In Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association Relief News from Korea…
Inspired by our Beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai’s Love and care for all beings, our Korean Association members carried out three types of relief activities during the winter months. Throughout November and December 2023, they distributed essential items to houseless individuals as well as briquettes to warm those in need, and offered vegan food for wildlife-people in January 2024.
In the months of November and December 2023, our Association members from Wonju and Seoul Centers delivered heating briquettes to the elderly and less fortunate in Janghak-ri Village in Gangwon Province and Guryong Village in Seoul. On November 25, 2023, a total of 1,000 coal briquettes were delivered to households in Janghak-ri Village, which is primarily inhabited by elderly individuals in housing-vulnerable conditions. Upon arriving at Janghak-ri, Reverend Yeo Un-Kyung, who operates a local free soup kitchen, warmly welcomed our members and later expressed her joy at the swift and successful completion of the task.
On December 16th, our Korean Association members collaborated with the volunteer group “Coal Angels” to deliver another 1,000 briquettes to Guryong Village, where the low-income residents lack insulation in their homes. In the narrow alleyways of the village, our Association members lined up in a row to pass the briquettes. They later met with the Guryong Village leader and presented thermal underwear, gloves, and 10 copies of Master’s book, “Love is the Only Solution.”
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association for coming to volunteer for the Chuncheon Briquette Bank. The briquettes you sponsored and delivered will be delivered today to the elderly in five households.”
“This is Guryong Village in Gangnam-gu. A large number of the households mostly consist of elderly individuals. Since many of them rely on pensions for their livelihoods and do not have substantial direct income, they need a lot of briquettes. And we sincerely thank Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association for their annual donations and volunteer efforts.”
“We are extremely grateful for your briquette volunteer service for Guryong Village, especially in this cold weather. Thank you so much for the briquettes.”
To serve those enduring the cold of winter without a home, our Association members prepared warm clothing and vegan foods for distribution on four occasions in December 2023. On December 3 in Seoul’s Jongno Pagoda Park, they gave out essential items such as hats, scarves, warm jumpers, cold-resistant pants, socks, gloves, hot packs, wet wipes, and Master’s book, “Love is the Only Solution.” The aid was warmly welcomed, with recipients being especially grateful for the clean socks.
On the evening of December 9, our Association members went to Dongdaemun, where they had heard that around 10 people were staying outdoors at night. There, they distributed underwear, hot packs, socks, gloves, and Master’s book, “Love is the Only Solution”to the appreciative recipients.
On December 22, our Association members in Daegu offered cold weather supplies to around 80 residents of the Daegu Homeless Comprehensive Support Center. The packages included hot packs, socks, underwear, vegan snacks, soy milk, and noodle cups, along with Master’s book, “Love is the Only Solution.” Witnessing the people’s happy faces brought joy to the relief team members as well.
On December 23, our Association members brought warming clothes and snacks to residents of an outdoor underpass in Seoul’s Euljiro neighborhood. In collaboration with Kkottongnae Dosirak, a charity organization run by Catholic nuns, they offered 170 packages containing socks, earmuffs, gloves, hot packs, and vegan chocolate bars, along with Master’s book, “Love is the Only Solution.”
On January 6, 2024, our Association members from Seoul Center headed to the Gobongsan area in Yanggu County, Gangwon-do, where animal-individuals face food shortages due to the winter cold and snow. Our relief team hiked into the snow-covered nature area, carrying 170kg of winter food favorites for the animal-persons such as corn, beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peanuts, and barley. After walking for over an hour, our Association members reached a deep forest that showed the tracks of animal-folk. They carefully laid the food on the snow, then sat briefly to meditate and wish the best for the area’s residents.
Our heartfelt appreciation goes to our Beloved Master for Her ever-present Love and support in all our relief activities. We also thank our Korean Association members for the shared joy of bringing Master’s care and comfort to both human and animal-people neighbors. May the day come soon when all beings live in peace and abundance, in the uplifting compassion of the Buddhas.
