowledge your great deed!
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| Master Tells Jokes
“Magic Thermal Flask”
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai at an international gathering in
France, August 23, 2007 (Originally in English) DVD#795
A man goes into a shop and sees something he’d never seen before, so he asked the shopkeeper, “What is that?” The shopkeeper told him, “This is a thermal flask.” The man asked, “What is it for then?” The shopkeeper replied, “This thermal flask can keep hot things hot and cold things cold.” The man said, “Oh! That’s just what I need! I’ll buy one!” So he bought one and brought it into his office the next day, feeling very proud about it. The boss asked him, “What is that that you have there?” The man said, “Oh, this is a thermal flask. It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold in there.” The boss said, ¨Oh, that’s wonderful! So what do you keep in there?” The man answered, “Two cups of coffee, and two scoops of ice cream.” Please visit the following website to enjoy the original soundtrack of this joke, and also to share the joy of Master’s humor with those around you: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/jk207-1.php
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| Master Tells Jokes
“Light Attraction”
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai at an international gathering in
France, October 28, 2007 (Originally in English) DVD#810
A man went to the doctor and said, ¨Doctor, I keep thinking that I’m a moth.” The doctor said, ¨You have come to the wrong place; a vet is what you need.” The man said, ¨That’s where I was going, but I saw your light on.” Please visit the following website to enjoy the original soundtrack of this joke, and also to share the joy of Master’s humor with those around you: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/jk207-2.php
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| Special Report
“Global Warming . . . Yes, There Is a Solution!” Climate Change Videoconference in Lima, Peru
By Peru News Group (Originally in Spanish)
Peru is renowned for its ancient Incan history, its culture and for being a group of very spiritual people devoted to taking care of Mother Earth. The Incas once lived in the highest mountains of Machu Picchu in Cusco, where they grew their own food—corn, beans and many other vegetables. It is said that they were blessed with longevity due to the peaceful and loving relationship among them as well as their spiritual practices. Today, however, Peru is facing some of the adverse effects of climate change. Home to 70% of the world’s tropical glaciers, the rising temperatures are causing the rapid melting of these beautiful ice fields, not only significantly affecting Peru but also other countries such as Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador with floods followed by droughts that subsequently are reducing their main source of water for drinking, agriculture and other uses. In the higher elevations, in the mountainous provinces of Puno, Pasco and others, temperatures have dropped to lower than minus 15° Celsius; the intense cold has taken countless lives. To raise awareness of this dire situation and to help mitigate the crisis, a climate change conference entitled “Global Warming . . . Yes, There Is a Solution!” was held on September 12, Golden Year 6 (2009), at the most prestigious auditorium in Lima, “The Pentagotino.” It gathered more than 1,200 guests, some of whom were representatives of animal protection centers and NGOs as well as VIPs including: Mr. Alberto Tejada Noriega, Mayor of San Borja; Mr. Fabian Salazar Olivares, Chief of the Congress Protocol of the Republic; Ms. Maria Elena Parra Terrazos, Advisor for Foreign Investments; Mr. Joel Guevaara, Doctor of Homeopathic Medicine; Mr. Luis Bueno Quino, Mayor of Chosica; Mr. Felix Moreno Caballero, Mayor of Callao; Mr. Mahesh Bachani, Indian Community SOS Event Secretary in Lima; and Mr. Angel Raul Abugatas, Mayor of Santa Maria del Mar. As the Guest of Honor, Supreme Master Ching Hai graciously accepted the invitation to attend the event, which was broadcast live on Lima’s RBC Television's Channel 11 and on Radio Latina at 990 AM, reaching a listening/viewing audience of more than 50,000. Read throughout the video conference were supportive messages from dignitaries such as: Mrs. Ingrid Newkirk, President of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA); Dr. Michael Greger, the US Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture for the Humane Society of the United States; Mr. Jesse White, Secretary of State of Illinois, USA; Mr. Jose Manuel Echandi Meza, Member of Parliament from Costa Rica; and Mr. David Román, President of the Spanish Vegetarian Union. Many of them highlighted the importance of keeping a pure vegetarian diet for the sake of the environment, health, world hunger and the animals. Distinguished guests also shared their thoughts on this grave global warming issue. Mrs. Cecilia Brack Mendiola, sociologist and author, elaborated on the root cause of the environmental problem and urged people to make extraordinary efforts to balance our relationship with nature by changing our lifestyles to be more frugal, using clean energy, planting more trees, recycling, eating organic products—fruits and vegetables—and avoiding the consumption of red meat. Mr. Nicolás Pauls, a well-known musician and actor from Argentina who is also a vegetarian and defender of animals, encouraged people to pay attention to everything they do in their lives, including the food they eat, because it has an influence on the way we express ourselves. He said, “If you knew clearly how painful and suffering the life of an animal is, only to end up on a plate, I believe that only someone who is not aware and heartless could eat them.” Mr. Gilberto Romero Zevallos, Director of the Center of Study for the Prevention of Disasters (PREDES) expressed concern about the suffering of the people who have been affected by disasters due to extreme weather conditions. Miss Wendy Lau Cordero, a chemistry student at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, informed the audience of some of the activities planned by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and urged them to sign the climate change petition. During the Q&A session, Supreme Master Ching Hai responded to a number of concerns from the event participants. Regarding the role of science in solving climate change, She told Miss Lau that the science community has been doing a good job in researching and informing the public about the critical condition of the Earth. Therefore, “we cannot blame the scientists or any scientific technology for the problems of our planet today. . . . The fate of our planet is in our hands before the scientists can do anything to help us.” When explaining the expenses involved in making just one hamburger to Ms. Mayte Loredo, a chef, a naturalist and a business woman who has been vegetarian for over 30 years, Master gave a detailed account of its real costs in terms of land destruction, biodiversity loss, world hunger, topsoil depletion, greenhouses gas emissions, fossil fuel waste and health hazards. She concluded that hamburgers are clearly unaffordable, not only relative to global warming but also considering karmic consequences. Master emphasized, “Before we expect the lion to lie down peacefully with the lamb, we humans must do it first. As long as humans cannot even lie down peacefully with the lamb, causing all the anguish, fear, sorrow and oppression to weaker beings and defenseless animals, we cannot realize this heavenly dream of the lion lying beside the lamb. So we must return to our compassionate self. We must return to our glorious status as the children of God. We have to bring Heaven to Earth.” In conclusion, Master gave a complete report about the current adverse effects of climate change in Peru based on the latest publication by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which spoke of Latin America’s vulnerability to severe climate impacts, hoping it would serve as a wakeup call to people in Peru and around the world. Following the climate change conference was the Book Premiere of Supreme Master Ching Hai’s The Dogs in My Life, Spanish Edition. Many dignitaries sent their congratulations to Master via video. Among them was the Honorable Arturo Nunez Jimenez, Senator of the State of Tabasco, Mexico, who said in regards to the book, “It is a work that reminds us of the need to become more human in a time when the immense scientific and technological advances often makes us forget these small details; but they are nevertheless essential, to value the lives of all living beings.” After an introductory movie about the book, guest speakers including Ms. Frida Holler, a professional model and author of the bestseller That Little Finger: Modern Guide of Courtesy and Civility; Ms. Pilar Sanllehi Bracesco, a marine biologist and director of the Amazon Shelter; and Ms. Vanesa Torres Bustamante, founder of the organization, United for the Animals, spoke from their own experiences on the importance of treating animals with love and respect as well as keeping a pure vegetarian diet. Master again appeared at the premier and patiently answered more questions from the audience. She reminded everyone that we should “pray not for Heaven to help us, but pray that we’re awakened to our heavenly quality and save our world in time.” We thank our beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai for blessing this timely and much needed conference, and for giving solutions on how to restore our precious planet to its pristine state. May more people work together for the same goal of creating a peaceful vegan kingdom on Earth. To watch Supreme Master Television’s coverage of this videoconference, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/WOW1185s.php To watch Supreme Master Television’s coverage of the Book Premiere of The Dogs in My Life, Spanish Edition, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/WOW1262s.php
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| Special Report
Videoconference in Mexico -Supreme Master Ching Hai Blesses the Region of the High Mountains
By Mexico News Group (Originally in Spanish)
In recent years, Mexico has become more proactive in its efforts to protect the environment including the urgent issue of global warming. In 2008, the country was lauded by the World Bank’s report, “Low Carbon, High Growth: Latin American Responses to Climate Change,” for its National Climate Change Strategy to reduce millions of tons of carbon emissions. On October 29, Golden Year 6 (2009), Supreme Master Ching Hai was invited as a special guest speaker at the inauguration of the new “Diploma Participation in Environmental Rights” program initiated by the Association of Mexican Magistrates Pro Environment Justice. Via videoconference, She delivered a powerful message to the honorable magistrates, esteemed judges, respected assistants and other guests on the pressing crisis of global warming which is evident in Mexico as the country is undergoing its worst drought in 70 years. Highlighting the devastating effects of the livestock industry on the environment, natural resources and human health, Master concluded, based on scientific data, that “… we eliminate most of the human-made greenhouse gases by simply adopting the animal-free, vegan, organic lifestyle.” While commending the Mexican Constitution for including the statement “all persons have the right to an environment appropriate for their development and well-being,” She called upon the courage of the counsel present to lead their co-citizens toward the noble, virtuous, life-saving and planet-sustaining path. The state of Veracruz is at the forefront of the efforts to protect the environment. To inform the public about the gravity of global warming and its solutions, government officials of the state hosted another videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai titled, “SOS—A Quick Action to Stop Global Warming” on November 16, 2009 in the beautiful city of Orizaba, also known as the “Region of the High Mountains.” The videoconference was broadcast live via Supreme Master Television across 14 satellites platforms, 18 IPTV stations and the Internet; and was aired live on radio in Mexico on XETQ - 850 AM Orizaba, Veracruz, XEOV - 1240 AM Orizaba, XHPG FM Córdoba, XEDZ - 580 AM Córdoba, Veracruz, and Radio Orizaba S.A. Radio stations. The honorable Mayors of the cities of Orizaba, Fortin de las Flores, Cordoba, Zongolica, Atzacan, Camerino, Nogales, Mariano and Escobedo were among the more than 500 participants. Other distinguished guests included Mr. Alonso Domínguez Ferráez, General Coordinator of the Environment for the State of Veracruz; Dr. Eva Campos Solano, Head of the Sanitary Jurisdiction of Orizaba; Ms. Lucina Chua Gonzales, General Secretary of the Union of Workers of Orizaba; and Dr. Emilio Filly de Bernardi, Director of the Association of Friends and Neighbors of the Environment. Guest speakers including Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, the Chairman of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; Ms. Eva Quistorp, a dedicated political activist and prominent figure of the European environmental movement; the Honorable Mr. Alonso Domínguez Ferráez, General Coordinator of the Environment for the State of Veracruz; the Honorable Andrew Bartlett, a former Australian senator as well as a vegan and an animal rights activist; Mr. Edgar Espinoza Cisneros, an environmental geographer; Mr. Pedro Allemant, a famed Peruvian musician, animal activist and artist; and Ms. Annette Bodier, a marine biologist, shared their insights via video on the importance of keeping a vegan diet in terms of addressing climate change, stopping animal cruelty, as well as the development of compassion and respect for all life. Supreme Master Ching Hai sent Her warm greetings to the audience, expressing admiration for Mexico’s beautiful culture, spiritual legacy, and hospitable, intelligent, dedicated yet humble people. She also expressed Her concern over the current prolonged drought and the swine flu pandemic that has pervaded the country. She prescribed, “Prayer, combined with the efforts of citizens and the government’s and media’s powerful support, this formula could bring the fastest and smoothest transition to a stable planet.” Mr. Edgar Espinoza Cisneros, a vegetarian and environmental geographer, asked Master how to deal with the powerful big corporate interests and lobbyists involved in the meat industry. Master said positively, “We are more powerful! We are more than them. We are more in number . . . . And no one can prevent us from doing what’s right for our lives and that of our planet. We just stop using, eating, buying animal products. Then these corporations will just disappear in no time. So the power is in our hands.” A vegan, cultural book distributor was wondering if we could talk to tornadoes and hurricanes to stop them, and if we could talk to the souls of meat eaters on a spiritual level and ask them to change. Master replied, “As pure as the human soul is, it has been covered by too much dust, that is - our habits and misinformation that we’ve collected over our lifetime, or over many lifetimes.” Therefore, “we still need to provide physical information and use spoken words and written language for people to process the truth.” In addition, natural disasters are the consequence of negative energy in the atmosphere, so if people don’t change their disaster-breeding, provoking ways, then disasters will never end. Master’s profound answers touched the hearts and minds of the guests present. Ms. Guadalupe Fuentes Barco, the host of “Noticieros a Fondo,” Ori Stereo Station in Orizaba, Veracruz, commented, “This conference has moved me so much. So many things that we didn’t know . . . I feel it is something so precious and it shouldn’t just stay with us at this time; we should disseminate it, invite people to participate in the important programs which you are carrying out worldwide.” The conference concluded with several musical performances given by talented singers and dancers. Following that, Mr. Alonso Dominguez Ferraez, Chief Coordinator of the Department of the Environment for Veracruz, awarded The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association with a diploma. He said, “We honor all of you for all your work and all you have done in the State of Veracruz. Please continue with your dedicated work and good actions. You are an example for all of us.” He also invited the entire audience to enjoy the outstanding array of sumptuous vegan cuisine that was served at this wonderful event. All the guests were grateful for the delicious food and the valuable information they had received at the conference. We are thankful to our most loving Supreme Master Ching Hai for the knowledge and wisdom She imparted as well as the time dedicated to helping Mexico and the world. We pray that every heart and soul on this planet awakens to Earthlings’ collective noble mission, so together we can move forward into a glorious and bright future.
