embrac<strong>in</strong>g VIETNAMWhere Help Is Needed<strong>The</strong> Maitreya Fonds is a charitable association registered withthe German government. All the work is done by eleven volunteers.Some of them visit the various projects <strong>in</strong> Vietnam on an annualbasis, cover<strong>in</strong>g all their travel expenses themselves. <strong>The</strong>reforeonly two percent of raised funds are needed to cover adm<strong>in</strong>istrativecosts, which consist mostly of bank<strong>in</strong>g fees for transferr<strong>in</strong>gmoney. On his annual visits to Vietnam, Christian Kaufl meets withsocial workers who are members of the Thien Hiep (Interbe<strong>in</strong>g)Order, to learn about the progress made with some projects andnewly-arisen needs <strong>in</strong> other areas.<strong>The</strong> work of the Maitreya Fonds is possible only through theclose cooperation of the volunteers <strong>in</strong> Germany with Plum Villageand the social workers <strong>in</strong> Vietnam. <strong>The</strong> Vietnamese social workersunderstand where the need is most severe and where help is neededand possible, and propose projects for fund<strong>in</strong>g to the MaitreyaFonds accord<strong>in</strong>gly. In mutual consultation with the social workers<strong>in</strong> Vietnam and Plum Village, the Board decides which projects willsturdy enough to withstand the regular flood<strong>in</strong>g dur<strong>in</strong>g the annualra<strong>in</strong>y season. <strong>The</strong> Maitreya Fonds offers modern know-how tolocal builders and craftsmen to ensure that f<strong>in</strong>ancial aid is spent<strong>in</strong> the most efficient and susta<strong>in</strong>able way.While <strong>in</strong> general the Vietnamese honor and care for theiraged parents and grandparents, there are situations <strong>in</strong> which elderlypeople cannot rely on the help and love of younger ones. Inaddition, lepers, shunned by most as outcasts, cannot look afterthemselves and are without hope. <strong>The</strong> Maitreya Fonds providesbasic care for these two groups to ensure that these unfortunatepeople have a decent, humane life.Without doubt, the material aid is much needed and alsohighly appreciated. But more precious than the material support isthe education of children accord<strong>in</strong>g to the Five M<strong>in</strong>dfulness Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gs.In every k<strong>in</strong>dergarten, the children are gently <strong>in</strong>troduced tothe practice of m<strong>in</strong>dfulness. Teachers and social workers celebratea monthly Day of M<strong>in</strong>dfulness with the children, an occasion ofs<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g and joyful togetherness. Beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g at a tender age, childrenWe were happy that the children were able to enjoysome education, care, & love, but saddened by themagnitude of poverty and need <strong>in</strong> this country.be funded. <strong>The</strong> work of the German volunteers consists primarily<strong>in</strong> rais<strong>in</strong>g the necessary money to fund the projects. On averagewe raise about $420,000 annually.Our work is firmly grounded <strong>in</strong> the pr<strong>in</strong>ciples of engagedBuddhism as taught by Thay. Our basic philosophy is to assistpeople <strong>in</strong> ga<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g self-sufficiency. We believe that education andvocational tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g are the basis for improv<strong>in</strong>g one’s life. A severeproblem <strong>in</strong> Vietnam is that teachers and social workers are paid less<strong>in</strong> rural areas than <strong>in</strong> urban ones, result<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> widespread teachermigration from the villages to the big urban centers, leav<strong>in</strong>g ruralcommunities destitute of educators. <strong>The</strong>refore, a significant portionof Maitreya Fonds money goes to cover<strong>in</strong>g the salaries of teachersand social workers so that they may rema<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> rural areas wherethey are urgently needed. We also provide vocational tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>sew<strong>in</strong>g, carpentry, and computer technology, so that <strong>in</strong>dividualswill be able to support themselves and their families.Another big project consists of provid<strong>in</strong>g children withsupplementary food while they attend school or k<strong>in</strong>dergarten.In general, parents must pay for the lunches their children get atschool, but many parents lack the money. As a result, some childrenrema<strong>in</strong> unfed while watch<strong>in</strong>g their peers eat. <strong>The</strong> MaitreyaFonds tries to cover this <strong>in</strong>equity, but sadly, at present we cannotprovide adequate food for all the children <strong>in</strong> the schools and k<strong>in</strong>dergartenswe support.Facilitat<strong>in</strong>g children’s education also requires basic physical<strong>in</strong>frastructure, such as roads, bridges, and build<strong>in</strong>gs which are24 W<strong>in</strong>ter/Spr<strong>in</strong>g 2010photo courtesy of Maitreya Fondslearn to absta<strong>in</strong> from op<strong>in</strong>ionated and biased behavior, replac<strong>in</strong>ganger with love and understand<strong>in</strong>g. Thus the ideological rift thathas caused so much pa<strong>in</strong> to the people of Vietnam f<strong>in</strong>ds no breed<strong>in</strong>gground among this younger generation. <strong>The</strong> aid provided bythe Maitreya Fonds is based on the practice of m<strong>in</strong>dfulness, love,and understand<strong>in</strong>g, sett<strong>in</strong>g it apart from other charitable operations<strong>in</strong> Vietnam.Among our first efforts at the Maitreya Fonds was the creationof an <strong>in</strong>formative website <strong>in</strong> German, which was later translated<strong>in</strong>to English and Vietnamese. All of the vital <strong>in</strong>formation isavailable there (www.maitreya-fonds.de) <strong>in</strong> all three languages,<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g past and present budgets and annual reports. <strong>The</strong> websiteprovides all the necessary details for an easy, secure means,grounded <strong>in</strong> the Five M<strong>in</strong>dfulness Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gs, of support<strong>in</strong>g childrenand other destitute people <strong>in</strong> Vietnam. We welcome your supportof Plum Village or the Maitreya Fonds, to reduce poverty <strong>in</strong> thehome country of Thich Nhat Hanh.For more <strong>in</strong>formation please contact Maitreya Fonds (www.maitreya-fonds.de).Eva Neumaier, Peaceful Spr<strong>in</strong>g of theHeart, was born <strong>in</strong> Germany <strong>in</strong> 1937.She has studied Indian and Tibetanlanguages and taught <strong>in</strong> the Departmentof Religious Studies at the University ofCalgary and the University of Alberta.
