From a mail of Benchen fund raising committee on July 18, 2015

Benchen Monastery has established a new fund raising committee as mentioned in the recent letter. They like to introduce themself so that people can link names with persons.

Members of the fund raising committee are: Chakzo Tashi Oser, Khenpo Wosung, Lopon Dondup Tashi und Lama Zopa Gyatso. In any case please contact them before sending any donation. The email address to contact the fund raising committe is: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

Along the committee sent another letter of the engineering consultans concerning the Maitreya bulding on the monastery court yard. The consultans made it very clear that this building is not save anymore and has to be dismantled.

This letter (click here for pdf version) was sent from Benchen Monastery Committee on July 6, 2015

Update May 12, 2015

From a mail of Tempa Lama, BPD

Today around 12:50 Nepal time there was again quite a big but not very long earthquake. There were two weaker but longer aftershocks.After the shaking I went looking around the monastery. The outer wall besides the kitchen now protrudes further outside along the previous crack from the first earthquake.

Our gatekeeper is so traumatized that he was left speechless. As far as I know, all the monks around Swoyambhu and Parphing are very safe. Many of our monks are in remote areas to distribute tents, food, medicine, financial aid, and so on. I could not manage to contact them. As soon as I hear of them, I will let you know.That's all for now.
Namaste,
Tempa and Florian Tashi

Update May 23, 2015

From Benchen Monastery Committee

The Committee includes a link to a youtube video done by Sherab Wangchuk showing Benchen Monastery: https://youtu.be/eyiFyrHLFzs

The earthquake in Nepal on April 25th disrupted everyone's life and it will be a long time before it returns to any kind of normalcy.  The Benchen monks in Swayambhu responded immediately by setting up tarpaulins on the army parade ground across the road, and ensuring that our community was safe and protected.  Our monks started collecting rubbish and waste to help keep the camp clean and tidy, and continued to help over the next ten days, by provided morning and afternoon tea, to more than 1000 local people who had taken shelter in the camp.  Benchen Shedra, also delivered prepared food to a village on the other side of Pharping that had been very badly affected by the quake.

Update May 6, 2015

Interview with Tempa Lama, chairman of BPD Monastery, Kathmandu on May, 5th 2015 by Konny Röhrig

I send some question to Tempa Lama concerning the current situation at Benchen monastery. He kindly send these answers (Q = question, A = answer):

Q: Have the aftershocks stopped by now? Have the monks and monastery community moved back to the Gompa?

A: Up to now the earthquake still continues from time to time, but only short single peaks or small shakes. It has not stopped yet. The monks are still sleeping outside on the army camp. Some of them sleeping under the staircase, some sleeping near the gate or elsewhere. But most of the monks are out in the villages to help, to bring food, clothes, tents, money or help digging.

Q: How is the health situation? Are there monks suffering from any diseases?

A: Health wise some people have heavy diarrhoea but the rest don’t has problems. Everyone is wearing masks because there were announcements that lots of sickness can appear.  But for the Benchen monks the situation is not too bad.
However, people are traumatised, everybody waiting for the next shake, feeling insecure and they are ready to run. And that is quite similar to all the monks and our friends. Especially at night time all are sleeping very light, that means they are awake most of the time. They try to sleep at daytime but then they have to work, to go out and help.

Q: How about the little monks?

Update May 1, 2015

These pictures show the distribution of food by the monks. The monks of Benchen monastery in Kathmandu distribute foodstuffs such as rice. The monks from the Shedra in Pharping distribute cooked meals.

On these pictures you can see Lama Akela and other Benchen monks from Pharping on their daily tours, distributing water with the Benchen water truck at various places. The truck has gone to places such as Dachinkali, Kalimati, Teku, Boudha, Pachdara and others.

These pictures show groups of Benchen monks who go out every day to help searching and digging for buried people at many sites of collapsed buildings all over the city.

Dr. Tsering of the Benchen Free Clinic now is supported in his work from some monks.  Every day they go to different places supplying medical aid where needed. They went to places such as Sanku, Dabcha near Namobuddha, Kokhana and more places, dressing wounds, giving out painkillers, antibiotics, medicine for diarrhea, and so forth - whatever is required. So far the stock of medicine has not run out but it is difficult to obtain more.

Namaste,
Tempa and Florian-Tashi

Update April 29, 2015

On the 28th April the Benchen water truck went to Dachinkali, Kalimati, Teku, Boudha, and Pachdara in order to aid the shortage of water there. The monks went to various places in coordination with the Buddhist Committee.Dr. Tsering along with a group of monks went to Sanku to aid the very bad conditions there.

Today on the 29th the water truck went to other places, many groups of monks were offering their help where needed and Dr. Tsering again went to Sanku. The monastery has difficulties obtaining new food-stock for the monks, which is slowly is running out. However, we can manage to offer tea to the people in the military camp nearby every morning and afternoon. There are some pictures of the monks brining a huge pot of tea to the camp which is filled in smaller pots and distributed among the people.

Namaste, Tempa and Florian-Tashi

Update: April 28, 2015

The Benchen monks have tried to help at various sites where buildings have collapsed but were told they could not be of help. In order to better coordinate the efforts to help there has been a meeting with the president of the Buddhist Committee in Tinchuli. Due to blocked roads the monks cannot get out of the city. Therefore, they will concentrate on helping within. It seems that food is not the most immediate problem in the city, the biggest problem is the lack of water. The monks are using the Benchen water truck from the Shedra in Parphing to help easing the overall water situation.
There have been reports of a flu in the military camp. Face mask in stock of the Benchen Clinic have been distributed in order to minimize the risk of infection to the monks and neighbors but it is difficult to obtain more. Due to risk of infection all the little monks have been brought to Parphing. Some monks went further away to Sanku with medical aid.

On the pictures you can see the monks on bikes on their way to Sanku, the last truck of the little monks on their way to Parphing, Tashi Özer and Sherab together with one of the many groups of monks on their way to Tinchuli.

Namaste, Tempa and Florian-Tashi