Caption:
To watch Supreme Master Ching Hai’s video message to the “Association of Mexican Magistrates Pro Environment Justice,” please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/WOW1276c.php To watch the “SOS – A Quick Action to Stop Global Warming” videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai held in Orizaba, Mexico, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/WOW1305s.php
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| Organic Farming
Organic Farm Helps Build a Healthy Community
“...
It’s just that it’s re-branded now as organic. Compiled from Supreme Master Television (Originally in English)
South Central Farm began in 1994 as a community-run operation feeding hundreds of families in the neighborhood of South Los Angeles, U.S.A. Surrounded by warehouses and industry, this lush oasis hosts a diversity of plants, including fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and even exotic flora. In 2006, the 14-acre farm was relocated to Bakersfield, 120 miles north of Los Angeles, and expanded to 80 acres. All the produce grown is organic and the farm uses only sustainable, environmentally-friendly farming methods. The original South Central Farmers came from different indigenous groups in Mesoamerica. Their traditional beliefs in farming involved caring for the land and retaining agricultural methods that do not use synthetic fertilizers or chemical pesticides. “People in our communities have been doing organic farming for 10,000 years,” Mr. Tezozomoc, the Vice President of South Central Farm said. “It's just that it's re-branded now as organic. These are the traditions that we've been carrying for thousands of years. So for us, why wouldn't we do organic, is the question.” The South Central Farmers grow their traditional plants from their heirloom seeds and have created one of the most diverse gardens in the United States. As a community garden, the farm provides local residents an opportunity to grow their own food. Many constructive changes took place in the neighborhood as a result of this project. For example, according to the Newton Street crime statistics, local criminal acts were reduced by 70% and Mr. Tezozomoc thinks that, “The reason is that people had a stake in the wellbeing of the community, that the land, as an integral part of the people's community, was cared for. Because the land cared for the people, the people cared for the land. There was no division between them. The garden was glue that glued people and invested people together, in a way that none of the other social institutions do currently.” Therefore, this kind of group activity can improve people’s quality of life immensely in terms of reducing alienation and family trans-generational disconnections. “When we have healthy human beings, we have healthy communities, and we’ll have a healthy planet,” Mr. Tezozomoc commented. The reason for relocating the successful urban farm in 2006 was that the land was sold to a wealthy developer. Thus the local farmers organized a self-governing group, in the hope of retaining their community garden and bringing environmental awareness to the world. Celebrities such as actress Daryl Hannah and environmentalist Julia Butterfly Hill joined in their efforts and gave full support to this social cause. Award-winning filmmaker Scott Hamilton was inspired to direct a documentary on the moving struggle of the local farmers trying to save their community garden. The film, titled The Garden, earned a 2008 Oscar nomination for the Best Documentary and garnered much attention for the noble endeavor. Hearing of South Central Farmers’ work in organic, vegan agriculture, Supreme Master Ching Hai contributed US$10,000 in October, Golden Year 6 (2009), to support their noble venture. Mr. Tezozomoc said in response: “I want to thank the Supreme Master Ching Hai. I am very proud to be recognized. It means very much to us. I want to thank Her, Her wisdom, and Her generosity. We will continue to advocate for our fellow human beings and everything on the planet so that we can have better lives.” We thank all the farmers and volunteers of South Central Farm for their dedicated efforts in promoting organic vegan agriculture. May more community gardens sprout in all urban areas to provide a verdant paradise for local citizens.
Caption: To watch Supreme Master TV’s coverage and interview on the South Central Farmers’ project, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/VEG1259s.php
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| Pearls of Wisdom
Be Diligent Every Second of Your Life
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, video conference with Seoul Center, South Korea, August 9, 2008 (Originally in English)
Even one day is a lot of time. If you concentrate well and lift your moral standard and spiritual consciousness high, one day is enough. Always be diligent in your practice, no matter if you have one second or one minute, because in eternity, time doesn’t count. We only have time because we are trapped in this frame of physical, illusionary existence. So, time doesn’t count: One second is equal to eternity! Just be diligent every second of your life. That will be long enough.
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| Pearls of Wisdom
Love Is the Source of Enlightenment
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai at International gathering in
Europe, February 8, 2009 (Originally in English)
Love is very precious because if we have love, we can do many things right – because love is the source of enlightenment. When we have love in our heart, we’re all clear, we do everything selflessly, and it will be correct. As long as you’re selfless, everything you do is correct, because there is no motive. When you are selfless, that means the ego is the least at that time; then the divine power can maneuver your direction very easily. The only problem with us is that we are not very connected with our divine source of powerful inspiration and miracle.
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| Correspondence with World Leaders
Affirmation from Religious Leaders and Government Officials
(Originally in English)
Master’s letter brought memorable and touching responses from dignitaries across the globe. One came from His Beatitude Antonios Naguib, the Patriarch of Alexandria for Catholic Copts in Egypt, who took the time to express his support for Master’s appeal in the following reply:
From South America, the Honorable Bishop Emiliano Soto Valenzuela, chairman of the Environment Commission of Chilean Evangelic Churches also replied with an enthusiastic letter titled, “Public Declaration of the Chilean Evangelic Churches and their Commitment to the Environment,” in which it’s written: .
Citing further inspirational biblical verses, Bishop Valenzuela declared that conservation of nature is God’s commandment and it’s the obligation of the church to make it part of its mission. In addition, both the Head of Cabinet for the Grand Rabbi of France, Eliya Bernheim, and Bishop Jesús Esteban Catalá of Malaga, Spain acknowledged their receipt of Master’s letter. Bishop Catalá expressed his gratitude for the information provided. More letters from government leaders have been received from Hawaii, Peru, South Africa, Czech Republic, Mongolia, UK, Cyprus, Spain, Cameroon and Botswana. Many of them noted that they are seriously considering the issues that Master has brought to their attention. His Excellency President Seretse Khama Ian Khama of Botswana conveyed his appreciation for Master’s positive and encouraging message, saying, “It is true that problems ravaging Africa can be solved by a spiritually enlightened citizenry.” His Excellency President Elbegdorj Tsahia of Mongolia thanked Master for Her precious point of view and valuable suggestions for saving our planet, as well as for democracy, human rights, liberty and a humanitarian society. He expressed his determination to strive and to collaborate with all available resources to eliminate root problems such as meat, alcohol, illegal drugs and tobacco, which indeed cause the most harm to humanity and our planet. The Honorable Lieutenant Governor James Aiona of Hawaii thanked Master for promoting health and wellbeing. He explained that his office has been disseminating the same message through the “Healthy Hawaii Initiatives,” which advocate proper diet and refraining from the use of tobacco and alcohol. We are thankful for all the support given by religious and government leaders worldwide. May you continue to guide with wisdom, so that people choose the path of enlightenment, compassion, peace and happiness.
Responses to Master’s Letter from Government and Religious Leaders Around the World
Master’s letter to all religious leaders:
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| Vegetarian Elite
Living a Glorious and Kind Life
Compiled from a Supreme Master Television Interview (Originally in English)
Alicia Silverstone is an American actress and author. She is best known for her roles in Hollywood films such as Clueless (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997), for which she received the 1996 American Comedy Award, the 1996 MTV Movie Award, the 1996 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for being the best female newcomer, and the 1998 Kids’ Choice Award. Like many gifted people, Alicia understands the time-tested principles of optimum human nutrition. Even as an eight-years-old child, her naturally wise and compassionate heart understood that something was wrong with the food she was being given. After her brother made the noises of the animals she was eating, she decided to become vegetarian. Alicia has been noted for being an animal rights and environmental activist. She became a vegan in 1998, after attending an animal rights meeting. She told Supreme Master Television during an interview, “Ten billion farm animals are killed every single year in America, and that’s one million animals per hour. That’s astounding; one million animals per hour are slaughtered for food. And that really disturbs me, especially knowing that American people are so sensitive and compassionate, and knowing that if they knew what was going on in these factory farms, it wouldn’t be okay with them. . . . For our hearts, health-wise, for our environment, for our people, for the animals, it’s really a very beautiful thing to do, to be vegetarian, or at least to make those better choices, to boycott factory farms.” Because she was so deeply moved, Alicia stopped eating meat and all animal products including milk, cheese and eggs. The vegan diet brought on positive changes that Alicia never would have imagined possible. About two weeks into it, people mentioned that she began to glow. She also noticed that the white parts of her eyes were becoming much brighter, her nails started to grow very strong, and her hair was longer, stronger and thicker. In addition, she no longer needed her asthma inhalers or any of the allergy shots she used to have. Her acne went away completely and she felt amazing. Naturally generous as well as compassionate, Alicia wanted to share the wonderful benefits of the vegan lifestyle with others. In 2009, she released The New York Times bestseller The Kind Diet, an innovative recipe book that imparts what she’s learned about diet, nutrition, the environment and ethics. Alicia explains, “The more gunk you remove from your body, your organs start to work properly. They’re not taxed any more. They’re not exhausted and overworked. Your heart starts to open. You can ask your heart and your spirit for every answer . . . It’s just the most amazing thing in the world, because then everything is solvable, reachable and manageable” In 2004, Silverstone was voted the “Sexiest Female Vegetarian” by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). In 2010, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine honoured her with the Voice of Compassion Award for “shining a spotlight on the powerful health benefits of a vegan diet.” Thank you, Alicia, for being such a beautiful, shining star on screen and in life.
