Meeting Kechara Soup Kitchen (KSK) Volunteers last night May 29, 2010
Last night May 29, 2010, on the spur of the moment around 9pm I decided to go to kechara House and visit with two groups. I didn’t let anyone know I was coming, I just showed up…that was nice. One is Kechara Soup Kitchen group who are packing food for the homeless. The other is a group of students reciting Lam Rim as pujas for the building and expansion of our new prayer hall.
The videos and pictures are taken last night when I visited the Kechara Soup kitchen (KSK) group. They were finished packing when I walked in. I shared with them my reason to start up KSK a few years ago. And we did a motivational thought just before I left using Shantideva’s aspirations.
Tsem Rinpoche
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I met the KSK group in KH2 below. We have two halls, one is kh1 and the other is kh2.
Giving a little talk as to why I started Kechara Soup Kitchen to the volunteers last night. Some of the hard working volunteers I am meeting for the first time.
Group pictures with the volunteers who are about to go out on to the streets to give food to the homeless.
Loading up food into our own Kechara Soup Kitchen van!
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KSK volunteers are so lucky. I love it when happen to be in Rinpoche’s presence. Besides having a lot of jokes, Rinpoche always know what to say to benefit others. It’s very magical that most of the time my questions are answered by Rinpoche in his talk without asking.
Rinpoche’s motivation is very pure to benefit others that he didn’t forget the plight and pain of the homeless despite him having a comfort home and full stomach every day now. This motivation of his inspires many to join him and one of them is me. I thank Rinpoche for making me understand compassion, reaching out to care for others and becoming less selfish.
Indeed Rinpoche went thru much sufferings, hardships and hunger when he was left in the streets when Rinpoche was young. So much the same when Rinpoche was in Gaden Monastery when the funds was low and Rinpoche didn’t have much to support himself with. Rinpoche’s only meal for the day was just one barley grain. I remembered Rinpoche said he will add the barley grain with a little tea and eat as a meal.
Having not enough to eat in the past, Rinpoche now opens the door for many others who are like him in the past to be able to part take of proper food and be given, shelter and proper living needs. Rinpoche’s love for the homeless are like that of his love for the homeless.
Here’s another facet of Rinpoche’s love which is like a jewel.
You are so lucky Liew to be there when Rinpoche showed up all of a sudden. Must be your good merits! Yes it is this similar feeling of pain and difficulty you experience is what they the homeless experience too. We often forget that and Rinpoche has kindly skillfully given us this great opportunity to our selves some good by showing kindness to others, in this case the people on the streets. Rinpoche himself have lived on the streets so he knows exactly how they feel. Also when it rains Rinpoche also says he doesn’t like cos the homeless will experience that while we are tucked away in our comfort beds, how about them? KSK is a manifestation of Rinpoche’s kind heart. May it grow to inspire many more other Dharma centres to put Dharma in to action to benefit more people. Nothing is more satisfying then when you see someone happy and it was because of you.
This is my second time meeting Rinpoche, and hearing him explain to us how he conceived the idea of Kechara Soup Kitchen is such an honor.
I personally like to deliver food during the Saturday midnight round because I myself cannot sleep when I have an empty stomach. When I give food to them, and they immediate eat them, I know they can sleep soundly afterwards. That feeling is really good.
Of course, like Rinpoche said, we are not delivering food to do the homeless a favour, instead, this is a chance to practice our compassionate, and I believe that by being compassionate, we can help even more people.
Kechara Soup Kitchen (http://www.kechara.com/soup-kitchen/about-us/our-mission/) was born due to Rinpoche’s love for homeless people as Rinpoche himself has been living off the streets while searching for Dharma and saw many people and strays suffering (http://www.kechara.com/rinpoche/biography/10-going-to-l-a/). Even in India (http://www.kechara.com/rinpoche/biography/19-noble-activities/), Rinpoche helped many, many poor people by helping to raise funds for food, hospitals, old folks home and the Sangha community. Gaden Monastery itself has 3000 over monks to support. Rinpoche work tirelessly to help those that he can and NEVER complain nor ask anything in return.
Now, KSK is distributing 800 over packets of food on every weekend to the homeless and poor but not only that, KSK also helped them to look for jobs, rehabilitation and homes that can help the homeless and sick.
Terima Kasih Rinpoche!
How interesting that the One whose very existence for KSK was conceived from has turned up as a surprise to fete those present with His presence and teaching.
It was indeed heartwarming that he shared about those days where, like the homeless and downtrodden in KL, He knew what they went through based on His own back in the US and encouraged those present to continue this very spiritual work of alleviating the homeless and downtrodden.
And not forgetting the Lamrin Recitation Group too that He graced them with His presence to encourage them further in their endeavour.
Rinpoche is so hands on and encouraging!
