Rude Awakenings - Forest Sangha Publications

^0 G I F T S 06cake, and Christmas pudding. My attention became increasingly distractedas this sea of food grew. I hardly noticed that everyone alsobrought presents wrapped in coloured paper, which were put in a bigpile on the far side of the food.Of course I overindulged. But it was a glorious meal and full oflaughter and happiness. When we had finished, one of the several childrenthere was given the job of handing out the presents. We had beentold that it was the tradition for everyone to bring one present—theyhad drawn a name from a bag the week before to find out who theirpresent was to be for. A nice tradition in which everyone would getsomething. We did not mind in the least that it would not include us.However, the first present the little girl picked up had one of our nameson it, and then so did the one after next, and then another, and yetanother. There were big ones and small ones, each wrapped in different-colouredpaper and the little girl tottered back and forth with themmaking a new pile in front of us. Half of the presents were for us. Everyone’sattention turned to the growing pile and to us, but we were initiallytoo stunned to do anything about it. We just let the presentsmount up with bemused smiles on our faces. Eventually, when webegan to unwrap them, we found that inside were things to replacethose lost in the robbery. There was a sleeping bag, water bottles,clothes, two sleeping mats, a bottle of mosquito repellent—anythinganyone had in their possession that we might need—even a Swiss armyknife for Ajahn Sucitto. Many of the gifts we would never have beenable to buy in India. I was in tears by the end.And that was just the beginning of the generosity we received in BodhGaya. Some at the meal had not been part of the arrangements of thenight before (Katie had us tell her in detail what we had lost and thengone round telling the others), and they wanted to know what else weneeded. Over the next few days various other things arrived, even a newalms bowl for Ajahn Sucitto; and by the time we left Bodh Gaya, nearlyeverything we had lost had been replaced. We were even offered a water2 7 1