Check out Colin's Blog. Colin is the ESL teacher that Khenpo Nyima requested two years ago, to teach English Language to the Rumtek monks. He is sponsored by Bodhi Seeds and will spend as long a time as he is permitted to remain. Colin has been blogging about his Rumtek experience. See what's happening! http://colinchameleon.blogspot.com/.

Thanks to your support, Bodhi Seeds has fulfilled its goals for 2011–2012. 

We have been able to stand firmly behind the Tso Jey Medical Clinic and have funded its operational expenses and the salaries for our nurse, physician and custodial staff. Men, women and children can find help at the clinic seven days a week and receive free medication funded by Bodhi Seeds.

We would like to be able to give each monk at Rumtek an annual stipend that enables him to make a trip home to visit family. It’s an important visit for the well being of both the monks and their family. This year, with your help, every monk who needed the support, received it, happy to make the trip home.

Our on-going commitment has also been to the children of the area, funding their tuition for educational expenses. Individual donors have made it possible for several children to obtain full tuition to pursue their educational dreams. There are more children who are requesting help, but we do not at present have sufficient money for their sponsorship.

In 2012-2013, Bodhi Seeds will need your support to enable it to continue to pursue and expand on the goals you have for Rumtek’s health and well being.  Rumtek went through a difficult period following the earthquake of 2012. With your help, the clinic services were available to the monks and villagers while the monastery structures were repaired.  In 2013, please help us make certain these services can continue and grow to include more preventative health care and health education for monks, and the men, women and children of the villages.

Acharya Tashi visited Rumtek in October 2012. He not only reported that the clinic was running well, but also that the monks, villagers and administration were universally appreciative of your efforts. We finalized plans for an ESL teacher that had been requested by the shedra leadership in 2010. If we can obtain sponsorship for him, our teacher will leave Seattle for Rumtek in March 2013. We will need to raise money for his airfare and a small monthly stipend. Finally, more children need educational support and in 2013; we would like to double the number offered help so that they can pursue their hopes for a better future.

Each of you has a personal relationship with Rumtek. Every monk we speak to, villager we help, child we hold, mother we counsel—it is you that is quite literally there with us. We feel great joy in doing this, and make aspirations that you will join us again in the coming year as you have in the past.

Yours truly,

Acharya Tashi Wangchuk
Don Ross, M.D.
Susan Kirchoff, RN, MA

We'd like to let everyone know that we've received an official letter of thanks from the monks at Rumtek Shedra. One of the many things that Bodhi Seeds does for the Rumtek monastic community is provide them with clothing and a modest allowance. Please read their letter of thanks below. Thank you all for your ongoing support. Your contributions, large or small, makes a real difference in the lives of others :).

The Nalandabodhi Seattle Sangha along with many of our Bhutanese and Tibetan friends made momos (dumplings) and delicious foods.  It was an event of friendship, good food, and music played by our own sangha members. $2,000 was greatfully received in donations!

Just like the fundraising effort in Vancouver, BC, the momo party was an effort to raise funds to match a challenge grant of $10,000 USD presented by the Raynier Institute & Foundation. We would like to acknowledge the The Raynier Institute & Foundation for last year's grant of $15,000 toward the building and establishment the medical clinic for Rumtek Monastery and community.  Based on the success of the start of the Tso Jey Clinic in Rumtek in 2010 and 2011, The Raynier Institute and Foundation is, again, offering $10,000 with another $10,000 matching amount based on our efforts to raise $10,000.   
 
We so happy to report that we have raised over $5,110 toward our $10,000 goal! Thank you all for your great generosity.