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Love in Action
Haiti
Developing Unconditional Love
By Haiti Relief Team (Originally in English)
On January 12, 2010, the world watched in disbelief when Haiti was devastated by a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake, the strongest there in two centuries. The quake, followed by a series of aftershocks, was centred near the town of Léogâne, only 16 miles from the capital city of Port-au-Prince. It destroyed or damaged most of the infrastructures and buildings including the Palace of Justice, the National Assembly, the Supreme Court and Port-au-Prince Cathedral. It is estimated that 230,000 lives were lost, 300,000 were injured, and 1.5 million were left homeless. Along with many other enthusiastic international rescue organizations, our Association members from around the world quickly formed a relief team and spent the next three months in Haiti bringing materials and spiritual comfort to the destitute people. During their stay, they provided vegan meals every day for thousands of people, gave medical care and treatment to children and the injured, and distributed much needed food, medicines, tents, toys and clothes thanks to the ongoing financial assistance from our loving Supreme Master Ching Hai which amounted to a total of US$110,000 plus contributions from our Association members. One Chinese brother initiate, a doctor, in his earnest efforts to relieve the suffering of the victims worked round-the-clock and at times, even treated 132 patients a day in a mobile clinic. When our medical support team first arrived in the Dominican Republic in January, they brought necessary medicines to hospitals there for patients from Haiti who required amputations or other specialized surgery. The doctors were most grateful for these medications. As soon as our team reached Haiti, they were disheartened to see so many injured people in the streets awaiting transportation to a medical facility for the treatment they needed. To help ease this situation, they even used a car from the Civil Defence Department as an ambulance to bring as many as possible to the hospital where they were well taken care of in the best possible way. A few days later, our working team arrived at the Adventist Hospital, their home base for the time they were in Haiti; and at the request of the directors from ACTS (Active Community Teams Serving) and the hospital, began preparing 1,200 meals twice a day for hospital staff, patients and their families. The response to the vegan food was overwhelmingly positive and many Haitians looked forward to the daily meals. Later, the team had to prepare 3,500 to 4,000 servings a day to meet the demand. Many non-vegetarians were pleasantly surprised to discover how tasty the food was and indicated that they could become vegan if the ingredients to create such delicious cuisine were readily available to them. Every day many local boys and girls volunteered to help prepare and distribute the food. Without their continuous assistance, it may not have been possible to cook and to serve two meals a day for that many people. The Regional Director of the Dominican Republic Civil Defence in Santo Domingo, Mr. Luis Reyes, worked diligently with our relief team as well, to ensure that they could travel safely back and forth between the Dominican Republic and Haiti three times a week to bring all the necessary food, equipment and personal effects. His efforts, in conjunction with those of the Magistrate of Croix des Bouquet, Mr. Marius St. Pierre, were essential also in making it possible to transport the tents and tarps between the two countries, without encountering any difficulties. Knowing that tents were a rare treasure in Haiti at that time, our team not only purchased thousands of them but also prepared straps and tarps so that they could be secured firmly to the ground and be better protected from the heavy rain. The allocation of these items was a major challenge, with safety being a very necessary priority. The team shared their love with the people and were happy to see the recipients begin to smile once again. Many of them sent a message to Master Ching Hai saying how grateful they were to Her, especially the ones who had little children less than a year old. One lady said, “How happy Master must feel, going to bed knowing that She has saved a lot of people today with Her love and compassion.” Our working team found some locations that were really in need of food, in particular two orphanages and two shelters. They bought provisions for these places on two occasions. The Catholic priest, Father Pierre, said that Master had saved the lives of the children, mothers and babies living in these shelters because before that time, there was nothing whatsoever available for them to eat. A thank you letter from the PERE ABRAHAM Orphanage expressed their sincere feelings: We appreciate this grand gesture; frankly you have saved our starving children. This is the reason why we have elevated you to the title “2010 Supreme Mother of the children of the PERE ABRAHAM orphanage,” because our children love you and can count on you for a better future. . . . We also want to let you know that we are supporting your SOS program. “We need to save the planet and we are taking the lead.” We hope that your message will be heard and accepted by leaders from around the world. A fellow initiate from Montreal, Canada, who is a professional singer, came to Haiti in March to help ease the intensity of the situation and lift the spirits of the people with his musical talent. He gave a wonderful performance at the hospital. Everyone was very happy and many even sang along with him. The day before the conclusion of the relief work in Haiti at the end of April, the Adventist Hospital administration paid tribute to Master for all the assistance and love She had brought to the staff, the patients, those living near the hospital, as well as to everyone throughout Haiti. All of our Association members that went to help in Haiti returned home with happiness in their hearts, because it is now a better country in so many ways. People are currently receiving food and tents from different organizations. In the capital, various groups have given money to assist the local residents in the clean-up of garbage from areas throughout Port au Prince that had been neglected for many years. More importantly, the children are beginning to smile again as they are healthier and have more strength to enjoy their life. The relief team members are grateful for this special opportunity - to serve and to grow spiritually in Haiti. They thank Master for all Her protection, guidance, love, tolerance and patience, especially during their difficult moments. They learned to help the neediest without thinking of themselves, and to follow Her example of always extending unconditional love.
Caption:
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her Association for Earthquake Relief Work in Haiti
*Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation and food.
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| Love in Action
Chile
Timely Support for Those Most in Need
By Chile News Group (Originally in Spanish)
In the early morning of February 27, 2010, Chile was rocked by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake, one of the most devastating in the world. Accompanied by a tsunami, the quake and a series of aftershocks, which were felt strongly in six Chilean regions, toppled buildings and freeways, took hundreds of lives, and rendered thousands homeless. It was estimated that about 2 million people were affected, as was announced by the nation’s president. To help those most in need, Supreme Master Ching Hai immediately provided US$20,000 in funds, which were used by our Association members to carry out the relief work in places like San Antonio, Llolleo, Navidad, Cuncumen, Constitucion, Peumo and Las Cabras. Mr. Lorenzo Torres Medina, the Mayor of Paihuano, wrote a letter to Master on behalf of Region IV, Paihuano Illustrious Municipality, saying, “Thanks to your generous contribution of $497,000 (in Pesos), we arranged a shipment of more than four tons of food and basic necessities, as well as sent a mobile dental clinic to two counties seriously affected by the earthquake.” He also thanked Master for Her great compassion and generosity on a previous occasion, when She sent aid for victims of the flood and earthquake which hit their region in 1997. In the little town of Santa Cruz, Father Alberto Hurtado founded a non-profit organization called Hogar de Cristo in 1944. This nursing home that used to house more than 50 senior citizens collapsed due to the earthquake. Fortunately, its patients were safely relocated. Our Association members delivered much-needed daily supplies, such as shampoo, soap, diapers, medicines, along with cookies and Master’s books to those elderly folks, who accepted them with gratefulness and joy. The Executive Director of the Region VI Hogar de Cristo, Ms. Paulina Leiva Munoz, expressed her sincere thanks in a letter, “…it is so hard for me to find the right words to thank you for your generous contribution. The health supplies you gave us will ease the lack of resources we have. This means that your help went directly to the neediest people, the poorest among the poorest. Dear Master Ching Hai, I thank God for people like you. ” A report by El Leader Newspaper on Sunday March 7, entitled “The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association Brought Help” covered the relief work. It also mentioned that our Association members are vegetarian and protect the environment. The relief team is very thankful to Master for Her financial assistance, and especially for all the blessings and love sent to this country. May the Chilean people soon change to a more compassionate lifestyle to live in peace and harmony with nature.
Captions:
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai for Earthquake Relief Work in Chile
*Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation. |
| Love in Action
Bolivia
Wholeheartedly Helping the Flood Affected
By Santa Cruz News Group (Originally in Spanish)
Heavy downpours have been pounding Bolivia continuously since January 2010, causing deaths and catastrophic floods almost everywhere in the country with nearly 28,000 families deeply affected. Following Supreme Master Ching Hai’s loving instruction, a relief team made up of our Association members from the United States and Costa Rica, went to Bolivia on February 12 with Her US$18,000 contribution to assist the affected people by providing them with basic necessities. After meeting with the head and the coordinator of COED (County Operational Emergency Department) in Santa Cruz, the team bought nearly 33,000 pounds of staple foods, enough to feed the needy families for at least three weeks. Medical supplies were also prepared, and a doctor accompanying them helped to distribute the medicines and treat the sick. Travelling by boat for nearly 60 hours, our group was able to reach the areas in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz Provinces, where no other organizations had gone. Thanks to the assistance of Mr. Olivera, the Deputy Governor from Santa Cruz Prefecture; Mr. Eduardo Descarpontries; Mr. Guillermo Montaño, the Captain of Villarroel Port; the chiefs of 9 native ethnic groups; and Mr. David Pérez, the Department Assemblyman of the native Mojeño people, the team developed a strategic plan to deliver the relief supplies to almost all the communities in the most affected areas. The recipients of Master’s loving care, living in difficult conditions, showed much joy and gratitude upon obtaining this aid which was the first that they had received. The relief team members thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for this opportunity to learn how to serve others unconditionally.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her
International Association
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Guatemala
Volcano Eruption and Storm Relief Work
By Costa Rica News Group (Originally in Spanish)
On May 27-28, the Pacaya volcano in Guatemala erupted, causing at least three people to lose their lives, including one television reporter covering the event. Located near the capital, Guatemala City, the eruption forced 2,000 villagers to evacuate as it released tons of sand and debris, with further minor explosions occurring as late as July. Just two days after the eruption, tropical storm Agatha flooded the Amatitlán River leaving 15 people missing. Expressing Her prayers and heartfelt condolences, Supreme Master Ching Hai contributed US$10,000 for emergency flood relief with an additional US$1,000 to help the bereaved family of the volcano victim - reporter Mr. Anibal Archila. With the help of the Guatemala City government, our Association’s relief team from Costa Rica provided aid to Amatitlán, one of the most affected municipalities. They delivered rice, beans, drinking water, coffee, corn flour, cooking oil and sugar for 400 families in a village there that had run out of food. Many of the village leaders were deeply touched and expressed their sincere appreciation with tears of happiness. The team then traveled to Caserio de la Cuchilla where about 100 large packages of food and other necessities were distributed to the grateful villagers, many of whom were elderly and widows. In addition, our Association members visited the wife and family of the late journalist Mr. Anibal Archila. Their surprise and grateful acceptance of Supreme Master Ching Hai’s caring gift of US$1,000, along with Her #1 international bestselling book - The Dogs in My Life, and spiritual book - I Have Come to Take You Home, was recorded by the local TV channel Noti 7. With our sympathies for the loss of Mr. Archila and other precious lives, we pray for the local inhabitants’ steady recovery and that such tragic disasters lessen as our more considerate lifestyles help ensure planetary balance.
