Charity work – highlight of local Buddhist clergymen and Buddhist

In 2004, the charity of managing committee of the Dong Nai Buddhist Church together with monasteries, Buddhist clergymen and Buddhist took an active part in offering gifts for the local poor people. Especially, with their charity fund, they offered to help poor people who were living in the remote areas such as Phu Giao in Binh Duong province, Soc Bom Bo in Binh Phuoc province and other poor communes in Dac Lac province etc. They also sent the relief to those made homeless by floods happening in Cuu Long Delta and the central region. Furthermore, they mobilized their supporters to raise a large sum for relief fund with its purpose of coming to the relief of tsunami victims in the Southeast Asia and the East Asia.

In the other hand, they also worked for the relief of dioxin victims’ suffering by sending a thousand of presents such as money, medicine and wheelchair to these victims. These presents aimed to help them moving around easier and being treated better. In addition, many classes were opened free of charge for street children or other ones whose families being poor. Many notebooks and clothes were offered to these children who were able to go to schools. A hundred cases of heart and eyes operation for children were done under the support of the managing committee of the Provincal Buddhist Church. They also acted as sponsor for disabled children’ s home and single elderly person’s home. Gia Lam Thien Sanh pagoda located in Bien Hoa city provided free meals for the local poor labourer. Particularly, free treatment and oriental medicines have been provided for 65,000 poor patients with total amount up VND 2 billions by the local pagodas. In 2004, 61 charity houses have been built for poor families thanks to active contributions in cash to charity from Buddhist clergymen and Buddhist in Dong Nai. At the same year, they have raised up VND 8.4 billions for charity.

In the next time, they would try their best to promote further the charity work in order to offer their help to poor and misfortune people as much as they could do, Superior Buddhist Monk Thich Minh Chanh said.