May, 2014

Himalayan Children’s Fund News

CURRENT NEEDS: * VVI needs help rebuilding toilet

facilities. * Boudha Monastery is in great

need of funds for food for monks, especially protein.

* Thrangu Monastery Tibet is still in need of funds for rebuilding the Shedra.

* Pullahari monastery needs an office computer and funds for hot water heaters.

* SMD Clinic; supplies, medicine, hospital visits.

* VVI Clinic; supplies, medicine, hospital visits.

* SMD needs sponsorship for new students.

* Tara Abbey needs new backboards, rims and nets for their basketball court.

ANNOUNCING WEEKLY WORDS OF WISDOM Michele Martin, Patricia Myerson and Lee Miracle have been setting up a weekly email of quotes from Thrangu Rinpoche called, “Weekly Words of Wisdom” which will launch in a few days. If you would like to receive these emails you can subscribe by using the link below:  http://www.rinpoche.com/weekly_words.htm ”Recently, we talked with Rinpoche about the idea of sending out short quotes from him every week. These would help his disciples stay in touch, since he is not traveling as he did before. Rinpoche responded with his big smile and ‘Yes, good idea!’ so we have set up the Weekly Words of Wisdom. The quotes will be short and easy to read in a few minutes.” ~ Michele Martin

SMD GRADS Nelha Sangmo and Phurbu Choden are SMD grads that have recently finished a three year Health Assistant training in Nepal. Through Community Action Nepal, (CAN) they had planned to return home to the mountains to work in a small clinic serving the villages of Lhi and Nubri. The agency, however, no longer has the funds to support this project but many HCF donors have stepped in to help. Their hope is to work for a year in the Lhi clinic, alongside the government appointed nurse, and to collect data regarding what is needed so that they can help develop a useful facility. Nelha Sangmo (left) joined SMD in 2000 and was a room captain, class monitor and Health Club leader. She completed 3 years at NIMST - Nepal Institute of Medical Science and Technology and received the PCL in General Medicine. (PCL = Proficiency Certificate Level). Nelha has worked in the clinic at SMD and assisted the Global Dental Relief team when they have done dental clinics in Nepal. All of these experiences have motivated her to want to help others and she hopes in the future to become a dentist. Phurbu Choden (right) joined SMD in 1998. She helped in the clinic, was a room captain and taught prayers. Phurbu also has a PCL in General Medicine from NIMST and hopes to eventually complete a full Public Health course in Nepal. She says it was through observing how much people are unaware of their health and the many problems in her country she was moved to want to help. The girls plan to conduct awareness programs in health, sanitation, family planning and the effects of alcohol and tobacco use.

Dear Friends, Thank you to everyone who responded so quickly to the needs in the April newsletter. We have nearly raised all the funds needed for the HA students to work in the clinic in Lhi later this year. The new school year has begun for SMD, the branch school at Namo Buddha and for the Shedra monks and nuns. It is a busy time as students are shifted and admitted and as Rinpoche assigns new staff positions for the monks and nuns. As always we are in need of sponsors for the new students, nuns and monks - please spread the word. The Shedra monks have returned to Namo Buddha from VVI to study for the summer as it gets too hot to stay in Sarnath, (it was 111º there this week!) and Thrangu Rinpoche has just come out of retreat at Namo Buddha and will soon begin his travels to Hong Kong, Canada and the USA. I hope you enjoy the stories.

– Debra Ann

HCF News page 2

T H R A N G U R I N P O C H E ’ S N E W M O N A S T E R Y

Pullahari is near the site of Nalanda University in Bihar, India. This is where the great master Naropa once lived and where Marpa, the translator received teachings on Vajrayogini, Hevajra, Mahamudra and much more.

His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa has asked Thrangu Monastery

to do the Hevajra Drubchen every year and Thrangu Rinpoche thinks it would also be good for the monks to do the Hevajra retreat at Nalanda. 8 to 10 monks will do the retreat in the winter and spring since the summer is too hot in this part of India. About 30 young monks will also be living and studying at the center..

Construction of the new monastery is complete but support is needed for hot water heaters and other furnishings, as well as for maintaining the monastery and providing for the monks.

Donations can be made through Himalayan Children’s Fund - designate Pullahari Drubkhang.

Pullahari Drubkhang

THRANGU RINPOCHE SAYS IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO BUILD A MONASTERY IN THIS VERY HOLY PLACE OF THE KAGYUPAS WHERE MARPA STUDIED WITH NAROPA.

IN THE MORNING MIST WHERE NAROPA LIVED 7 MONKS AND 1 NUN ENTER 3 MONTH HEVAJRA RETREAT