m<strong>in</strong>dful LIVING“Do<strong>in</strong>g the w<strong>in</strong>ter retreat while stay<strong>in</strong>g at home, why not?”Thanks to this wonderful idea, the first w<strong>in</strong>ter retreat forlaypeople at the Maison de l’Inspir was manifested. <strong>The</strong> Maisonde l’Inspir (literally, House of the In-breath) is a small monasteryof monks and nuns <strong>in</strong> the eastern suburb of Paris, which openedits doors <strong>in</strong> early 2008. Sister Giac Nghiem (Sister Elisabeth) isits abbess.In November 2008, a proposition was made to the membersof the Paris Sangha to commit to a program of regular practicedur<strong>in</strong>g the three-month w<strong>in</strong>ter retreat, l<strong>in</strong>ked with the Maison del’Inspir. In a week, about fifteen people had expressed their wishto participate <strong>in</strong> this adventure, and thus to deepen their practicedur<strong>in</strong>g the w<strong>in</strong>ter retreat while rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g at home.A Commitment to PracticeInspired by the monastics’ w<strong>in</strong>ter retreat activities, we committedto the follow<strong>in</strong>g practices:Listen to at least one of the two teach<strong>in</strong>gs given by Thay eachweek of the retreat. It was possible to listen to this teach<strong>in</strong>g eitheron Thursday at the Maison de l’Inspir dur<strong>in</strong>g the Day of M<strong>in</strong>dfulness,or at home at any time thanks to the Internet.Make one or two resolutions.Write daily <strong>in</strong> one’s journal.Share about our practice once a week dur<strong>in</strong>g meet<strong>in</strong>gs at theMaison de l’Inspir with Sister Ton Nghiem (Sister Stephanie).On the occasions when we could not come together <strong>in</strong> person,shar<strong>in</strong>gs were done by email.Practice a new gatha each week. Gathas are little poems thatare recited with daily activities to help us go back to ourselves <strong>in</strong>m<strong>in</strong>dfulness (see the book Present Moment, Wonderful Moment– M<strong>in</strong>dfulness Verses for Daily Liv<strong>in</strong>g).We practiced the gathas for open<strong>in</strong>g the tap, open<strong>in</strong>g or clos<strong>in</strong>ga door, throw<strong>in</strong>g out the garbage, sitt<strong>in</strong>g down, ly<strong>in</strong>g down,contemplat<strong>in</strong>g our food, beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g to eat, and f<strong>in</strong>ish<strong>in</strong>g our meal.Dur<strong>in</strong>g the course of the retreat, we began to re-write the gathas<strong>in</strong> rhym<strong>in</strong>g verses that were short and very pleasant to recite.<strong>The</strong> gatha for throw<strong>in</strong>g out the garbage (In the garbage I seea rose; In the rose I see the garbage; Everyth<strong>in</strong>g is <strong>in</strong> transformation;Even permanence is impermanent) became:Rose et déchets,Tout <strong>in</strong>ter-est.(Rose and rubbish,All <strong>in</strong>ter-is.)<strong>The</strong> one for f<strong>in</strong>ish<strong>in</strong>g our meal (<strong>The</strong> plate is empty. My hungeris satisfied. I vow to live for the benefit of all be<strong>in</strong>gs) became:NewHabits,New LifeA W<strong>in</strong>ter Retreat at HomeBy Participants <strong>in</strong> the Maison de l’InspirW<strong>in</strong>ter RetreatL’assiette f<strong>in</strong>ie,Je n’ai plus faim.Voeu pour ma vie:De tous, le bien.(<strong>The</strong> plate f<strong>in</strong>ished,I am not hungry any more.A vow for my life:For the good for all.)photos courtesy of Maison de l’Inspirthe M<strong>in</strong>dfulness <strong>Bell</strong> 25
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