Hehe! I really like Rinpoche’s spontaneous style. It is true that RInpoche is always compassionate, kind and has superb humility. But one of the best things I really like about him is that there is always a sense of mystery to what comes next. One of the most interesting things about being around Rinpoche is that he keeps you literally at the edge of your seat…in a good way.
Rinpoche works very much on the basis of people’s spiritual needs and disposition. This often runs counter to set schedules and fixed concepts of time and place. That is not to say Rinpoche doesn’t stick to schedules, on the contrary, Rinpoche is very particular about timelines and timetables. It is just that being a Dharma teacher, sometimes changing schedules or appearing unexpected has a different impact. Hence, Rinpoche often surprises volunteers such visits, sincere volunteers who devote their time to various departments are rewarded with food, drinks, gifts and even a Dharma talk.
So, it’s a tip for those who really want to meet Rinpoche and have not been able to do so, there is a higher chance to meet Rinpoche if you sincerely devote your time to a department and go all the way with it.
Oh gosh, that was a fun night when Rinpoche just walked through the doors – literally dropped by to say hello. (I think he popped across the road after that to visit students who were engaged in a Lamrim retreat too).
We’re lucky to have a Lama who literally lives down the road from us. While many centres’ spiritual guides don’t even live in the same country as them and we are fortunate enough to have our Lama pop by at any time, hold our hands as we recite a prayer together and even buy us snacks to wake us up during a prayer session.
Rinpoche has always been so actively involved in every one of the Kechara departments. In spontaneous visits to the different offices, centres and activities, Rinpoche always brings with him a Dharma teaching, big smiles, food, a hug, even gifts for new people. He shares most of all the important lesson that nothing should ever be too big or too small for us, no matter how big we grow.
In spite of Kechara’s huge and rapid expansion recently, Rinpoche has never forgotten the intimate details of every of his departments or what every single individual within that department has done or contributed towards Dharma. He reminds us in every of his visits, the greatest lesson in humility.
Rinpoche’s explanation on the motivation behind KSK is very empowering. Knowing the purpose of KSK, volunteers’ will contribute with clarity and this will be experience in their way of being during the rounds by the people whose lives they touch. Through this teaching, I trust that charity is not merely an act but a sense of being. With contemplation and practice, our charitable being will extend to encompass everyone, even (materially) wealthy people who needs a different form of charity like sincerity and true acceptance.
From this post, I learn that charity is about the stand I make in offering to give freely. It is not about helping because I was asked to. This changes my perception about many things I have done, which I thought was giving and charitable. Thank you KSK, thank you Rinpoche!
Kechara Soup Kitchen is growing and beneffting many homeless people through the initiative of Rinpoche. I remember when it first started food distribution in the city of Kuala Lumpur not so long ago, we all met at Kechara Paradise retail outlet previously known as Kechara Mystical Treasures at Picollo Galleria, Jalan Bukit Bintang with 10 – 20 packets of food and we walked the street to distribute to the homeless. We then have 4 -5 persons volunteering the distribution. Now the volunteers have grown in numbers and I believe the numbers will grow further. Serving the community this way appeals to many people and it has this feel good factor and is a tangible service.
1984 Los Angeles-Left to right: Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, monk assistant to Zong Rinpoche and the 18-year-old Tsem Rinpoche prior to ordination. Read more- https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/category/me
It is always a lovely surprise when Rinpoche comes to visit. But this particular visit was special because some of the volunteers were meeting Rinpoche for the very first time. Above all, they got to listen, first hand, to Rinpoche’s life-story. Especially in regards to why Rinpoche created KSK in the first place. Rinpoche was truly one of them. Rinpoche had lived through the harrowing experience of surviving in the streets. Prior to volunteering in KSK, I didn’t even noticed the homeless in the streets. Like everyone else who has not come in contact with KSK, we would all say with much surprise, “Are there any homeless in the streets?” It’s almost like as if we had blinkers on before KSK. Although I know it seems like we, volunteers, are supposed to be the ones helping the homeless and changing their lives, but in reality, they are the ones changing our lives. They teach us what it means to value what we have, and give us the opportunity to practice compassion in action. Hence, we are the ones who should be thanking them.
It is always very special when Rinpoche decides to turn up for an event or any of the regular activities in Kechara. People really dig that kind of connection to Rinpoche, as they can definitely feel the compassion that Rinpoche manifests in his words and action.
Many a times Rinpoche has used humour to heal people and make them happy on the spot or just to take them away from their current situation. When Rinpoche turns up it gives a lot of morale boost and encouragement to people, it matters a lot to many people that Rinpoche is concerned about what they are doing and that he knows. Though most of us know Rinpoche is perfectly aware of what is going on, still its very good to see Rinpoche in real life, as it is very special for all of us.