| Hello everyone, |
| I hope this month’s newsletter reaches you all well! This month we have some information on the upcoming seminar at Mahamakut Buddhist University Isan Campus (MBUISC) and the annual pilgrimage that usually takes place following the seminar, as well as a little update on the Dhammacari house project and the Wat Buddhametta UK (WBMUK) donations. As many of you will know, MBUISC holds an annual international seminar on the development and propagation of Buddhism in the Mekong region, in which Buddhists from an array of different traditions, cultures and nationalities come together for a week of practice, discussion and sharing. For many years, members of the BMS have been warmly welcomed as valued participants in the seminar, and there is an open invitation for anyone to attend and take part in this special event. The dates for the next seminar have been announced, and it will take place from 13th-19th January 2027. |
Immediately following the Seminar, in place of the usual pilgrimage there is a plan to visit and stay at three monasteries in Isan for a multiple-temple retreat led by Luangpor Sudhiro. This should take place from the end of the seminar until around the end of January, and anyone is welcome to come and go at their own convenience. More information about the seminar and retreat can be found in this leaflet, and anyone is more than welcome to get in touch via the “contact us” link below with any queries! Please also feel free to share the leaflet with anyone you think may be interested in attending.
Moving on to a different topic, as part of the dissolution of the WBMUK charity, a couple of trustees from the BMS and WBMUK have been working hard to sort through all the donations given to support the WBMUK project and make sure they are either refunded or redistributed to a different cause at the request of the donors. As of this week, I’m pleased to report that a total of £28,098.93 has been transferred from the WBMUK accounts to support various causes as requested by donors. £9,271.31 of this is going to the Buddha Savika Fund to support the higher education of Maechee’s and young women, £5,876.31 going towards the Dhammacari house project, and £12,951.31 is to be allocated to various projects, headed by Luangpor Sudhiro, as needed. On top of this, recent donations through the BMS mean that a further £10,750 has been sent in support of the Dhammacari house project. Due to the current season of heavy rain in Thailand, construction work for the Dhammacari house project has to be delayed for the time being, but we’ll keep updating on its progress in later newsletters. I’m sure all of the generosity from the many people that have given their time and resources to support these projects will bear great fruit for a long time to come. Sadhu to everyone involved!
That’s all for this months newsletter, but keep a look out for the next one where we hope to hear about Tan Brian’s journey into the monastic Sangha at Wat Phu Kaat!
Best wishes,
Greg