Abbot President and Deputy Abbot of Dharma Drum Mountain, Venerable Guo Dong and Venerable Guo Pin, and the Secretary General of DDMSWCF, Venerable Guo Qi, made a special visit to Xiushui from Taipei to celebrate the completion of these two important buildings and preside over the Inauguration Ceremony.

The Director and Deputy Director of Sichuan’s Religious Affairs Department, Mr. Zengjian Wang and Mr. Xiaohen Yu along with the Deputy Director of Sichuan’s Taiwan Affairs Office, Mr. Jun Zhang, many other local officials and staff and students of the new primary school were also present at the ceremony to show their immeasurable appreciation for the brand new facilities, surroundings and top-quality education provided by DDMSWCF.

Venerable Guo Dong said that DDM was enormously grateful to those who had supported the construction of the first primary school and the medical care center in Xiushui over the past two years. The construction project has fully embodied the Bodhisattva spirit which echoes the vows of compassion to those who are suffering and in need, as practiced and encouraged by the late Master Sheng Yen.

The Secretary General of DDMSWCF, Venerable Guo Qi added that the first primary school was specifically designed in line with “green” ideas that would enable students to learn with ecological awareness and to play in natural surroundings. In addition, the new facilities provided in the medical care center not only offer improved medical services to Xiushui’s residents but also aim to take care of and nurture the patients’ spirits.

Soon after the deadly earthquake had rampantly struck the Northern Sichuan region on 12 May 2008, DDMSWCF assembled an emergency relief team to travel to the quake-afflicted regions, including Xiushui to provide immediate medical resources and physical care.

Over the past two years, DDMSWCF has initiated various activities in Sichuan to help victims on their journey at rebuilding their lives, .including study groups and a camp focusing on the Spiritual Environment and promoting environmentalism.

Deputy Director Mr. Jun Zhang said that he was deeply grateful for DDMSWCF’s long-term efforts in Xiushui in helping to ease the misery of the quake victims. The completion of the first primary school and medical care center vividly demonstrated the strength of Buddhist compassion of DDSWCF and the late Master Sheng Yen.

(translated by Jin Yang/edited by DDM Australia Editing Team)