Carmen Joins E-Division full time!
“I was not Dharmically-inclined at all”
That was an interesting statement coming from a young lady, whom at the age of 22, decided to make Dharma the main focus in her life.
Carmen’s first exposure to Kechara was way back in 2007, when she and her best friend Jean Mei decided to go for the Kechara Soup Kitchen (KSK) night rounds, a couple of months before she left for Australia. At that time, she was enrolled into the University of Melbourne to pursue a Bachelors Degree in Food Science.
Although Kechara never meant much to her at the time, that visit to KSK made her realize the sufferings of homeless people. Since then, whenever she caught a glimpse of a homeless person, it would remind her of KSK and how the act of giving something as simple as a packet of food could make a difference in someone’s life.
During her university days, she was just like any other university student. She studied, partied, hung out with friends, joined university activities, and spent most of her free time in front of the computer and television. She studied hard and was even awarded the Dean’s Honour Award for 2 years in a row! The Dean’s Honour Award meant that she was in the Top 10 in her course, during her 2nd and 3rd year.
Upon graduation, Carmen stayed on in Melbourne and took up a job as a leasing consultant in a leading property development company. In September 2009, she decided to return to Malaysia where she spent the next few months partying, traveling, engaging in physical activities such as yoga and pilates and many other activities. She says that she had pursued them as she was constantly bored and it provided her temporary fun.
Her lifestyle continued as such until February 2010 where she got a job at Coffex, an Australian company supplying coffee beans. Incidentally, it was a job that was recommended by Dato’ Ruby Khong (President of KSK). At Coffex, she learnt how to develop new blends of coffee which later proved to be an invaluable experience during her time volunteering for the then newly-opened Kechara Care Lounge.
In March 2010 when Carmen’s best friend Jean Mei returned from Beijing, the two got more involved in Kechara and both regularly participated in KSK’s night rounds over the weekend. Carmen’s interest in volunteering for Kechara grew, and before she knew it, she would come to Kechara at 7 pm after work and return home at 2 am. She became more interested in Dharma and started listening to my Dharma talks on YouTube around June. She says that one particular Dharma teaching made her take a better look at her life. It was a teaching about karma and attachment. Her routine of volunteering whilst on a full time job went on continuously until September 2010, when she decided to leave her job and channel more of her time into volunteering at Kechara.
Soon after resigning, Carmen got an offer to be part of the ‘Tsem Rinpoche’ bio team. She said that her involvement in the bio team was a turning point in her life, as she learnt more about me, my childhood and dreams.
After much contemplation, Carmen finally joined Kechara and in April 2011, she officially became a full time staff of E-Division. Her decision wasn’t free of challenges, as many people close to her found it difficult to understand her choice of career. However she says that she was determined and felt that Dharma was to be her way of life from that point on.
When asked for the reason for wanting to join Kechara, she replied, “The more I learn about Dharma, I really see that work outside is not worthwhile because there’s nothing new with it. All the jobs I’ve been in, is really like what Rinpoche says, that after 1 or 2 months, all we look forward to is the pay check at the end; and the motivation to go to the job, to work, is not there. For me, it was more about not wanting to waste the life I have, but to do something fulfilling. I’ve seen how Kechara, Dharma and Rinpoche’s teachings have benefited me, and I want to contribute to bringing that to other people’s lives. I want to make Dharma grow”.
I sincerely welcome Carmen from my heart. I know she can do alot and have a long and powerful life ahead of her in Kechara to benefit others…..I thank Carmen for being so kind, compassionate and wise although young….she inspires many young people to THINK DIFFERENT.
Tsem Rinpoche
Carmen and her beautiful mother on her Graduation Day.
The first Kechara event Carmen attended, with best friend Jean Mei. It was the opening of Kechara Paradise in Sunway Pyramid!
Carmen and the rest of Tsem Rinpoche Bio-team members in Hollywood. She is at the far left!
On one of her many travels. This was at the Great Wall of China.
Carmen on a normal day…
… Carmen on a NOT so normal day… hehe
Carmen and her some of her Dharma friends at Central Park, New York!
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Never would I have imagined to work together with Carmen. She is always cheerful and very dedicated. Inside I believe she has very deep wisdom and understand the realities for someone who is very young. I am very much inspired by her.
The first time I met Carmen was when she came to volunteers in KSK. All I knew about her was that she’s Jean Mei’s very good friend. Then the next thing I heard about her was she went to USA with DR and the rest of the people for Rinpoche’s bio trip. After she joined e-division. I am not close to Carmen until lately. She’s a very quick and discipline person. She worked very hard and gave her very best trying to accomodate everyone that came to her for help. No matter how exhausted she was, she never forgot her soft voice and big smile.
Welcome Carmen to Kechara’s family!
Dear Carmen, thank you for your sincerity. You do what you say and you say what you do according to Beng Kooi. I need people like you to work with me to make a difference. There are so many types of people and they have the right to be who they are and I respect that. I need people who are committed, work hard, overtime and have great passion to make a difference for others. When we work for others, it seems we have forgotten ourselves, but that is not possible…working for others helps us even more than them. I welcome your sincerity. TR
Carmen is a wonderful colleague. She is always smiling and friendly, and does her best at work. I am very happy to see more and more faces in Kechara to help realise the vision of Kechara World Peace Centre. We especially need many young people to help make the organisation grow further.
Welcome Carmen!!!