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Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai for the Volcano Eruption and Flood Relief Work in Amatitán, Guatemala
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Peru
Bringing Joy and Hope to the Mudslide Affected
By Peruvian Relief Team (Originally in English)
Torrential rains in December 2009 triggered a mudslide in Ayacucho, the capital city of Huamanga Province, Peru, taking the lives of 9 people and injuring 28 others. At least 200 families were relocated to a nearby stadium. According to the Department of Civil Defense, about 500 affected by the calamity were in desperate need of help. Supreme Master Ching Hai expressed Her deep sympathies and prayers, and offered US$15,000 to assist the relief operation. Our Association’s Peruvian relief team traveled to the afflicked region in January and February 2010. There, they provided materials to build a kitchen unit in the shelter where the victims were staying, as well as distributed mineral water, non-perishable foods, nutritional supplements and warm blankets. Diapers, towels and balls were also bought for the young children. During the nine days the relief team were in Huamanga, they prepared two vegan meals daily for the 150 displaced persons staying at the shelter. In addition, they went to other communities where they helped 31 families, including the elderly and babies, who had been affected by this tragedy or lost their homes. As our Association members informed people about the vegan solution for the betterment of their health and the planet, they found the mothers to be especially receptive. All relief recipients expressed their deep gratitude to Master, shedding tears of joy, applauding, and dancing. Master’s Timely Aid Brings Relief In early April, 2010, towns in the Ambo province of Peru’s central Huánuco region were swept by torrential floods. In two of the hardest-hit communities alone, nearly 200 houses were destroyed, 60 people lost their lives or went missing, and more than 1,300 were rendered homeless. Local governments immediately provided some food, tents and healthcare. Traveling to the flood-stricken Ambo province with Master’s funds, our Peruvian Association members delivered drinking water and warm clothes to the victims. Monetary gifts were offered to the most destitute households, enabling them to purchase further essential items. More than 100 families received Master’s loving aid. May the Peruvian people quickly recover the regularity of their day-to-day lives as we work to ease such extreme weather events through our greater environmental care.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for Mudslide and Flood Relief Work in Peru
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Mexico
Rendering Aid to Those Affected by Unseasonal Rain
and Hurricane
By Texcoco News Group (Originally in Spanish)
Days of unexpected rainfall in February 2010 caused widespread flooding and landslides in Mexico, affecting more than 15,000 people in Michoacan State and resulting in at least 30 fatalities. Soldiers joined emergency crews to ease the situation, and President Felipe Calderon visited the most devastated states to address the damage. Supreme Master Ching Hai provided funds for the relief work conducted by our Association members in Michoacan and Mexico State s. On February 28, after traveling 1.5 hours, the team arrived in Angangueo community in the city of Zitacuaro, Michoacan, and spoke with Mrs. Eloina Hernandez, the Executive Director of the National System for Integral Family Development, who kindly informed them that 380 families were still in need of food and clothes for the children. The relief team immediately delivered emergency materials that included food, cleaning supplies and hygiene items to these vulnerable people, each of whom gave sincere thanks to Master, hoping one day they could meet Her in person. Hurricane Alex Relief Efforts in Northeastern Mexico Hurricane Alex caused serious floods in northeastern Mexico in late June 2010. In Nuevo León State, there were 15 fatalities, and the floods heavily affected infrastructure causing 61,000 homes to lose power. Supreme Master Ching Hai conveyed Her deep condolences and prayers, as well as contributed US$15,000 to assist with the disaster relief work. In July, a team of our Association members traveled through the on-going torrential rains to the inundated municipality of Anáhuac where 300 families were forced to evacuate. Officials from the city’s Water and Drainage Management guided them to the shelter where most of the storm-afflicted were housed. With the kind help from the 7th Area State military Nuevo León personnel, the team was able to distribute vegan food supplies, shelter canopies, blankets, clothes, diapers, mattresses and other personal necessities. The recipients were overwhelmed at Supreme Master Ching Hai’s generosity, some of who could not hold back their tears as they thanked Her for remembering them. When informative SOS fliers on the vegan solution to stabilize such catastrophes were given out, the residents responded with a sense of comfort upon realizing they could actually do something to help the environment.
Expenditures by
Supreme Master Ching Hai
* Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation. |
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Brazil
Rendering Swift Aid to the Flood Afflicted
By Brazil and Paraguay Relief Team (Originally in Portuguese)
In early April, heavy rains triggered floods and landslides that took more than 255 lives, with over 46 missing persons and 60,000 displaced residents throughout the state of Rio de Janeiro. As the worst tragedy in Brazilian history, the state of Rio was declared a national disaster area. Our Association members from Brazil and Paraguay mobilized quickly, and organized two relief efforts. Targeting the most seriously affected areas of Niteroi and Sao Gonçalo, they worked together with the civil defense and social welfare workers from the municipal government. Besides conveying Master’s love, our members distributed some 7 tons of food benefiting over 700 families who received it with happiness and gratefulness. In June, the northeastern Brazilian states of Alagoas and Pernambuco were deluged with 36 centimeters of rainfall in just three days, the heaviest seen in three years. According to officials, at least 20 people lost their lives, 35,000 were rendered homeless in Alagoas, while another 15,000 were displaced in Pernambuco. With Master’s US$15,000 loving contribution, our relief team arrived in the town of Barreiros, State of Pernambuco, on July 11 and handed out 500 emergency food packages in three severely affected communities—Village of Baeté, Una River and Prainha de baixo—with the kind assistance of the governor, local officials and volunteers. They were especially thankful for the tireless support received from Colonel Neyft, a retired fireman, and his group of young students. During both relief efforts, our Association members shared with the local people information on how our food choices have a significant impact on the climate so that they quickly and wisely adopt a compassionate, eco-friendly vegan diet to prevent future disasters and to live in peace and harmony.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her Association
* Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation.
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Paraguay and Argentina
Working Together Helps Speed Tornado and Flood Recovery
By Paraguay and Argentina Relief Teams (Originally in Spanish)
Tornado Relief On September 7, 2009, a tornado damaged homes in several areas of Paraguay, with its strong winds and hail also destroying crops. Thankfully, the situation was not very serious and the government provided aid supplies, including metal sheets to repair roofs. A relief team of our local Association members traveled to the affected areas to deliver Master’s love, blessings, SOS flyers and sample booklets as well as to explain the cause of such climatic events and their solution. The tornado moved on to Argentina, reaching full force when it hit the town of San Pedro, seriously damaging some 200 homes, injuring many residents, taking 11 lives, and destroying an area of approximately 25 square kilometers. The victims received assistance from the Argentine government and from several other countries in reconstructing and repairing homes, along with medical aid and sufficient food to last for three to four months. Supreme Master Ching Hai also provided US$800 in relief funds, which our team offered to the most severely affected families. We thank God that all those need have been given the necessary governmental assistance and are working together on the path to recovery. Flood Relief In November 2009, after the heaviest rainfall in over two decades, Brazil, Uruguay and the Argentine Provinces of Entre Ríos and Chaco experienced severe flooding that caused the river on the Argentina-Uruguay border to overflow, forcing 8,000 inhabitants from their homes. Upon learning of the disaster, Supreme Master Ching Hai contributed US$10,000 and asked Association members to assist the victims. Our relief team from Argentina and Paraguay arrived in Concordia, Entre Ríos on November 30. After speaking with local officials about the situation, they went to the coastal areas of Cordaroli and San Lorenzo where those affected were living in plastic tents and cardboard shelters. The team quickly delivered much needed supplies such as hygiene items, nappies, food and insect repellent along with SOS flyers to inform public of the causes of such disasters and the easiest way to curb them, that is, by adopting a meat-free diet. The situation was most serious in Resistencia, Chaco, where people were living in unsafe, mud-filled homes. The relief team promptly distributed more emergency supplies amid the recipients’ applause, tears and smiles to thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her love and kindness. Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for Flood and Tornado Relief Work in Argentina and Paraguay
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Colombia
Delivering Timely Aid into the Hands of the Needy
By Costa Rica and Colombia Relief Teams (Originally in English)
Heavy rain during the night of December 26, 2009, caused the Turbo, Currulao (Guadalito), El Tres and Grande rivers in the Department of Antioquia, Colombia to overflow, affecting 47,430 people and 9,000 families in Turbo, some of whom lost their banana crops. On January 8, 2010, a relief team of our Costa Rican and Colombian Association members arrived in Turbo with Master’s generous contribution of US$10,000. They distributed rice, beans, lentils, flour and other kinds of food in numerous towns including Puerto Boy, Puerto Cesar, Puerto Escondido, La Pola, Puerto Cesar Playa, San Bernardo, El Recreo, Coldesa, Rio Mar, Yarumal, Punto Rojo, Arenera Arcua, Monte Verde, La Playa and Arenera Centra. The people were very grateful for the timely aid because many of them had only bananas to eat. About 1,500 families were in desperate need of mattresses and mosquito nets. Hearing the news, our compassionate Master sent another US$10,000 to purchase these items, which were quickly delivered by the relief team on January 17. The recipients were surprised and deeply touched by Master’s big, caring heart, as finally their children could sleep at night. They sent Her a lot of blessings. After reading the SOS flyers and learning the importance of keeping a plant-based diet, the local citizens, government officials and policemen said that they were willing to change their diet to save the planet as well as help spread the news.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching
Hai
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Uganda
Showing Love and Care to the Hailstorm and Flood Affected
By Ugandan News Group (Originally in English) Helping the Hailstorm Affected The Buliisa District in Uganda experienced a severe hailstorm in November 2009 causing havoc, loss of life and injuries as an ensuing landslide destroyed over 40 homes, removed roofs from a school and government building, and damaged crops. In addition, many families were left homeless. On November 17, Supreme Master Ching Hai contributed US$10,000 for the purchase of much needed supplies. Later, our Association relief team went to Uganda to distribute flour, rice, beans, cooking oil, salt, soap and blankets to families in the affected area. The community deeply appreciated Master’s help and concern for their well-being. The local chairperson, Mr. Kwonka, thanked Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her generosity and “never-ending, precious gift of love and care for all people around the world.” We pray that all humankind may join together in this spirit of love and concern for one another, our animal co-inhabitants and the planet.
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Rendering Assistance to the Flood Affected Torrential rains on February 16 caused flooding in the communities of Bwaise and Kalerwe located on the outskirts of the capital city of Kampala. Thousands of people fled from their homes in the middle of the night, with many properties being destroyed or damaged. With Master’s love, prayers and US$10,000 financial contribution, our Association members went to these two areas and distributed much needed food and supplies. The recipients were very grateful for the love and assistance provided by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her Association.
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Guinea
Flood Victims Touched by Master’s Love
By Benin News Group (Originally in English)
In August 2009, a state of emergency was declared in the city of Conakry, Guinea, after heavy rains caused flooding that destroyed houses and other buildings as well as left many homeless. Profoundly concerned about those affected by the disaster, Supreme Master Ching Hai provided US$4,000 in relief funds to help those in need. A group of our Benin Association members later went to Conakry to convey Master’s love and distribute relief supplies including rice, cooking oil and sugar to the affected families, who were deeply grateful for Her assistance. During their visit, the relief team was graciously helped by the local flood relief inspector, other authorities and the area’s governor, who sent a sincere letter of thanks to Supreme Master Ching Hai.
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Algeria
Master Helps Flood-Stricken Orphans and Families
By Paris Relief Team (Originally in French)
After floods affected 24,162 Algerians, causing 43 people to lose their lives and destroying 3,552 homes, a team of our Association members visited Algeria from October 18 to 28, 2009. On behalf of Supreme Master Ching Hai, they provided aid and comfort to the victims. Our relief team worked with the local Algerian Red Crescent Society (ARCS) in the city of Ghardaïa and distributed a total of US$20,000 in gifts from Master in the form of cash envelopes, books, colored pencils and candy to orphans and families who had lost loved ones. Local officials expressed their deep gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her support. Dr. H.S. Zergoun, President of the Algerian Red Crescent Society in Ghardaïa, wrote these touching words in an official thank you letter: In the Saintly book « The Kuran », God teaches us about the orphans. “If someone asks you about the orphans, answer ‘improving their condition is a good thing, if you mix with them, they become your brothers’” (Sura II “The cow,” Verse 220). The presence of the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association among us,, in order to give the orphans and families of the Ghardaïa October 2009 floods some compassion and love through your so warmhearted gesture, . . . , honors you, honors your and our institutions, which have always been among the first to go to the rescue of human beings in particular, as well as of all living beings in general. We could but offer you what we have: a Big Thank You from the bottom of our hearts, on behalf of all these orphans and all these families to whom you brought help with this generous gesture which reflects all the love that your Association and Supreme Master Ching Hai have for the people in need. We are grateful for the noble and gracious assistance of RCSA in delivering Master’s aid to the most vulnerable. May all nations rise above the worldly boundaries to help each other in times of need and to live in brotherly love.
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Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai for Flood Relief Work in Algeria
*Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation. |
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Burundi
Grateful Burundi Villagers
By Tanzanian Relief Team (Originally in French)
In October 2009, devastating downpours affected more than 1,000 inhabitants of Burundi’s Bubanza Province, where over 214 homes and most of the crops were destroyed, especially in the Gihanga community. Master Ching Hai responded to the disaster by sending US$10,000 and a relief team, who purchased and distributed supplies of cooking oil, beans, rice, flour, salt and soap to those affected along with Her love. The villagers gratefully accepted Master’s gifts, and the District Commissioner sent a formal letter sincerely thanking Master for Her help.
