Flea Market at Amcorp Mall!
A few years ago when things were difficult, some of my students took part in flea markets all over the city. They were so kind and worked so hard to raise funds for Kechara and to help me pay bills through sales at this Flea Market…. We all had very little then, and could barely make the rent on my small apartment and our single Dharma outlet in SS2. Times have changed since then and even though we are not rich now, I will never forget those students for their kindness. Things were so difficult, and they stuck with me through thick and thin. I appreciate loyalty like that. It was their commitment that made Kechara grow. So this flea market has alot of good memories for me personally and our devoted senior students…
Then a few weeks ago I thought it would be neat if some of my younger students opened up a stall in the old flea market my senior students went to every weekend. So last Friday, I got them together and gave them a whole bunch of stuff to sell at the flea market. We even had a short preview sale hehehe
On Sunday December 19th, 2010 our Flea Market is revived again, David, Jean Ai, Shin, Bonita and James got up very early and set up for their first time in Amcorp Mall. They said a lot of people came to their stall because it offered a wide range of items and it was refreshing and new. It gave them a good chance to practice their speech, and also to talk about Kechara. I heard that James and Shin were very good in talking to people. I also heard even some non-Buddhists donated goods to them after hearing about our organisation and the work we do…how kind!
Some of my students and friends also came by like Louise Lee and Yvonne Yap who came with drinks and snacks, and Ngeow and Yoke Fui who came to buy some books and say hi, and also Philip Yong. After the team was done for the day, Dato’ Ruby Khong was kind enough to treat them to dinner even when she’s not at ‘work’ with Kechara Soup Kitchen, she still likes to feed people! Actually Dato’ Ruby was one of those students who helped organise and run the original flea market and now her daughter Jean Ai is part of the second generation. Dato’ Ruby was proud to see her kids involved.
The flea market team will be at Amcorp Mall every Sunday until Chinese New Year, and then they will continue after that so please go and support them. They have a lot of stuff…books, CDs, toys, games, curio items, Tibetan items, statues, Buddhist items so it’s easy for people to invite home. Or you can donate your things to them, and help them to raise funds for Kechara. Or if you can’t buy anything, just go and help train them up in speaking. It will be good for them and it will be good for Kechara to have people who can speak eloquently and teach Dharma in the future. It has always been my dream to create lay teachers here… Buddha didn’t say who can and cannot teach – teaching Dharma isn’t just something for Tibetans, I want to show that Malaysians can do it too!! It is good for the new generation to do sales for dharma to learn to speak, meet people and take responsibility to learn to speak to be convincing. Nice excercise.
Tsem Rinpoche
There was a lot of interest at our stall all day long
We had a very good location with a lot of traffic
My students brought a huge range of items with them… we have many nice items that are in excellent condition and working very well..Many ppl loved our stall and mentioned they will return to our stall as we have alot of good quality items and huge variety. Our ppl were very encouraged to hear this…
James enjoying a well-deserved Coke…he drinks it in such a way that we get thirsty too…good product endorsement?
A lot of people at the flea market like books…all ages and backgrounds loved our stall…our items are very exciting we were told..
Cute!
Shin is very patient and good at explaining things
Bonita, Shin, James and David manning our stall….visit them Sundays…call before you visit..
Bonita entertains a baby with one of our items
Our youngest salesman shows up! Sean Wang is only 13 and not shy at all to talk for the Dharma when ppl have questions..
Melissa (right) also volunteered. She comes to the ladrang a lot to volunteer her time during her school holidays. I hope she will continue to do so as it will be good for her to collect merits and to dedicate to her mom’s dharma work
This gentleman was very interested in our electronic items
So many thing!
Dato’ Ruby’s other daughter Jean Mei apparently was very persuasive
Jean Mei helps a little girl put on a necklace
Jean Mei asked a lot of people if they wanted the duck?? hehehe
Mr Ngeow is a good sport! He came, he posed, he bought items!
Our two youngest volunteers at the flea market, Sean Wang and Melissa Sin helping to do sales…fun.
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wow, i never knew how flea market started and now i do. i go to flea market regularly and i enjoy it, i get to learn how to talk to people and to help Rinpoche. i hope flea market never stops being so successful and i hope i never stop having fun there!!!!
Dear Rinpoche,
Hehehehe Reading this blog post right now really tells me a lot about how the Idea of our very own Flea Market Stall in Amcorp Mall.
It’s been 2 years since we have started and I just cannot express how much growth and sales we have gotten every week.
Though there is a whole new group of people manning the Flea Market now…. (like me) as well as my friends such as Sean, Beatrix, Edward, Lucas, Julien as well as Sock Wan.
As usual we would all meat at Amcorp Mall at 4 PM every Sunday and we would usually end at around 5 PM of course it is usually a fun filled day for all of us, joking around and at the same time selling the stuff that we have brought with us.
Love
Jutika
Almost two years later, our flea market is still going strong! Every week without fail, whether it is raining or sunny, whether they had enough sleep or not, the flea market team troops off to Amcorp Mall to setup the booths and display our products for the shoppers there.
Our hardworking Kechara staff, Sock Wan, leads the team of kids and not-so-young kids to raise some funds for Kechara in this manner. Volunteering at the flea market also helps teach our young kids the value of money, as they have to work for every sale they make.
The flea market also affords a place where everyone can donate their second hand items to. And quite recently, the flea market has grown into its own secondhand shop, located just opposite our gompa, in order to raise even more funds for the organisation. Nice going team!
Check out their website (http://www.justpaylessmalaysia.co.cc/) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/justpaylessmalaysia)
May many many generations of young Malaysians carry on the Gelugpa Buddhist tradition for the benefit of many in the future. And it is always good to earn money for support a charitable organisation that benefits so many, I guess if we learn how difficult it is to make a sale for the younger people it helps them to understand the value of money and with dharma they would know how we use money has a great impact to the results we want to create for ourselves and others.
The Generation of Kechara House will continue and will not end. Because of our Guru’s Tsem Rinpoche’s hard work and perseverence for his students and to benefit all sentient beings. The flea market was started when Rinpoche was in Malaysia. During that time he found it hard to get by without much funds to maintain himself. His students help him by starting the flea market. Compared with that time when he needed support, instead he now suppports and care for the less fortunate and even animals as he has experience sufferings from young. By starting up the flea market again he has a different motive for the new generation. this time it is to train the younger people and training them in all aspects for the different departments in the KWPC soon.
Helping out at the flea market is so fun. I want to go and volunteer again next time there is a flea market event. That day, I remember I helped to sell many things. I basically hooked in customers and aunty shin and the rest made sure that there was a sale. Later, I tried to sell stuff by walking around like a travleling salesman. I did not manage to get a single sale through that method. I swear that one of the people I asked to buy some stuff from came to the stand to buy some stuff. Having a flea market is a fun way to serve your Dharma center as you are providing funds to your Dharma center and to support your Guru’s Dharma work.
Reading this article brings back memories of those days when we started the flea market many years back. Those days our stall had the most customers and our stuffs sold out like hot cakes. People will be there early to get the best bargain even before the stall is set up and the stuffs displayed. Eventually there were some of the regular customers who brought their stuffs and donated to us.
Now many years later, the stall is again doing so well due to the fact that the stall had so many different types of items to offer and the volunteers worked hard, talked and persuaded the customers to buy.
Kudos to the second generation of flea market team!