by Maritza de Leone, Panama

Several weeks before our beloved Master’s 2004 birthday celebration at the Panama Center, local initiates happily prepared for the event and also for a charitable project wherein much-needed items were distributed at a local hospital to underprivileged women and their newborn babies. During these activities, the initiates experienced many of Master’s miracles.

For the charitable activity, a sister had prepared twenty-four gift bags, each containing one baby shirt, one diaper and one blanket. But the exact number of newborns at the hospital was not known. So, to prevent a shortage of bags, they also prepared a main gift bag filled with many extra baby items. However, it turned out that Master had arranged everything beautifully. For when the practitioners arrived at the hospital, the number of bags was precisely enough for the twenty-five women and their babies staying there. While distributing these gifts of love from Master on Her birthday, the initiates happily explained Who had sent them along with Her Mercy from Heaven. All the recipients were extremely grateful for the presents, especially a woman whose husband had forgotten to bring diapers for her baby girl, who was sick with a blood infection. Under the circumstances, the initiates shared positive words of faith and concern with the mother.

After the charitable activity was completed, the brothers and sisters returned to the Panama Center to set up for Master’s birthday celebration, feeling full of love and hope. The preparations were completed quickly, and then a group of guests arrived and the celebration began with a presentation of the biographical video Walk the Way of Love. Later, the egg-less cake they had prepared was cut into large pieces, and there was still enough leftover for them to take home and share with relatives.

One man who came to the celebration had been invited by his girlfriend who was hesitating about learning the Convenient Method of meditation. The man liked The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association so much that he told his girlfriend that it was an unusually positive and loving group, and that he wished to learn more about Master’s teachings.

In addition, two young initiates and a girl practicing the Convenient Method who had to study for examinations the next day had been sad because they thought they would be unable to attend the celebration. However the initiates were surprised when they appeared at the Center and said that their teachers had decided to change their test date to the following week!

Throughout their participation in the charitable project and Master’s birthday celebration, the Panama initiates felt extremely happy and were filled with inner peace and love at seeing how worldly events can be smoothly and perfectly arranged when everything is placed in God’s hands. Thank You very, very much dearest Master! The initiates are also deeply grateful for the countless gifts You bestow on them, especially when realizing that You always give and ask for nothing in return. Each day of their lives, they appreciate the recent elevation of the earth’s souls and have no words to thank You fully for Your blessings. The sisters and brothers of Panama will continue practicing diligently in order to return the gifts of Love and care You constantly bestow!