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Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai for Heavy Rain Relief Work in Burundi
*Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, accommodation and food. |
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Tanzania
The Destitute Receive Relief after Major Landslide and Floods
By Tanzanian Relief Team (Originally in English)
In November 2009, prolonged heavy rainfall in Ramba Mawe Province, Tanzania, produced a major landslide on Mount Kilimanjaro, resulting in the loss of 24 lives plus an unknown number of animals and the destruction of many homes. Our Association members formed a relief team and distributed blankets, mosquito nets and food with Master’s US$10,000 contribution and Her loving message for the villagers: “God loves you people very much and that is why we are here.” The villagers were deeply grateful for the support. On behalf of the Tanzanian government, the local district administrator sincerely thanked Supreme Master Ching Hai and our Association. On December 25, torrential rains began in the upper regions of the Kongwa River in Tanzania’s Kilosa District, triggering floods that washed away a village as well as forced at least a thousand residents to flee their homes, and more that 500 families to live in a temporary camp. With heartfelt sympathy and prayers, Supreme Master Ching Hai asked our local Association members go to help those most in need, and provided US$10,000 for the relief team to buy and distribute essential foods such as cooking oil, maize and flour. Upon receiving the food packages, District Commissioner Halima Omari Dendego, thanked Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her loving assistance and support. The displaced people also expressed their deep gratitude to Master.
Expenditures by
Supreme Master Ching Hai
*Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, accommodation and food. |
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Tunisia
Flood Victims Happily Receive Master’s Relief Funds
By Paris Relief Team (Originally in French)
In November 2009, torrential rains in Tunisia caused flooding that severely damaged buildings, left many homeless, and resulted in loss of life. On November 28, our Paris Center relief team traveled to the affected area with Supreme Master Ching Hai’s financial contribution to bring Her love and comfort to the victims. They first went to the town of Redeyef in southern Tunisia where the flooding was most severe. They distributed a total of EUR 6,500 (Approx. US$8,000) to five affected households, which enabled them to buy items such as blankets, clothing and furniture. The townspeople were extremely friendly and welcoming, and wholeheartedly thanked Master. To celebrate God’s blessing and commemorate this day full of grace, the villagers prepared delicious vegan couscous and the relief team organized a party with candies, fruit juice and cookies.
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Mauritania
Flood Victims Appreciate Master’s Love
By Benin Relief Team (Originally in English)
In September 2009, Mauritania experienced heavy rains that caused devastating floods, particularly in the town of Rosso, where thousands of families were left homeless. Supreme Master Ching Hai was deeply touched upon hearing news of the disaster. She provided US$7,500 in relief funds to help those in need and asked our Association members to bring comfort to the affected. Upon arriving in Rosso on November 9, a representative of the Mayor graciously assisted the relief team in distributing rice, vegetables and sugar to the needy families. On behalf of the people, the representative and the Mayor, Mr. Fassa Yerima, both expressed deep gratitude to Master for Her heartfelt generosity. The Mayor also sent a formal thank you letter to Supreme Master Ching Hai. We pray that the Mauritanian people may soon return to the comfort of their homes and adopt the vegan diet, bringing more peace and harmony among all of Earth’s inhabitants.
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Love in Action Senegal Giving Loving Assistance to the Flood Affected
By Benin News Group (Originally in English) Heavy rains in the city of Dakar, Senegal, in September 2009, caused flooding that destroyed houses and other buildings as well as left many people homeless. Those who had lost their homes were relocated by the Senegalese government. Deeply concerned about the disaster victims, Supreme Master Ching Hai provided US$10,000 in relief funds to help those in need. On November 6, a group of our Benin Association members went to Dakar to convey Master’s love and distribute rice, cooking oil and salt to the victims, who were deeply grateful for Her assistance. During their visit, the relief team received help from the local flood relief coordinator, who also sent a sincere letter of thanks to Supreme Master Ching Hai. May God bless Senegal with a speedy recovery. Caption: Thank you letter to Master from Senegal’s Minister of Urbanism, Housing Conditions, Construction and Hydraulics, for Her loving aid Caption: Receipts in the amount of XOF4,305,200 (approx. US$10,012) for relief supplies in Senegal
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Malawi
Master Sends Loving Relief to Quake-Affected in Malawi
By South Africa Relief Team (Originally in English)
On December 20, 2009, a powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck the district of Karonga, Malawi, causing widespread damage to residential as well as commercial buildings and taking the lives of at least three people. In addition, approximately 200 others were injured and 270,000 residents were evacuated as several aftershocks triggered further destruction to the already weakened structures. Along with Her prayers and heartfelt sympathy, Supreme Master Ching Hai contributed US$10,000 in relief funds. She asked our Association members to help those affected, including the elderly, the orphaned and families who had lost loved ones. The team traveled to Karonga and worked with the local Red Cross to purchase and distribute relief supplies to the needy, many of whom were living in temporary shelters. The people thanked Master for Her help, and in good spirits quickly began the work of rebuilding their homes. We thank Malawi's Department of Relief and Disaster Management Affairs and the Malawi Red Cross for providing tents for the displaced and for working with our Association members to bring comfort to those affected by the quake. Caption: Receipts in South African Rand 73,722.48 (Approx. US$10,296) for relief supplies purchased in Malawi
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Angola
Hundreds of Displaced Families Receive Master’s Aid
By Douala Relief Team (Originally in English)
On December 10, 2009, heavy rains destroyed more than 150 houses and damaged others in Buco Zau, Cabinda Province, Northern Angola, leaving nearly a thousand families homeless. Children were sheltered in school classrooms as many neighborhoods were inundated with water from the rising Luali River. With Master’s loving concern and US$11,000 contribution, a relief team from our Douala, Cameroon Center arrived in Cabinda in January 2010, and with the help of a local official, traveled to the disaster area. They purchased much needed food, clothing, blankets and mattresses, and arranged for two truckloads of relief materials to be delivered. With the assistance of local social welfare workers, the materials were quickly distributed along with SOS flyers. Mr. José Macaia, the Deputy Municipal Administrator of Buco Zau, wholeheartedly thanked Supreme Master Ching Hai, as well as explained to the recipients that She cares for them very much and is helping them through God’s love. Mr. Macaia also sent an official thank you letter to Master. A few months later, the Cameroon relief team also went to the city of Ondjiva, Cunene Province in Southern Angola to provide aid to those affected by a flood in March. As Mupa was the most severely affected town with all of their crops destroyed, the relief team purchased 10 tons rice with Master’s US$10,000 contribution, and used a large truck arranged by Mr. Huang, the director of CRBC (China Road and Bridge Corporation), to transport it. When the rice arrived in Mupa, after a 3-hour journey, the team distributed it to the happy and grateful recipients along with God’s love and SOS flyers. On September 24, due to another serious flood, the relief team returned to Ondjiva and purchased 11 more tons of rice with master's US$10,000 contribution. The kind-hearted local people again helped them deliver the rice to Mupa, where Mr. Gilberto O. Soares from the government office received the supply on behalf of the people. He sent a thank you letter to Master, expressing his gratitude. May more Angolans choose to adopt a healthy, eco-friendly, vegan lifestyle to avoid this kind of disaster in the future.
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Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai for Flood Relief Work in Angola
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Niger
Master’s Aid Helps Flood Displaced People
By Benin Relief Team (Originally in English)
In August and September 2009, many villages in the Tahoua region of southeastern Niger were struck by devastating floods that affected 87,000 residents, damaged 12,786 homes, and left many villagers homeless. Hearing of the victims’ plight, Supreme Master Ching Hai provided US$7,500 to purchase relief supplies. On October 14, a team of our Association members from Benin arrived in Niger to convey Master’s love and to distribute food, blankets, dishes, mats and soap to the affected families. The people happily received the items which greatly eased their situation and provided comfort in a troubled time, while thanking Supreme Master Ching Hai for thinking of them. In an official letter to Master, the Honorable Mr. Oudou Ambouca, prefect of Tahoua in Bambeye, sincerely thanked Her for Her gesture of love as well as moral and material support. God bless the people of Niger so that they may make a speedy recovery and enjoy a compassionate, harmonious, vegan lifestyle.
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Fiji
Master’s Aid Raises Spirits
By Australian Relief Team (Originally in English)
On December 13, 2009, Cyclone Mick devastated the island nation of Fiji, first affecting the low-lying Yasawa Islands, where 90-mph winds destroyed many homes, and then striking the north shore of the island of Viti Levu, where heavy rains caused flooding. Nearly 4,000 inhabitants were evacuated and at least three people lost their lives. Hearing of the tragedy, Supreme Master Ching Hai lovingly provided US$10,000 in relief funds and asked our Australian Association members to render aid to the victims. Before traveling to Fiji, arrangements had already been made for the relief team to meet with shop owner Mr. Rudra, who not only supplied over seven tons of rice and other essential food items at cost, but also kindly assigned his staff to assemble the relief materials into packages so they could be handed out easily. His staff worked tirelessly for two nights and prepared 720 packages, which were gratefully accepted by those in need. In addition, Supreme Master Ching Hai’s DVDs, books, CDs and SOS flyers were given to village elders for distribution to the victims. In a loving atmosphere and through God’s perfect arrangement, the relief work went smoothly. We pray that the Fijian people soon adopt the humane, vegan diet to help mitigate global warming.
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United Kingdom
Cumbria Flood Victims Feel Master’s Love
By Surrey News Group (Originally in English)
The town of Cockermouth in the Cumbria District saw the worst floods in its history, after days of unusually heavy rainfall in late November 2009 triggered the Cocker and Derwent Rivers to overflow, damaging homes and making bridges unsafe. Upon hearing of the tragedy, Supreme Master Ching Hai asked our local Association members to go to the flooded areas to offer aid, lovingly contributing £10,000 for the purchase of relief items, and £1,175 for the family of Police Constable Bill Barker, who lost his life in the flood. On November 24, the relief team arrived in Cockermouth and offered Master’s heartfelt concern to the local citizens. Many shopkeepers were given £100 each to purchase emergency supplies. Financial assistance, food, clothes and sleeping bags were given to those most in need, bringing tears of gratitude to the eyes of the recipients. Our relief team lovingly prepared thousands of vegan sandwiches, fresh fruit and nuts as well as thermos flasks to hold hot drinks for the workers. The community was deeply grateful for the gifts and information on how the vegan diet can help avert such disasters in the future. Their spirits were high as people volunteered to join the clean-up work and help those most affected by the flooding. The local church served as a shelter and communications center, in addition to providing hot food to the public. Learning through the national news about the difficult situation the Doyle family with three young children was facing, the team later travelled to Worthington and offered them £1,000. The grateful family wrote a touching letter to Master, saying, “We can never put into words the thanks and appreciation we owe to you after the very sad and heartbreaking time we went through whilst in the Cumbria floods. Your present was greatly appreciated and we can never thank you enough. It kept us living day by day. We managed to put carpets in our temporary house and buy a few Christmas gifts for the children. Thank you very much, from a very grateful family.” Joe and Shelley Doyle, Kieren (12 years), Aaron (5years), Corey (5weeks old) We thank all the volunteers who assisted with the relief work, and pray that the world soon adopts the vegan diet to minimize the frequency of such events and to create greater harmony for our planet. Caption: Thank you letter from the grateful Doyle family
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai for Flood Relief Work in Cumbria, UK
* Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation. |
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Italy
Sicilian Flood and Mudslide Afflicted Receive Aid and Comfort
By Bulgarian Relief Team (Originally in Bulgarian)
From November 1 to 7, 2009, our team of Italian and Bulgarian Association members went to Sicily, Italy, to offer Supreme Master Ching Hai’s aid and comfort to the local citizens after heavy floods and mudslides struck the island in October. Giampilieri Superiore was one of the eight villages affected, where the mud reached 20 meters high in some places, there were 28 casualties, 1,650 people displaced, and many who had lost their jobs. With Master’s US$10,000 contribution, the relief team distributed cash and supplies along with chocolates, sample booklets, vegan recipes as well as SOS and Alternative Living flyers to the neediest in this village. Among them were four grieving families who lost everything to the disaster, including their loved ones. Despite difficulties on the road, our Association members travelled to all the hotels housing those who had been evacuated from their homes, to bring them material and emotional support. In a hotel 50 km away from Giampilieri Superiore, the team held a special chocolate party to cheer everyone up, serving bread and Nutella (hazelnut spread). The room was decorated with heart-shaped balloons, and the villagers were deeply grateful to Master for Her love, blessings and financial help.
