Bringing Unconditional Love
to the Poor at Christmastime

By the Costa Rica News Group (Originally in Spanish)

On December 21, 2004, fellow practitioners from the Costa Rica Center began working industriously to share Master's love with the poor in the community known as Tibás Zurquí. The activity was planned so that all the families in the district would receive gift bags containing basic food items such as rice, beans, vegetable oil, pasta and cookies—enough to last an average sized family for two weeks.

On the previous day, however, a brother-initiate visited the community and found that a charitable group was having difficulty distributing toys to the local children due to disorganization within the community. So, the initiates prepared to distribute gift coupons to avoid this problem.

Then on December 23, the delivery team divided into four groups to work in different areas of the community. Through a neighborhood representative the group obtained a list of the households in Tibás Zurquí and then visited all the houses and delivered one gift coupon per family entitling each to pick up a gift package. At the same time, on the road to Guapiles near the community, another group of initiates was ready to receive the locals to give them their food packages as a sister dressed as Santa Claus kept the mood cheerful for both children and adults.

The community residents appreciated the gesture of love by The Supreme Master Ching Hai, with some saying, "The Lady in the picture is the one who sent us the presents," and "It's a miracle of God to have such an orderly distribution here today; it's never happened here before."

All the people both young and old radiated happiness during the gift distribution, and because of our beloved Master they had a happier Christmas. Also, on December 30, a retreat was held at the San Jose Center so that the brothers and sisters could project their love and pray for the overall improvement of life in Tibás Zurquí and in our country. Thus, thanks to God's glorious blessings, all the practitioners experienced feelings of peace, solidarity and harmony during the 2004 Christmas holidays.