Dear Friends,
Tashi Delek!
Our Director, Ven. Donyo, is back from his trips. This year, he led three different groups to Nepal and India and had a fulfilling experience helping many schools and families. He also led a group of 30 members to Dharamsala to celebrate the 600th anniversary of Gyuto Monastery.
The Foundation has been able to reach our targeted projections for this year due to your generous year round support and donations from the fundraising dinner in September.
Visit to Solukhumbu
Before the Charity tour started, the group visited Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu. After a 12 hour jeep ride, Ven Donyo visited the Solukhumbu with three volunteers from US, four family members, a fellow monk, a videographer, and a cinematographer. He met with the 22 students whose school fees are provided by Delek Children’s Foundation. The group also visited four schools in the area and provided jackets, school bags, and shoes to 330 students. In addition, Ven. Donyo provided funds to purchase a solar water heater for the local monastery, which was damaged by the earthquake. There are only 12 monks there, supported by the Sherpa community. This part of the trip was rugged, more like a trek than a tourist jaunt. The group stayed in a small mountain hotel in Salleri, the Hill View. From the roof top, we could see Nom Bru, a nearby Himalayan peak. One morning, the group got up early and took a jeep ride to view Mt. Everest at dawn. That evening, they sat down to a meal of black millet, a staple food of the Sherpas who live in Nepal.
New Toilets for Shree Dorpu School
The next school to visit was Shree Dorpu, where we have been sponsoring an English teacher since April of this year. The toilet project was nearing completion when Ven Donyo visited. The foundation also provided books, toys, school supplies, and funds to renovate the furniture and the playground. The children and staff greeted the visitors with katas and marigold wreaths. The children sang, gave speeches, and a welcome dance. The principal was especially delighted by the books. Because of our generous supporters, we are grateful that we have been able to fulfill the school’s needs.
Visit to Ropang School, Dhading
After returning to Kathmandu, the volunteers visited a primary school on a cliff in a remote village in Dhading. The students studying here walk for hours to reach the school and barely have proper clothes or shoes to wear, yet their faces lit up when Ven Donyo gave them chocolates. The Foundation was able to provide 100 jackets, shoes, and school bags to these students. After visiting several schools, Ven. Donyo realized that many students are barefoot, and have cuts and blisters on their feet because they don’t have proper footwear. Therefore, we aim to provide 1000 pairs of shoes to needy students in 2020.
2019 Charity Tour of Nepal
This year, Ven Donyo led a group of 11 members on a Charity Tour of Nepal. The group visited pilgrimage sites and ancient cities in and around Kathmandu. The group was especially fond of Bodhanath Stupa, the center of activity in Kathmandu. Later, they traveled by canoe, jeep, and elephant through the jungle in Chitwan National Park, viewing the One Horned Rhinocerous, deer, and crocodiles. At the Elephant Breeding Center, members were able to give water to baby elephants.
The group was lucky to visit Pokhara during Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights. On the morning the group went to view Annapurna at sunrise, groups of children were singing and dancing on the trail. Outside of shops and houses on the sidewalks, local people painted flowers with thick colored paste, and adorned their offerings with candles. In the evening, people played music and danced in the streets. The members had a wonderful time exploring the natural areas of culturally rich Nepal.
On the last day in Kathmandu, the group met some of the scholarship recipients, including Nima Gyaltsen, the law student. Besides tuition, one member provided him with a laptop and a motor scooter. Another member began to sponsor a college education for a local waitress. They also met three nursing students who were home for Diwali break. The three are receiving scholarships from the Delek Children’s Foundation.
Gyuto’s 600th Anniversary Celebration
During the third part of the trip, Ven Donyo visited Dharamsala with a group of 30 members to join his monastery’s 600th anniversary celebration. The auspicious occasion was graced by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The following day, Ven. Donyo conducted a tour of the buildings and grounds of the Gyuto Monastery. A highlight was the dwelling for older monks. The group also attended three days of teachings at His Holiness’s temple. After the teachings, the group visited the Tibetan Children’s Village school, where some members decided to sponsor children. At the offices of the Central Tibetan Administration, the group met Lobsang Sangay, the elected President. They heard a talk by Geshe Lhakdor, the director of the Tibetan Library Archives. The last night, the group attended a special dance performance given by the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts.
One group participant who was there for all thirty days called it “the trip of a lifetime.”
Ven. Donyo would like to thank those members who joined the trip. He also wants to thank all the members who have supported the Foundation over the years. The Foundation is grateful for your generosity, and we hope that you will support us in our future projects. If you would like to sponsor a child or make a donation, kindly visit our website.
Thank you. We wish you a Happy New Year!
