Perak Religious/Charitable Trip 2013

We made our annual religious/charitable trip to Perak on 30 November - 1 December 2013. Our group consists of 42 welfare members and supporters.

Moving the provision to the bus before departure

On 30 November 2013, we departed from Buddhist Maha Vihara at around 9:00am. The bus driver took the Jalan Kuching way thinking that we were going to Raub. Most of us were paying attention to Bro. Tan's announcement in the bus, we only aware of the driver's mistake when we saw the signboard to Batu Caves. As a result of this delay, we reached our first destination, Vihara Bu Gotama in Temoh at about 12:10pm. Nevertheless, we were blessed to have an hour Q&A dhamma session with Bhante Hye. The session was very uplifting which recharged us with new source of energy to live in accordance with the dhamma.

Q&A dhamma session with Bhante Hye

After having our lunch at Yau Kee Restaurant in Kampar, we proceed to Batu Gajah Handicapped Children Welfare Home. A total of 42 "children" of various disabilities (i.e. cerebral epilepsy, severe mental retardation, speech disabilites, autism, etc) are being taken care full time in this home. We were glad to see many improvements in this home. It is equiped  with physiotherapy equipment and is  in the process of setting up a Special Multi-Sensory Therapy Room with Musical Light Therapy. This special therapy room would provide better treatment for residents who are hyperactive or with behavioral problem. We also noticed that the staff are uniformed which gave a more professional outlook.

The provision we donated to the Batu Gajah Children Home

Photograph session with the Batu Gajah Children Home Staff

Snapshot with the Batu Gajah Home "children"

Our next destination was Yayasan Latihan Insan Istimewa in Taman Camay, Pasir Putih. This home takes care of about 35 children of various disabilities. It runs a recycling centre next to the home  to generate additional fund for the home.  Many members enjoyed talking to the helpful and compassionate Indian lady caretaker to find out more about the "children". She is very fluent in Cantonese.

At Yayasan Latihan Insan Istimewa in Pasir Putih

Conversing with the caretaker to find out the condition of the "children" 

Bidding farewell to the Yayasan children

We gave our coordinator, Ipoh Buddhist Dhamma Association (IBDA) committee members a dinner treat  at Sun Marpoh Restaurant in Greentown.

After dinner, we listened to a dhamma talk entitled "You can be a dhamma preacher" by Dato Ang Choo Hong at IBDA centre in Canning Garden. He said the first step to be a dhamma preacher is to learn the dhamma and share it with our friends.  We should also develop spiritual friendship (kalyanamitta) to one another to pursue the noble eight fold path.  Being a kalyanamitta, we should possess the following qualities : approachable, a good listener,  skilled in counselling, able to expound dhamma in depth and not to be engaged in dispute. In addition, we should listen to the dhamma and lead others to listen to the dhamma; remember the dhamma and lead others to remember the dhama; contemplate over the dhamma and lead other to contemplate over the dhamma.  This talk resonated well with the audience as shown by a lively Q&A session after the talk.

Listening to dhamma talk by Dato' Ang Choo Hog

We ended the night with a sing together session with our host (IBDA members). The session was superb in bringing us closer together. Singing in a group made us feel good. It's got health benefits too. "The Telegraph" reported on 6 December 2013 that Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden found that our heartbeats synchronise when we sing together, bringing about a calming effect that is as beneficial to our health as yoga.

Sing together session with IBDA members

Group photograph with IBDA members

On the following day (1/12/2013), we visited two welfare homes and two  cave monasteries.

Bao En Shi Anning Old Folk Home

Our first destination was Bao En Shi Anning Old Folk Home and Children Home located at Ampang Baru New Village. The place is serene and the atmosphere is lovely. The centre is very well organised, neat and clean. There are full time and part time volunteers and fully and partly paid staff help to administer the centre.  It has a medical department which provide free healthcare and medical services to the needy. It also runs a free food department located in Ipoh city centre which distributes 150 packets of  lunch box to the homeless around Ipoh on daily basis. The Old Folk Home has about 45 residents. The Children Home takes care of about 30 children who come from poor and single parent home.

A very scenic view surrounding Bao En Shi

Scenic landscaping at Bao En Shi Anning Old Folk Home

The provision donated to Bao En Shi Anning Old Folk Home

Briefing by Bao En Shi administrator about the Old Folk Home

Briefing by the administrator of the Bao En Shi Children Welfare Home

We then  proceed to Dhammapiti Meditation Monastery in Gunung Lang. It is built in the cave. There is a pond few meters located before the entrance. The water is so clear that we could see the reflection of the hill. The surrounding atmosphere offers precious serenity to visitors and is an ideal setting for quiet reflection and solitude. We paid respect to the abbot, Venerable Tikkhyana.  We had a dhamma Q&A with him for about half an hour. The session was very beneficial as it uplifted our spirits to learn and practise the dhamma.

The gate of the  Dhammapiti Meditation Monastery

 The pond inside the compound of Dhammapiti Monastery

A kuti inside the compound of Dhammapiti Meditation Monastery

Ven. Tikhayana, the abbot of Dhammapiti Meditation Monastery

We then visited the Loyal handicapped and Disabled Children Home in Silibin. It provides full time care for about 39 "children". Due to time constraint, we stopped by at the home for about 15 minutes only.

Group photograph with the children and the founder of Loyal Handicapped & Disabled Children Welfare Home

Our last stop was at Sukhavana Meditation Monastery in Bercham. It is also built in the cave. The shrine hall is  located at ground level. There are several kutis built between the hills. Some parts of the steps leading up to the hills are slippery. One members slipped and fell while climbing up the steps to see the kutis. Fortunately,   she sustained minor skin injury only. We were informed by the administrator that the kutis were designed and built by a resident Thai monk.  The venerable is also good at making medicated oil, which are freely distributed to the visitors.

The entrance of Sukkhavana Meditation Monastery

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The shrine hall

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The resident Thai monk distributing the medicated oil

The steps leading to the kutis between the hills

A kuti in the hill

We are pleased to acknowledge with metta and hereby record our sincere gratitude to:

1. The Chief Reverend of Tung Lin Shao Chuk for providing us with accommodation for a night on 30/11/2013.
2. Dato' Ang Choo Hong for sharing his dhamma at IBDA centre on 30/11/2013 despite his busy schedule. Gift of dhamma excels all gifts.
3. The committee of Ipoh Buddhist Dhamma Association, particularly Bro. Fong Chin On for their thoughtful and kind assistance in planning our welfare in Ipoh and our visits to 3 monasteries.
4. Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple and Buddhist Maha Vihara for donating rice, cooking oil and beehoon.
5. Sis. Alice Lai & Bro. A.K. Lee for donating 10 packs of milo.
6. Bro. Gan Boon Heap for donating 30 sets of baked bean/sardines/sugar/soaps
7. Sis. Margarette Tan for donating 10 packs of adult pampers
8. Sis. Sherry Teh for donating 5 packs of washing powders
9. A fruit seller for donating 5 tins of biscuits.
10. The following cash donors: Mrs Kow, Sherine Peh, Dato Oh Bak Kim, Bro. Ooi Soon Kok, Sis. Sally Teh, Sis. Leong Lan Yin,Dhamma Family, Bro. Chow Kam Phoon, Sis. Chan Kwai Ying, Bro Tommy Teo, Sis Cheah Chooi Hwa, Sis Ooi Geok Looi and Bro. Ooi Huat Hoe
11. All participants of this trip, for their valuable support and kind participation.