Pantha's notes for sponsors ...

A blog for Feb 2010 trip to Tso Pema   panthab.blogspot.com



   October 2009

Delivering sponsorships in
Bhutan, Shimla & Tso Pema


Bhutan

A beautiful sunny day ... we decide to walk between three temples ... get a bit distracted as Bruce chats up a local & we end up visiting their home to have tea & meet the family ... finally we stroll into Tamshing Lhakang. Wonderful old temple, built in 1501 by the great terton(treasure discoverer) Pema Lingpa.
We have already been travelling for a week and are now in Bumthang Valley, Central Bhutan ... my favourite place to visit in Bhutan. 
We tour the temple, the young monks gather...  they have grown so much!  We are escorted to a room for tea & biscuits and have a chat as they receive their sponsorship.




            Young monks happily receiving sponsorship


              Bruce             Phuntsok Dorje        James

Shimla

The monastery is buzzing  ... a ceremony happening in the gonpa, Tsetrul Rinpoche just arrived for 3 days ... lines of giggling people lined up to have an audience with him.
All the monks are running around looking as though they are on important business.  We sit with Yarphel in the office ... waiting... he answers the ever ringing phone while we drink tea & grin every time a beaming monk pops his head around the door.
Ngawang Sangye appears & takes us into a waiting room for more tea ... we have a special surprise for him from his sponsor.

               Ngawang Sangye receiving his computer
He got so excited he was trembling for hours!  9 monks sponsored here now ... & just received requests for 3 more ... Jigme Wangdu, Ugyen Tenzin & Namdrol Sangngk ... see their photots here flickr After lunch & a blessing from Rinpoche we clambered down to Tashi Tobden's room so he & his sponsor Suzie could spend some time together.

                Suzie                     Tashi Tobden

After climbing back up to the monastery we gratefully accepted Yarphel's kind offer of a lift back to Shimla. What a happy day.

Tso Pema

Every morning during our week here we meet people, photograph them, check their health, have a chat, laugh & get to know them all a little better. 
Afternoons we visit the Tso Pema Kids Garden Nursery School, check out a possible site for the new school building & have discussions about the school's future.

The younger kids at the Tso Pema Nursery School get ready for lunch.
Lunch with Ani Bumchung & some of the nuns at the Holy Cave of Guru Rinpoche, another lunch with Ani Tenzin & the nuns that live with her, more lunching with Lama Jigme & his family... and yes more lunch at Lhakar's room with her sister & her beautiful mother Dolma Tsetso. 
Visit most of the old people in our new health & caring project.  Wonderful to see so much improvement in their lives.  Long discussions with Tsekey Lhamo at the Health Centre about their needs.  
Dinner with Dr Dorjee his wife, mother & uncle.  Momos at the yummy Pundah Restaurant.  Several delicious dinners with Sonam, our translator & Nyima his lovely wife... certainly well fed! 
Distributed & arranged all the sponsorship deliveries ... over 200 here now. This was the first year we used a local bank in Mandi as the Tso Pema Charitable Trust.  Dr Dorje even made a form for people to sign!
Koras around the sacred lake, strong coffees at Vijays and lots of big smiles everywhere.
More people who need sponsors click here flickr
Feel so happy to be part of this fantastic community



          Pantha       Sonam           Nyima



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