Enlarge the pictures
by mouseover or click!
Karmapa Thaye Dorje Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche Beru Khyentse Rinpoche and thousands of friends at the Kagyü Mönlam under the Bodhi tree
„Icy runways in Europe“...„Fog in Delhi“ ... „our plane was unable to land“... „shortly before Dehli and back to Europe“... „ we are back in Istanbul and on a sightseeing tour!“ These were the kind of text messages we received from our medical groups on the first day of the Mönlam in Bodhgaya. What had been planned for many months – 20 health care professionals and friends travelling with the KHCP to set up a medical camp for our 4000 Kagyü friends - literally dissolved into fog. Only the Swiss section with Maja and Regula were able to rely on Swiss quality and, thanks to the flying skills of their Swissair pilot, managed to arrive on time. Undine, Peter and I are in situ in order to make our preparations. Now it’s down to our improvisation talents and team spirit. Our KIBI students and the monks and nuns from our institutes offered their help. The rest of the team arrives safe and sound with a delay of two days and gets started straight away!
Medical camp Bodhgaya
In the meantime the 400kg heavy clothes collection from our friends in Europe arrived and was distributed immediately.
With over 40 supporters the third Mönlam Medical camp became the most successful one. All day long, whilst keeping H.H. Karmapa in sight, we were treating his Rinpoches, monks and nuns, making wishes to bring happiness to all sentient beings (which, by the way, is the meaning of the word Mönlam).
Over a period of seven days, under the direction of Matthias, our ENT specialist, we gave out thousands of cough sweets, hundreds of salves for skin infections, bulks of high-quality medication from Europe and hundreds of acupuncture needles which helped ease back pain.
In the meantime the 400kg heavy clothes collection from our friends in Europe arrived and was distributed immediately.
With over 40 supporters the third Mönlam Medical camp became the most successful one. All day long, whilst keeping H.H. Karmapa in sight, we were treating his Rinpoches, monks and nuns, making wishes to bring happiness to all sentient beings (which, by the way, is the meaning of the word Mönlam).
Over a period of seven days, under the direction of Matthias, our ENT specialist, we gave out thousands of cough sweets, hundreds of salves for skin infections, bulks of high-quality medication from Europe and hundreds of acupuncture needles which helped ease back pain.
|
|
|
|
|
The KHCP medical team at work
Team meetings in the mornings
The 900th anniversary of the first Karmapa Düsum Khenpa
was celebrated during the days of the Mönlam –
and the KHCP team was amongst the guests of honour.
In the clinic room, under the direction of Anna, thousands of Tibetan pills find their way to our friends. At the “bar of glasses” hundreds of glasses from Europe find new owners and our dentist Regina pull out several suppurated teeth! Our Physiotherapists ease the pains of nuns, monks and even team members.
When Sharmapa asked us at the end how many people the team treated, we were pleased to tell him about the 4000 treatments. He was very pleased about this!
When Sharmapa asked us at the end how many people the team treated, we were pleased to tell him about the 4000 treatments. He was very pleased about this!
Karmapa thanked us all at a final team meeting, and then we started our return journeys – for some it meant back to Europe, for others to KIBI for studying or to Kathmandu for the next KHCP assignment...
Training programme Kathmandu
20 hours of travelling by jeep from the Ganges’ plain through the foothills of the Himalayas to Kathmandu. Our medical team managed to not only deliver all the medication safely to our DW centre in Kathmandu, but also deliver a brand new project of the KHCP!
3 women – Maja and Regula as nurses and Susanne, our gynaecologist, had developed a training programme for first aid, nutrition and health care. With Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche’s consent, his nuns and monks received their first training!Together they are developing other ideas and projects for the improvement of health care. All were happy about the programme, some new medical talents have been spotted in the monasteries and now they are able to put their newly gained knowledge into practice, which makes our joint endeavour sustainable!
20 hours of travelling by jeep from the Ganges’ plain through the foothills of the Himalayas to Kathmandu. Our medical team managed to not only deliver all the medication safely to our DW centre in Kathmandu, but also deliver a brand new project of the KHCP!
3 women – Maja and Regula as nurses and Susanne, our gynaecologist, had developed a training programme for first aid, nutrition and health care. With Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche’s consent, his nuns and monks received their first training!Together they are developing other ideas and projects for the improvement of health care. All were happy about the programme, some new medical talents have been spotted in the monasteries and now they are able to put their newly gained knowledge into practice, which makes our joint endeavour sustainable!
A job well done in Kathmandu and our three women continue their teaching journey to Kalimpong and Rumtek where they are already expected...
|
|
|
|
|
Training and teaching in Kathmandu. Our institutes are gaining confidence in their health care.
Maja and Regula: Anatomy is taught in a self-experiment. Anamnesis and diagnosis are practised in role-play situations.
Thousands of people welcome Karmapa in the Convention Hall. In the background the publicity for the KHCP is carried out.
Hong Kong ...
During our preparations for Karmapa’s visit to Hong Kong we received an email. Karma Sherab, our young Khenpo from Kalimpong is informing us of heavy disturbances in the area of Kalimpong. We know already about Gurka uprisings, but this time the situation was expected to be dangerous – too dangerous for our three women to come. Together we decide that the risk is too high! Susanne, our doctor, spontaneously decides to come to Hong Kong to help us with our KHCP information stand during Karmapa’s visit. And the work here was a great success. The first KHCP report in Cantonese is widely read and our friends from Hong Kong support us at our stand, helping them to get a wider image of Karmapa’s social involvement.