Expenditures by
Supreme Master Ching Hai for Flood and Mudslide
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Iraq
Master Helps Flood Victims through the Iraqi Red Crescent Society
By
Australia News Group (Originally in English)
On November 1, 2009, torrential rains caused flooding and landslides in Iraqi Kurdistan’s Erbil Province, burying many homes and claiming the lives of four people. During the storms, the Erb River overflowed inundating the surrounding areas and causing residents to be evacuated. On November 4, in response to the dire need of the victims, Supreme Master Ching Hai compassionately contributed US$10,000 to the Iraqi Red Crescent Society whose officials expressed their gratitude in a formal letter of thanks. We deeply appreciate the work of the Red Crescent Society and other relief organizations that help people in disaster areas around the world. We pray that humankind will soon live in harmony with nature by adopting the lifesaving vegan diet and by extending their love and support to our animal co-inhabitants.
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Iran
Master’s Aid Comes to Iranian Flood, Quake and Storm Affected People
By Iran News Group (Originally in Iranian)
In September 2009, torrential rains caused severe flooding across Iran, with the most serious damage occurring in Razavi Khorasan Province where many lives were lost. Our local Association members visited the bereaved, the elderly and the homeless to convey Master’s love and to provide monetary assistance on Her behalf. The funds were gratefully accepted by the recipients, including many who had lost their loved ones. On November 5, a 4.9 magnitude earthquake struck the southern province of Hormozgān, injuring nearly 700 people. Our relief team visited the areas that suffered the largest number of casualties, and found that although the people had adequate food, they needed to repair their homes. Hearing the news, Supreme Master Ching Hai immediately contributed US$15,000 which was quickly distributed to 43 needy families. Then on January 12, 2010, following a severe storm, our relief team traveled to Ardebil Province in Northern Iran to provide aid. With the help of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, they visited 13 villages and distributed more cash contributions from Master to 180 families. News of the gifts and the people’s gratitude reached a local TV station which expressed deep appreciation to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her generous help. We pray that the Iranian disaster victims soon return to the safety and comfort of their own homes. May such calamities diminish as all people adopt the gentle, vegan diet to safeguard our animal co-inhabitants and the planet.
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Tajikistan
Master’s Gifts Bring Joy after an Earthquake
By Korean Relief Team (Originally in Korean)
On January 2, 2010, an earthquake in Panji, Pamir, 450 kilometers from Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe caused landslides and avalanches that affected over 1,000 households, with many being displaced and forced to live in temporary shelters. On January 15, our Korean relief team traveled to Panji to help the victims. Following the main earthquake, there were as many as 170 aftershocks and most of the clay and stone buildings were severely damaged. The cold weather made it impossible to build new homes before May, so the affected families had to continue living in small tents and also required food. The relief team thus purchased and distributed flour, macaroni, sugar and clothing to the needy villagers, many of whom expressed their sincere thanks to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her compassionate assistance. Master’s contribution also bought clothing, shoes, socks and cookies for the area’s orphans. The unexpected gifts brought bright smiles to the youngsters’ faces. Master’s love extended to Tajikistan’s displaced families and others in need eased their difficult situation. We pray that they may soon have the comfort and security of homes to return to.
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Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for Earthquake Relief Work in Tajikistan
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Kazakhstan
Coming from Afar to Aid the Flood Affected
By Korea Relief Team (Originally in Korean)
On March 12, 2010, after the heavy winter snowfall melted earlier than expected due to climate change, a water reservoir dam burst in the Aksuisky region in Kazakhstan. Kyzyl-Agash, a village with 3,000 people, was flooded. Regrettably, 44 lives were lost, 469 houses destroyed, and 2,500 people displaced. Our Korean relief team left for the affected area in Kazakhstan with Supreme Master Ching Hai’s loving contribution of US$15,000 plus an extra US$6,000 from Korean Association members, on March 29. After arriving in Kyzyl-Agash, they met with the head of the village, who explained to them the damage caused by the flood and the assistance they had already received from other international organizations. At his suggestion, our Association members prepared 2500 envelopes, a total of US$17,000 in cash, and distributed them to the displaced people who were living in temporary tents. The relief team also met with the director of a school in the village and learned that all the computers had been washed away by the flood. They immediately provided US$3,000 to purchase 10 new computers for the school. Many recipients expressed their sincere thanks to Master and our Association for coming so far to render aid. They hoped to see the team members again after their lives have been restored. May heaven bless the kind-hearted Kyzyl-Agash people with a swift recovery.
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Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for Flood Relief Work in Kazakhstan
* Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation. |
| Love in Action
Mongolia
Sending Warmth to People Suffering from Extreme Cold Weather
By Mongolia News Group (Originally in Mongolian)
Following a summer of drought, Mongolia faced an unusually severe winter in January. While daily seasonal temperatures are normally minus 15 to minus 35 degrees, they dropped to minus 40 or more this year. Nearly 200,000 residents who already live in less fortunate circumstances were in critical danger of food shortage, especially since snow-covered roads blocked many transport routes to the rural provinces. Heavy snowfall and blizzards also destroyed houses and took the lives of many farm animals. With Supreme Master Ching Hai’s heartfelt condolences and US$10,000 contribution, our Mongolian Association members went to the devastated areas on May 6. Accompanied by the local mayor and other officials, they personally distributed a much needed yurt (Mongolian traditional dwelling structure), vegan foods and construction materials for repairing the damaged homes. As the local citizens began to understand the detrimental impact of the meat diet on the climate, many of them decided to turn away from livestock raising and start new businesses such as farming, plumbing and carpentry. To help them make a smooth transition to a more compassionate lifestyle, the relief team also provided them with vegetables seeds and the necessary tools for farming. The local people were overjoyed to receive Master’s timely assistance, as they had lost everything to the disaster except their hope and faith in God. To express their sincere appreciation, Mr. Batmunkh, Sh., Head of the Citizens’ Representative Council of Bayanchandmani Soum, Tuv Province, and Governor Mr. Bayarnemekh. B. of Bayanchandmani Soum, Tuv Province declared May 12 as “Supreme Master Ching Hai Day.”
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Expenditures by
Supreme Master Ching Hai
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Yemen
Bringing Comfort to Villagers in Remote Areas
By Malaysian Relief Team (Originally in English)
Due to the absence of lush and vast vegetation as well as the steep terrain in the mountainous areas, heavy rainfall in late spring this year has seriously affected western Yemen and its capital, Sanaa. With Master’s US$10,000 contribution and love, our Malaysian relief team set off for Yemen on June 12. After checking news reports, engaging an interpreter as a guide, and arranging transportation, the team went to the villages of Al Morshadieh and Abkar Al Jah on the outskirts of Zabid town, where they found the walls of many homes cracked or collapsed, foundations exposed, huts abandoned, dilapitated fencing and temporary tents. There, they gave relief cash to a total of 49 families. The following day, the team moved south to the hilly district of Hazm Alowdain. Having travelled for hours on tarred roads, hilly tracks, plus climbing mountains, they reached the villages of Halian and Al Magadeh where a total of 44 families were given relief cash. A man who lost his mother and two brothers to the flood was very deeply touched. His spirit to live was quickly regained, saying that he now was ready to face the world! Some villagers expressed that they would pray to Allah for Master. Returning to Sanaa, the relief team then spent another two days giving more cash to a total of 167 families in the villages of Nogom, Raid, Bait Bouse, Al Dorboh, Al Arsad and the Prison Center area. The fellow initiates were most grateful that they could bring God’s love and comfort to the villagers, in remote and almost out-of-reach places, in their time of need.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai for Yemen Flood Relief Work
* Throughout the relief operation, fellow initiates paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation. |
| Love in Action
Pakistan
Sending Waves of Loving Assistance to the Flood Affected in Pakistan
By Singapore, Formosa and Indonesia Relief Teams
(Originally in English and Chinese) In mid-February 2010, heavy snowfall and avalanches hit the northern province of Pakistan, burying houses under thick snow. The access roads were blocked, thus cutting off the food supply to the affected areas. Three months later, continuous heavy rainfall and landslides struck the Hunza region, causing rivers to rise to a dangerous level. The government expanded their evacuation efforts, relocating some 45,000 local residents to 20 shelters around Hunza. Supreme Master Ching Hai immediately responded to the disastrous events by providing a total of US$30,000 in financial aid and sending our Association members from Singapore and Formosa to the affected areas. On both occasions, the much needed food supplies were delivered to the hands of the destitute people with the help of the local NGOs, the Red Crescent Society and All Green Pakistan. However, at the end of July, torrential rains caused massive flooding of the Bann River in Balochistan Province, the worst in more than 80 years. This was followed by a second wave of floods on August 14 around the Indus River in Sindh Province. In addition to hundreds of mud houses being swept away, government buildings, local businesses, schools and bridges were also destroyed along with thousands of acres of crops. More than 1,600 people lost their lives and over 20 million survivors have been rendered homeless and in desperate need of aid. Pakistani governments, countries worldwide as well as aid groups have been responding diligently despite vast difficulties in delivering supplies and reaching stranded villagers, with one of the most impacted regions being the Naushahro Feroze District in Sindh Province. Hearing news of the disaster, Supreme Master Ching Hai conveyed Her utmost concern and prayers. She also offered altogether US$115,000 in funds to support the relief operation and medical treatment carried out by our Association members from Indonesia and Formosa (Taiwan) to help the afflicted. Our Association’s relief team from Formosa reached the affected area on August 5 and with the help of All Green, 885 food packages containing rice, wheat flour, beans, sugar, salt and vegetable oil were prepared and sent to the extremely underserved in Naushahro Feroze District. As if hearing the prayers of the people in agony, Master specially instructed another relief team trained in medical and dental care to go and attend to their needs. The team arrived at Karachi on August 19 and Mr. Shah from the Red Crescent Society and Mr. Abid from All Green informed them that medical treatment was desperately needed due to un-hygienic water and food. Our Association members then spent the next three days working from morning to evening treating many patients at an elementary school and later in a shelter. They also provided 750 food parcels and 200 tents to the Indus. From August 27 to September 10, our fellow initiates from Indonesia carried out relief work in the Charsadda and Karachi districts where some people in remote villages were still struggling to return to their normal lives almost a month after the floods. In Charsadda District, the team working together with Mr. Ali Imran from NAWA (Noble Aims Welfare Association) offered medical services and delivered relief packages containing food, soap and detergent to 2,000 affected families who had not received any prior aid. The team would like to thank Mr. Skandar Shairpao, a member of Charsadda Council, and Mr. Aftab Ahmed Khan Shairpao, the son of the former Pakistani Minister of Defence, who not only generously allowed them to use his property to distribute relief items but also provided security escorts throughout their mission there. On September 4, our Association members arrived in Karachi. In cooperation with Mr. Kanwar Waseem, the Sindh Provincial Secretary of the Pakistani Red Crescent Society (PRCS), and Syed Ali MD, the head of PRCS Sindh medical aid operation, they provided a total of 8 emergency kits, each containing medical supplies for 500 people to various existing medical operations. Partnering with PRCS, the team offered free treatment for many refugees in the camps around the city of Thatta. While handing out 2,400 1–liter bottles of water to the most remote refugee camp and the needy people in the vicinity, they were touched to see a little boy with a peaceful face share all his bottled water with other kids. Throughout the relief operations, in order to inform the people about extreme climate created as a result of global warming and its relevant solution, our Association members distributed SOS Climate Change flyers, printed in Urdu languages. These flyers were warmly received by the local inhabitants, as well as by members of the regional government organizations and the assisting organization. The Deputy District Officer of Naushahro Feroz, Mr. Abdul Aleem Sahto, expressed deep gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her immense love, for Her financial contribution, and for dispatching Her Association members to render disaster relief. He strongly supported the idea of “Be Veg! Go Green 2 Save the Planet!” We are grateful to the governments and groups worldwide for their ongoing warm responses to relieve the Pakistani people’s suffering. We wish the affected people a swift recovery and pray that humanity hastens toward gentler, eco-conscious ways for the restored balance of this planetary home.
