Gift-offer in Tien Giang and life-release in Can Tho

On morning of 27th May 2018 (13th Apr in Dog Year), Abbot Junior Venerable Thich Tam Hue accompanied with Buddhist group arrived at Hoa Dien hamlet, Hoa Khanh commune, Cai Be district, Tien Giang province in order to offer gifts to poor-condition families.

Having the help of local authority, 104 presents were sent to poor families. Each present was worth 250,000VND, including: 10kg of rice, a box of vegetarian noodle, a bottle of cooking oil, a bottle of soy sauce, one shirt, one Buddha necklace and a Buddha chain. The total cost for 104 gifts were 26,000,000VND.The present may be small but it total showed the way how people care and love each other. It likes a reflection from the quote “a stitch in time saves nine”.

Besides the charity work, there was life-release activity. Feeling hurt when seeing livings were killed, the Buddha acted for mercy stopping people for killing creatures, advising the mask to release lives. Abbot Junior Venerable Thich Tam Hue’s group came to Can Tho, bought 2350kg of local silurus which costing 54,200,000VND, and rented a boat to boat to the main river where the fish were freed. After taking refuge in the Triratna, the mask mumbled Buddha’s name wishing these fish would go back to Mother Nature safely.

In the afternoon, there was a warm-house-offer ceremony for Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu. The house was finished after one month. The building-fee 53,000,000VND was supported by Ms. Lien Oanh and Mr. Tinh Hung who were living in district 10. Payment of 7,360,000VND for a worship-shelf and a set of stainless steel table chair were support by Can Tho’s people including Ms.Ngan from Trang Nguyen company, teacher Ms. Minh and doctor Ms.Thu.

In order to show a heart of acknowledging and requiting favors toward Sakyamuni Buddha as well as responding the move “Together welcome Amitabha Buddha, together cheer His birthday” in Can Tho, many families had hung up Buddha flags, braided the flower bunches, gardened Lumbini garden carefully. Moreover, the group also prepared certifications and Buddha gifts (with Huong Phap magazine, book “Happiness in life” written by abbot venerable Thich Chan Tinh, Buddha necklace, Buddha chain) to praising some families’ contribution, they were family Nguyen Thi Nga family, dhamar name Dieu Nguyet living at 108/17 CMT8 street, quarter 5, ward Cai Khe; family Nguyen Van Trang, dhamar name Tinh Trang, running Trang An transportation Co.,Ldt on 45 Pham Ngu Lao street, ward Thai Binh; family Nguyen Thi Hoa Sen, dhamar name Lien Hoa in ward An Hoa, district Ninh Kieu, Can Tho City. Continuing the tour, the group arrived at Ms. Duong Thi Ngoc Hanh’s home located at quarter 5, ward Cai Khe to read sutras and place Guan Yin statue in her home. Later on, the group moved to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang’s home reading sutra before doing groundbreaking ceremony.

Coming to the last, the group would like to send their sincere gratitude to all authority departments in Hoa Dien hamlet,   Tien Giang district; local laymen; local and overseas Buddhists who had worked hard to bring out a successful trip.

 Below are recorded photos:

Translated into English by Tang Gia Boi