A monastic school donation: "Sakka has sent you!"
We thank our donors so much for continuing to believe in our mission, and support us with contributions! Thanks to your trust in us, we have been able to send substantial funds to support several rural monastic schools who were supporting higher student numbers, yet doing so with less resources than ever before. These schools welcome poor children from conflict zones, and teach them a secular curriculum. Thanks to you, they may go on learning just a little longer!
“I cannot expect any donation from the foreign meditators. However, it was not true: you are here, on behalf of them.”
I am happy to report about the donation events we led in monasteries in serious need due to their remote locations. First, we went to [Redacted] Monastic School; its Sayadaw told me, “There are 418 students in total, at my (monastic) school. Since the students come from nearby villages of mainly poor betel farmers, they cannot afford to buy the required school materials for their children, so I have to do what I can, at the end (laughing). Most of the students have to borrow erasers and rulers. Previously, local donors from Mandalay donated materials for the children if there was a need; but now, very few travel much these days because it is not safe, so this source has dried up. Plus nowadays, the price of everything has doubled or tripled! Also, the number of students has increased, as some children from Sagaing (i.e., children of the IDPs) come and attend school here now. The one thing that has not increased is the number of donors (laughing). Anyway, we are very happy that you came to donate the school supplies and rice to us. We believe that U Marga (another name for Sakka, the King of Devas or Spiritual Divines according to the traditions in Hinduism and Buddhism) has sent you!”
After we listened to his speech, which we call Anumodan, or the rejoicing words for the donation, he asked his assistant monk and some volunteer teachers to gather some novices and students for the group photo for us. He and his school management team were very thankful to all the donors and he said, “Before, foreign visitors and meditators came to my monastery to help and teach our kids, and donate to the school before the pandemic. However, after the coup, no foreign visitors or meditators have come. Hmmm, it might be hard for the foreign mediators to come into the country now. So, I had been thinking that I cannot expect any donations from foreign meditators anymore. However, it was not true: you are here, on behalf of them!”
Our volunteer group was also thankful to him for his arrangement for the students’ photos, and also the generous lunch and snacks that they offered us, as we were hungry after over an hour’s drive on poor-maintained, dirt roads.