Expenditures by
Supreme Master Ching Hai
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India
Sending Warmth in the Freezing Weather
By India Relief Team (Originally in English)
Last winter, gravely cold weather and dense fog claimed the lives of over 500 people in India. Among the worst affected were the states of Uttar Pradesh, where nearly a fifth of its 180 million residents are homeless, as well as Jammu and Kashmir, where many roads were closed or blocked due to heavy snowfall. Knowing the fatally cold situation, Supreme Master Ching Hai contributed a total of US$10,000 and requested that our Association members go to bring warm blankets and other needed supplies to the most vulnerable. In January 2010, as soon as conditions permitted, our local relief team first traveled to Uttar Pradesh. There, the regional police from Bahraich District assisted in their distribution of 3,000 blankets to the afflicted in the most remote areas. The relief team then went to Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir State, where they gave out 900 heavy blankets to appreciative residents. Delivering Timely Relief Supplies after Storms A series of destructive storms bringing rains, strong winds and hail in mid-April swept across the northeastern states of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura and Mizoram destroying tens of thousands of homes. More than 130 people lost their lives and hundreds were injured from trees that fell on vehicles and wind-borne debris. Upon knowing of the calamity, Supreme Master Ching Hai conveyed Her heartfelt condolences and prayers, as well as contributed US$10,000 in emergency aid. Our Association’s nearest relief team in India learned that the local governments had provided some food, but the victims were in need of daily necessities. Within less than a week of the disaster, the team was able to deliver large supplies of clothing and basic foods, including rice and chickpeas, to the storm affected in five districts across Assam, Mizoram and Tripura States. During the following two weeks, our Association’s relief team also distributed more materials, with the help of local volunteers, to indigenous tribal people in the North Bengal area who were especially in need. The villagers were touched by Supreme Master Ching Hai’s loving support from afar. We appreciate the kind help of the Indian government personnel and volunteers, and pray that such turbulent events are eased through our steps toward more harmonious living.
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Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai for Freezing Cold Weather and Storm Relief Work in India
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Au Lac
Sending Comfort to Destitute Families
By Âu Lạc Relief Team (Originally in English)
Mudslide Relief in An Giang Province Early this year, frequent disasters, such as droughts, floods and mudslides, in southern Âu Lạc’s Mekong Delta left a heavy toll, especially on the region’s low-income residents. In March, a large mudslide in the Châu Phú District of An Giang Province destroyed a long portion of a highway and caused the collapse of many houses, from which numerous inhabitants had to flee empty-handed. Months later, these people are still struggling to recover. In response to the disaster, Supreme Master Ching Hai conveyed Her concern and prayers in addition to a US$10,000 contribution, and asked our local Association members to go see how they could help alleviate the victims’ distressing situation. Once they arrived in the worst-hit areas in April, our relief team was able to distribute 53 large gift packages of rice and noodles to the most seriously affected households. Each family also received cash assistance of varying amounts that depended on the extent of their hardship. The touched residents sent their heartfelt gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai for the love and care She sent them. Tornado Relief in Đồng Nai Province No sooner had the rainy season begun in late May than torrential rains and cyclones descended, destroying dozens of houses in southern Đồng Nai Province. Roofs were ripped off and belongings washed away in currents, with many fruit and rubber trees being damaged or destroyed. Our local Aulacese Association members traveled to the storm-stricken region in June. Assessing the situation with the local government’s cooperation, they went to the most devastated villages of Xuân Đường and Bảo Bình to deliver emergency supplies and cash assistance with the US$5,000 contributed by Association members. Rice, vegan noodles and other food items were distributed along with the monetary gifts according to need, ranging from US$52 to US$210 per family. Our appreciation, Aulacese officials and Red Cross personnel, for your caring response. We pray for the soon stabilization of the affected residents’ lives and that humanity’s greater consideration for the environment and our animal co-inhabitants alleviates such weather extremities as these.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for Mudslide and Tornado Relief Work in Southern Âu Lạc
*Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation. |
| Love in Action
Bhutan
Bhutanese Quake Victims Grateful for Master’s Loving Gifts
By India Relief Team (Originally in English)
On September 21, 2009, when an earthquake measuring 6.1 shook Mongar and Tashigang, Bhutan, dozens of people were injured and eleven lost their lives due to collapsed buildings. Immediately after the tremor struck, the government of Bhutan began working to repair homes and infrastructure in the region. Out of deep love and compassion, Supreme Master Ching Hai contributed US$15,000 to assist in the relief effort. The funds were used to purchase urgently needed relief materials, which our Indian Association members distributed along with relief cash to the victims with the help of Bhutan’s Home Minister Gyalpoi Zimpon, who greatly appreciated Master’s generous gifts, as it represented the first help received from outside the country. God bless the government of Bhutan and may the Bhutanese people have a swift recovery and soon return to peace and normal living.
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Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai for Earthquake Relief Work in Bhutan
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Thailand
Master’s Aid Reaches Thai Victims Affected by Extreme Weather
By Bangkok News Group (Originally in Thai)
On November 6, 2009, three days of heavy rain resulted in severe flooding in Thailand’s southern border provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani. Due to the high water levels, crops, bridges and houses were destroyed, leaving many homeless and villagers using rowboats for transportation. Hearing news of the disaster, Supreme Master Ching Hai requested our local Association members to deliver relief supplies to the victims. The governor of Narathiwat Province was so appreciative of Master’s aid that he sent security units to guard the relief team, who arrived on November 14, then traveled to Weang and Kholo Districts to distribute rice, noodles, instant foods, SOS flyers and sample booklets. They next went to the Sukhirin District and helped villagers in Karantan, Nomklao, Namsai, Paingam and Pattani. On December 15, a large portion of Thailand’s northeastern Kalasin Province was declared a disaster area due to unusually cold weather. At least five people lost their lives and over 300,000 residents lacked sufficiently warm clothing. The Thai Meteorology Department issued warnings that temperatures could drop even lower and local agencies hastened to send aid. Conveying Master’s sorrow, prayers and financial assistance, our Association members from Bangkok quickly formed a team and traveled to Kalasin on December 27 to begin the relief work. After that, they went to the most severely affected districts of Somdet, Naku and Kuchinari to hand out blankets to 800 families. The team also provided soy milk for the children plus SOS flyers and sample booklets to inform the people of how they could help alleviate such extreme weather conditions by adopting a vegan diet. The recipients were delighted and touched by Master’s love and compassion for humankind. We thank God for the unconditional love that sees all nationalities and religions as one and is always ready to help fellow beings in need, both animal and human alike.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai
*Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation. |
| Love in Action
Cambodia
Typhoon Victims Recover with Master’s Help
By Au Lac Relief Team (Originally in Aulacese)
In October 2009, Typhoon Ketsana brought torrential rains and flooding to the Kampong Thom region of Cambodia, causing the loss of 43 lives and injuring 67. Nearly 1,783 homes were destroyed, many of which were still under water when a relief team of our Aulacese Association members arrived on October 20 with Master’s love and US$10,000 contribution. The team distributed cash, 350 gift bags and 300 packages of supplies along with Master’s sample booklets and SOS flyers to those living in the orphanage and the affected families, who expressed their sincere thanks and respect to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her concern and care. The children presented Master with hand-embroidered personal items as special thank you gifts, while wishing Her good health and a long life. On November 2, disaster struck again as tropical storm Mirinae caused severe flooding in Cambodia with at least two people losing their lives and several being seriously injured. Supreme Master Ching Hai immediately provided another US$10,000 in funds, which were used to purchase essential food items such as rice and noodles, as well as 300 tarpaulins for shelter and 300 shawls. In addition, 331 cash envelopes were distributed to the needy. Those who received Master’s gifts, along with Her sample booklets and SOS flyers were extremely pleased. We pray that Master’s words continue to inspire more and more people to switch to the nourishing, eco-balancing, vegan diet so that such disasters may be minimized in the future. Caption: Local government officials helped distribute the relief items.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for Typhoon Relief Work in Cambodia
*Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, accommodation and food. |
| Love in Action
Myanmar
Bringing Master’s Kindness to People in Plight
By Bangkok Relief Team, Thailand (Originally in English)
On October 10, 2009, with Master’s loving concern and a US$5,000 contribution, our Bangkok Center Association members went to Kawthaung Province in Myanmar (Burma) by boat to provide aid to the people affected by heavy rainfall and landslides. They traveled to Chuayparamee Temple where three monks had lost their lives, two young monks were injured, and many had no place to live due to damaged buildings. They offered US$3,030 (100,000 baht) to the abbot to repair the temple, for which he was very appreciative to Master for Her kindness. The team also gave US$606 (20,000 baht) to a woman whose house was destroyed. All of those affected promised that they would adopt the Earth-saving vegetarian diet to help alleviate the detrimental effects of global warming.
