Laos

Before did not meet with Firefly Mission, my orphanage children and I was in difficult condition. The condition of the Bangalhalia Agapara Buddhist Welfare Orphanage are changing since 2012 met the Firefly Mission in July 2011 though the Bro Mong Mong Thun Marma and receiving many kind of support from Firefly Mission such as 1st floor extended dormitory, children sponsorship program and in-kind donation; school uniform, blanket and jacket and education stationeries. It is happening by Bro Mong Mong Thun Marma for his gave built a bridge of relationship between BABWO and Firefly Mission unless still I have to live in difficult condition. I shall never forget it and blessing to all of you for your Metta.

Now I can live and looking after our orphanage children without any difficulties. Timely I can feed our children, with satisfactoriness our children are getting chance to study their education without any difficulties.
Through the BABWO the other three orphanages; Sanghamitta Saba Sangha Buddhist Orphanage, Buddha Shishu Ghar, and Buddhist Temple Orphanage are received support and donations from Firefly Mission. There are Residential Junior High School, Barbed wire fencing project and donation for foods, blankets, jacket and solar, water tank and generator. I am very happy for it. I sincerely gratitude and blessing to all of members of Firefly Mission including Swan fund, Donors, supporters and well-wishers of BABWO may happy, healthy, prosperous and live long.

Nibba Nassa Pachaya Hontu!

Like all Firefly Mission trips, this trip to SBS has been a very fruitful and enjoyable one for me due to a few reasons. Firstly is because I have just finished my End-Of-Year examinations and is relaxing while awaiting my results so this trip serves as a relaxant for me and also doubles up as a reward too for finishing the school year.

Secondly, there are many new faces and each one of them brings an element of refreshment because we get to talk to different people and not just to the same old-timers. They are like patches adding their own stories to the firefly mission quilt and this in turns make Firefly Mission more interesting and less mundane.

Thirdly, this trip is filled with visits to other Buddhist Organizations like Tzu Chi on Day 1 and Nalanda on Day 4 and is therefore very rewarding to our spiritual life. These organizations show us around their “campus”, as they serve as schools for the Dharma, and even host us for delicious lunches, they also inspire us as they have done much meaningful work too and have gained many supporters, even those from overseas.

Lastly, I enjoyed this trip very much too because like all Firefly Mission trips it has successfully incorporated the elements of relax and learning into the trip itinerary. No one will forget the beautiful hotels that we stayed in especially the boutique hotel on day 1 and the five-star hotel on day 3. All in all, I took a lot out of this trip and I hope to be able to go for more trips in the near future.

Graeme participated in the alms round
Photo Credit: Bro Goh KS