When
people enjoy a cup of hot tea or coffee near a wood-burning stove in the
winter, they often fail to think about how lucky they are. There are many
homeless people in the world who cannot experience such simple pleasures
and do not even have a warm, comfortable place to live or enough food
to survive on. They try to make their homes under bridges, in old junk
cars, or by sharing rooms with many other homeless people in crowded shelters.
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Fellow
initiates in Ohio treat the homeless to a sumptuous meal at the
Cincinnati Shelter.
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The
"Homeless Project" was established by initiates of the Supreme Master Ching Hai
International Association in Ohio, U.S.A. to help alleviate some of the
suffering of such people in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. Practitioners in
other states supported our efforts greatly by helping us to raise enough
money to carry on the Homeless Project, and some even made a many-hour
drive to help us distribute food on New Year's Day.
Before Christmas Day,
we wrapped over 200 gift boxes with colorful Christmas wrappings and bows
to show our love and respect for residents of Cincinnati's Drop Inn Center
Shelterhouse, who would be receiving them. When the homeless heard that
we were coming, they become very excited. Everyone was happy to receive
our pretty gift boxes, which contained bran new socks, gloves, hats, cookies
and candies. The Shelterhouse manager said that these were very thoughtful
gifts because the residents really need warm socks, gloves and hats during
the winter.
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The
homeless people find the vegetarian dishes a delight to the palate.
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One
homeless man came up to us and said that he was very hungry because the
shelter only had some soup for lunch, and then he had to wait for a long
time until dinner. He added that the cold weather made him feel even hungrier.
After hearing this, we decided to volunteer to cook a vegetarian meal
for the homeless on New Year's Day as a New Year's gift.
Early on New Year's
morning, we came to the Shelterhouse to cook and serve vegetarian food
for the several hundred residents, and were very delighted to see their
happiness when we arrived. Our group stood at the table to serve each
person individually as he or she stood in line. Master's love seemed to
permeate the atmosphere as we all felt that they were one of us, just
like our brothers and sisters.
We were honored to have
the opportunity to care and to provide for them with all the food and
soft drinks that they wanted. We paid close attention to the residents,
giving them words of consolation and care while silently reciting the
Holy Names and Master's name to bring God's blessings to them. Afterwards,
they felt more comfortable due to our friendliness. Everyone said that
it was an excellent meal, and they were very surprised to learn that it
was vegetarian. Many people came back for more helpings. Most showed gratitude
for our work, and we enjoyed serving them just as much as they enjoyed
eating the vegetarian food. Some of the homeless people began to ask about
our organization, and we distributed many sample booklets, hoping that
some day they could have the opportunity to follow a living Master who
could help them return to their real Homeland.
After this successful
visit, our Homeless Project group continued to visit other shelters for
the homeless in the Cincinnati area. One day, when we came to cook at
a smaller shelter located in Hamilton, Ohio, near our local group meditation
center, we met a well-educated lady with two young children, who had just
come to live in the shelter. Her situation touched us. She had lost her
job and did not have enough money to pay the rent. Because of this, by
law, she had to leave her house. And, having no place to go, she and her
two young children slept in their car for a few days, remaining cold and
hungry in the freezing weather.
Just the night before
she came to the shelter, she had had a dream that she would have a good
meal to eat. Her dream came true the next day when our Homeless Project
group visited the shelter and cooked for the residents!
The more we help these
people, the more we understand their beautiful roles in being homeless.
Some people stereotype the homeless as being lazy, mentally ill, or heavy
drug users. However, we found that most homeless people are often victims
of society. We thank Master for allowing us to have a chance to serve
them. They are like saints and are quite brave. They have been chosen
to come down to this Earth to teach us the lessons of sharing, love and
compassion.
Love
In Action