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Mainland China
God’s Love Blesses the Most in Need
Compiled by Mainland Chinese Initiates (Original in Chinese)
From April to August 2010, Mainland China has suffered from earthquakes, floods, tornadoes and landslides causing great loss of human lives and property damage. With deep concern for the disaster victims, Supreme Master Ching Hai asked our local association members to go to the disaster areas, and offered financial assistance to help those in need. Earthquake On April 14, a powerful 7.1 earthquake struck Qinghai Province’s Yushu County claiming the lives of over 2,000 people and injuring more than 10,000. The following day, our Association members delivered rice, flour, cooking oil and coal to the disaster areas, and prepared vegan lunch boxes for the victims. A few day after that, many more of our fellow initiates from all over the country arrived in the devastated areas to render assistance, including increasing the number of hot lunch boxes to thousands. The lives of the quake-affected people gradually improved by mid-May. Flood Hunan Province: During the latter half of April, continuous heavy rains fell in Hunan Province affecting nearly one million people. On May 1 and 2, our Association members arrived in the towns of Liaotian and Guanshi, Hengnan County to provide aid to the local people. They purchased and distributed large amounts of rice and cooking oil to all those in need in addition to giving cash to the poorest families. The “Say No to Meat” flyers highlighting the vegan solution to global warming were given to the villagers and also presented to the county officials who accepted them with gratitude. A few of these officials have promised to help spread the message of how our diet has a significant impact on climate change and asked that their fellow citizens lead a more compassionate, eco- friendly way of life. On May 6, a record rainstorm, the biggest in one hundred years, hit Loudi City in Xinhua County, causing flash floods and severe damage to the land. On May 11, our Association members purchased 8 tons of rice and delivered it to those affected by the disaster in Shuanglin Village, Fengjian. Knowing that the villagers were in urgent need of more food as all of the crops had been washed away by the flood, our fellow initiates purchased another 10 tons of rice to be distributed by the local officials once the roads were repaired. They also visited 4 families who had lost loved ones in the flood and presented them with financial assistance. On June 8, heavy rain deluged Luxi County affecting almost 200,000 people. Within a few days, our Association members purchased and handed out rice, cooking oil and bottled water to 43 families in Shuika Village, Jiefangyan. They also offered cash assistance to those whose homes were destroyed by the rain. The town government party officials requested several hundred copies of the vegan flyer to pass out to the villagers to encourage them to adopt this Earth-saving lifestyle. On June 15, our fellow initiates traveled to the worst hit area in Panguyan Village, Tanxi where 17 families had lost their homes to the flood. They distributed rice, cooking oil, instant noodles and bottled water as well as cash assistance to the victims. Guangdong Province: Since May 5, torrential rains have overwhelmed the northern and eastern regions of Guangdong Province causing flood damage in many areas. Between May 15 and 17, our Association relief teams traveled to Shaoguan City in Wengyuan County and Shixing County to deliver rice, cooking oil and clothes to the people in the five most affected villages. They provided special care to the poor, the elderly and the needy. Fujian Province: A record storm hit the Sanming area on June 14. Taining County suffered the greatest damage with over 100,000 people being affected. On July 17, our Association’s relief team traveled to the worst hit Sandi Village in Shang qing County and offered RMB20,000 (approx. US$3,000) to the most needy storm-afflicted. Yunnan Province: On June 25 and 26, Malong County was struck with a violent rainstorm destroying nearly all the houses in Xiaohaizi Village. After checking with local officials, our Association members purchased urgently needed cooking oil and distributed it to 50 families in two stations, Xiaohaizi Village in Yuwang and Dalongjing Village, Tongquan. To a nursing home, they delivered 40 barrels of cooking oil and gave each resident RMB100 (approx. US$15). On July 13, Xiaohe Town in Qiaojia County was also hit by a sudden rainstorm causing severe damage. Our fellow initiates immediately purchased and transported quilts and clothing to the disaster site. They left the supplies with a government agency for later distribution to the villagers. Jiangxi Province: On July 4, our Association members traveled to Changkai Town and Luozhen Town in Fuzhou City which were hit by the June 21 flash flood. They distributed bottled water and heat-stroke medicine to the residents. A government agency has also started to give monthly cash assistance and rice to the flood victims, providing basic security to people’s lives. Jilin Province: Since July 28, many areas in Jinlin Province have been hit by rainstorms and floods. After checking with those affected, our fellow initiates purchased quilts, clothes, shoes, cooking utensils, detergent, food and bottled water, which were distributed along with cash to those most in need. Tornado On May 6, Dianjiang County and Liangping County in Chongqing were hit by a category 12 tornado, claiming many lives and causing severe damage. The government quickly brought relief aid to these areas thereby stabilizing people’s lives. Our Association members distributed cash to 56 families in Hanling, Qingping, Huilong and Anju Villages, Liangping County, as well as 215 families in Shuangtang and Anping Villages, Dianjiang County to help the victims rebuild their lives. Mudslide On August 7, a severe storm took 1,239 lives with 505 still missing as mudslides were set off in Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Zhouqu County, south of Gansu Province. According to local officials, the people were in urgent need of water, food and immunization supplies. Since the traffic was strictly controlled, our fellow initiates left RMB10,000 (approx. US$1,500) with the Department of Civil Affairs and RMB20,733 (approx. US$3,068) with the Red Cross for later distribution to the disaster victims.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for Earthquake, Flood, Tornado and Mudslide Relief Work in Mainland China
* Throughout the relief work, fellow initiates paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation. |
| Love in Action
Formosa
Prompt Aid Rendered to Typhoon Victims and Affected Animals
Combined Reports by Kaohsiung and Pingtung News Groups, Formosa(Originally in Chinese)
On September 19, 2010, Typhoon Fanapi swept across Kaohsiung and Pingtung in southern Formosa accompanied by gale force winds and torrential rains, inundating twenty-one towns and destroying many buildings, including 753 schools. The agricultural sector suffered tremendous losses. Supreme Master Ching Hai immediately provided emergency relief funds and instructed our Association members to help those in need. Our Association members from Kaohsiung promptly rushed to the Gangshan and Alian areas where the disaster situation was most grave. Assisted by the village chief and police officers, they visited the destitute and affected households in those districts, conveying to them Master’s love and concern as well as giving them relief cash. At the same time, they informed the people of the importance of adopting the vegan diet to mitigate global warming. The recipients were very grateful to Master for Her love and timely aid. During the typhoon, many animal shelters were also damaged. In Kaohsiung County, the Gangshan Dog Shelter was submerged in four feet of water. That evening Mr. Chen Xue-ren, the person responsible for the dogs, risked his life to rescue single-handedly more than 400 of them, moving them to a much safer place. His bravery and loving action are truly admirable. Our relief team contributed 40 bags of nutritious vegan dog food to this shelter in token of their heartfelt concern for their animal friends. In the Pingtung area, our Association members, upon learning of the disastrous situation, immediately launched a relief operation in the aboriginal tribal villages in several townships in the county. From September 20 to November 3, with assistance from the Pingtung County Aboriginal Cultural Association, they delivered to the affected region three batches of relief materials that included daily necessities, drinking water and food, distributing them to the people taking temporary shelter in schools or camps. They also sent emergency supplies to fifty households in Yilin and Dahou tribes in Laiyi Township and offered relief cash to forty households in the Laiyi tribes whose homes were partially destroyed. In addition to expressing gratitude to Master, all the relief recipients prayed to God and Buddha to bless Master with good health and safety so that She could continue to help more people in need. Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai for Typhoon Relief Work in Formosa
* 1. Pingtung fellow initiates prepared vegan moon cakes with their own money to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with the victims. 2. Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation. Expenditures for Charitable and Relief Activities in Formosa from January to April 2010 Total Amount in Tables 1 and 2 = NT$695,399 (Approx. US$21,833.15) Table 1: Details of Charitable and Relief Activities (Currency: NT$)
Table 2: Expenditures for Charitable Activities, January to April 2010, Formosa (Currency: NT$)
Expenditures by Supreme Maser Ching Hai
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| Elevation of the Soul
Let the loved-filled 2011 Calendar accompany you in the New Year.
The calendar shows the count-down of the number of days left to save our planet to remind people of the urgent climate change crisis the Earth is now facing and the quickest solution to the problem - Be Veg, Go Green 2 Save the Planet It would be wonderful if both initiates and non-initiates could have this love-filled artistic 2011 calendar which is beautiful, full of spiritual blessings and carries the planet-saving messages. Ideal for yourself or to give to others as gifts. Customers can pre-order the calendar or purchase it at retail outlets. Size: 61 by 40.6 cm
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| Elevation of the Soul
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s Latest MP3s and MP4s (for Download)
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| Elevation of the Soul
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s Latest DVDs
DVD-894
(Spoken in English, with 19 subtitles)
SUMMARY:
Guest of Honor, Supreme Master Ching Hai, participated in this grand celebration via videoconference. The entire event was filled with Master’s love and joyful atmosphere, touching the hearts of all who were present. The composers were greatly inspired when writing music to accompany Master’s moving poems. The inner connection between the poet and these most talented contemporary musicians enabled them to present such beautiful melodies for our global viewers. May Supreme Master Television fulfill its noble ideal in making the world a happy and peaceful place for all.
DVD-786
(Spoken in English, with 26 subtitles)
SUMMARY: This DVD contains interviews by two European journalists and one US spiritual radio show host via video conferences with Supreme Master Ching Hai. During the discussions, Supreme Master Ching Hai covers a wide range of topics from the current critical state of the world due to climate change, the swine flu pandemic, the harmful impact of methane to the melting of the Arctic permafrost and the detrimental planetary impact of raising livestock for human consumption. Supreme Master further delves into the immense benefits of the organic vegan solution to curb global warming immediately. She also elaborates on the connection between climate change and spiritual practice.
DVD-851（Spoken in English and Chinese, with 24 subtitles）
SUMMARY: Through inner contemplation and spiritual awakening, Supreme Master Ching Hai has blessed this world with an array of artistic creations over many years. These divine treasures were assembled in an aesthetic compilation entitled Celestial Art reminding us of our true heavenly abode. To honor the release of this latest book, a special ceremony was held in Hsihu, Formosa (Taiwan), where the beloved Master graced the audience with Her presence via videoconference. Many local dignitaries attended this blissful occasion and everyone spoke very eloquently of Supreme Master’s exquisite works depicted in Celestial Art.
DVD-873（Spoken in English, with 26 subtitles）
SUMMARY: Go Vegan Radio host Bob Linden’s dedicated efforts led to the summer solstice being designated as “Vegan Earth Day” with the goal of raising public awareness of the benefits of this compassionate, plant-based diet and encouraging people to join the effort to protect the animals and to help save the Earth. The first annual “Vegan Earth Day” was held on June 21, 2009. Supreme Master Ching Hai was invited as the guest of honor. Even though She was unable to attend in person due to Her busy schedule, She graciously shared Her insights through an inspirational video message, explaining how the four top killers—meat, alcohol, drugs and cigarettes—drastically threaten our health. Master also expressed Her beautiful vision for a peaceful world, which deeply touched the hearts of all attendees.
DVD-881（Spoken in English and Korean, with subtitles）
SUMMARY: Forty-nine non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from Jeju Island, South Korea, co-hosted this International Conference. Supreme Master Ching Hai, renowned scientists, and doctors were invited to discuss children’s health and environmental issues relating to climate change. The conference concluded that the organic vegan diet is the best way to reduce global warming and to improve children’s nutrition.
DVD-874（Spoken in English and Chinese, with 24 subtitles）
SUMMARY: Supreme Master Ching Hai reminded us to always keep in mind that there are still people out there who are suffering. Even if we are happy with our own spiritual progress, we should always think of others and ask ourselves what we can do to better the world. She said, “War is never right. Killing is never right. So if we all consider other people the way we consider ourselves, just put ourselves in their position, then perfectly we know what to do. There is never an excuse to harm anyone, to harm fellow beings or animals, the co-inhabitants, never any good excuse at all, even in the name of science, in the name of health. Nothing!”
DVD-875（Spoken in English, with 24 subtitles）
SUMMARY: Supreme Master Ching Hai reminded everyone to cultivate empathy and love, to be a noble being, and to adopt a compassionate, plant-based diet to save our world. She encouraged everyone to go all out, spreading the Earth-sustaining, benevolent ideals of veganism to the public which will save billions of lives, including the animals, our children and our precious earthly home.
DVD-876（Spoken in English and Chinese, with 25 subtitles）
SUMMARY: When we have love in our hearts, we do everything selflessly and correctly because when we are selfless, our ego is minimal and God’s power can guide us easily in the right direction. Supreme Master Ching Hai also emphasized that we should try our best to create Heaven on Earth. Even if we cannot change the entire world, at least we can transform our own small world and make our own small Heaven. It doesn’t have to be big; a pocket-sized Heaven is also very good. We can carry it around and share with whomever we meet.
DVD-880（Spoken in English, with 21 subtitles）
SUMMARY: What are the different types of breatharians? What can we do to become a true breatharian? Supreme Master Ching Hai explains the source of our true and lasting healing power. She says that true healing power comes from inner compassion and purity and heals without healing. Through the story of an Indian saint and a beautiful poem by Rumi, Master reminds us that as long as we surrender to the divine power within, we can walk the path of God no matter where we are.
DVD-886（Spoken in English, with 25 subtitles）
SUMMARY: In this DVD, Supreme Master Ching Hai shares the ancient wisdom of different cultures while reading a Chinese tale, “The Immortal in Sheep’s Clothing.” In another gathering, Master lovingly reads a poem entitled “When We Pray Alone,” written by the Sufi Master, Rumi. She offers not only Her precious insights into this poem but also explains the importance of group meditation and reveals the secrets of spiritual progress, which provide valuable guidance for fellow practitioners.
DVD-889（Spoken in English, with 24 subtitles）
SUMMARY: Supreme Master Ching Hai tells Buddhist, Sufi and Islamic stories which all remind us that the biggest obstacle in our spiritual practice is our ego. As long as we still attach ourselves to the fame and wealth of this world or to the expected benefits of spiritual practice, then even if we become a world champion, we cannot realize our true self. Therefore, we should truly renounce everything, including our ego, in order to become great. For
summaries of the following DVDs, please visit
DVD-840
(Spoken in English and Thai, with 21 subtitles)
DVD-842
(Spoken in English, with 22 subtitles)
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