During our preparations for Karmapa’s visit to Hong Kong we received an email. Karma Sherab, our young Khenpo from Kalimpong is informing us of heavy disturbances in the area of Kalimpong. We know already about Gurka uprisings, but this time the situation was expected to be dangerous – too dangerous for our three women to come. Together we decide that the risk is too high! Susanne, our doctor, spontaneously decides to come to Hong Kong to help us with our KHCP information stand during Karmapa’s visit. And the work here was a great success. The first KHCP report in Cantonese is widely read and our friends from Hong Kong support us at our stand, helping them to get a wider image of Karmapa’s social involvement.
Karmapa, his Rinpoches and lamas deliver a fabulous programme. He gave the initiations of Dzambala and Chenrezig – excellent teachings in front of thousands of people. Large groups from Hong Kong and all over the world are waiting to have interviews with Karmapa. He inaugurates the new Bodhipath and the new DW centre. He releases fish at Hong Kong Bay, he visits the sick in the hospitals of Hong Kong, and gives a big dinner party.
Our KHCP team uses this time for networking, conversations and making plans for the future. At the inauguration of Beru Khyentse Rinpoche’s centre, Rinpoche’s Karma Gompa of Bodhgaya is officially welcomed to the KHCP and, of course, receives Tashi the bear!
Our KHCP team uses this time for networking, conversations and making plans for the future. At the inauguration of Beru Khyentse Rinpoche’s centre, Rinpoche’s Karma Gompa of Bodhgaya is officially welcomed to the KHCP and, of course, receives Tashi the bear!
|
|
|
|
Karmapa and Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche
The work of the KHCP team is met with a lot of interest
Beru Khyentse Rinpoche
A job well done!
KIBI and new duties
The KIBI is now the starting point for the next big medical camp mission in Ladakh. A group of health care professionals made an appointment with us months in advance. We are lucky, Karmapa is there and gives teachings and initiations. Fully empowered, we offer health check-ups to locals and members of the KIBI before heading off to Ladakh. A classroom becomes an examination room. We have plenty of medication anyway, so the room fills up quickly with helpers, chefs and their wives and children. Gratefully, many tell us that they have been working at the KIBI for Karmapa and that they have known him since he was “small”. Everybody finds it great that Karmapa has a healthcare project and we are invited to visit them again. And that’s what we’ll do. At the moment we are planning how the KHCP can be of benefit to the KIBI.
The KIBI is now the starting point for the next big medical camp mission in Ladakh. A group of health care professionals made an appointment with us months in advance. We are lucky, Karmapa is there and gives teachings and initiations. Fully empowered, we offer health check-ups to locals and members of the KIBI before heading off to Ladakh. A classroom becomes an examination room. We have plenty of medication anyway, so the room fills up quickly with helpers, chefs and their wives and children. Gratefully, many tell us that they have been working at the KIBI for Karmapa and that they have known him since he was “small”. Everybody finds it great that Karmapa has a healthcare project and we are invited to visit them again. And that’s what we’ll do. At the moment we are planning how the KHCP can be of benefit to the KIBI.
KHCP volunteer Sebastian takes refuge
...Lodrö Rapsel Rinpoche is friend of the KHCP
Examinations for everybody in the KIBI
If you travel with the KHCP and help us, like Sebastian, who was not yet a Buddhist, then it is possible that you can take refuge with Karmapa, one-to-one! That’s not the first time in the KHCP!
Medical camp Ladakh
To Ladakh eventually. Our flight departs early in the morning from Delhi, going from 100m above sea level to 3600m above sea level within an hour. The travellers are paediatrician Oliver, specialist in internal medicine Angelika and the Weingärtners from Graz as well as the usual suspects Maja, Regula, Pia and Peter. Our Kagyü monastery suffered from the thunderstorms last year and we remember the floods in Leh where many buildings were destroyed and several thousands of people were killed. Back then we promised to visit in March with a medical camp and, given that our capacities allowed it, to offer medical support to the people of the surrounding areas.
Now we are here and Lama Ishey tells us not to move, to just lie down, drink tea and eat biscuits. We were looked after terrifically, but we wanted to get started. Lamala said “No!” – we had to find out first whether we would suffer from altitude sickness and if we would survive at minus 12 degrees Celsius at night without heating but with a sleeping bag and incredibly large piles of blankets. We complied and after we passed the lama’s health examination we were allowed to get started.
Children from neighbouring schools were brought to us by their school busses on an hourly basis – lovely children and teenagers, open, curious and, as we found out later, all kagyu buddhists. The 16th Karmapa founded the school during one of his visits to Ladakh!
To Ladakh eventually. Our flight departs early in the morning from Delhi, going from 100m above sea level to 3600m above sea level within an hour. The travellers are paediatrician Oliver, specialist in internal medicine Angelika and the Weingärtners from Graz as well as the usual suspects Maja, Regula, Pia and Peter. Our Kagyü monastery suffered from the thunderstorms last year and we remember the floods in Leh where many buildings were destroyed and several thousands of people were killed. Back then we promised to visit in March with a medical camp and, given that our capacities allowed it, to offer medical support to the people of the surrounding areas.
Now we are here and Lama Ishey tells us not to move, to just lie down, drink tea and eat biscuits. We were looked after terrifically, but we wanted to get started. Lamala said “No!” – we had to find out first whether we would suffer from altitude sickness and if we would survive at minus 12 degrees Celsius at night without heating but with a sleeping bag and incredibly large piles of blankets. We complied and after we passed the lama’s health examination we were allowed to get started.
Children from neighbouring schools were brought to us by their school busses on an hourly basis – lovely children and teenagers, open, curious and, as we found out later, all kagyu buddhists. The 16th Karmapa founded the school during one of his visits to Ladakh!
Our Ladakh team with Lama Ishey Jungnes
Around 550 people are examined and treated within 5 days and receive lessons in hygiene and health care.
During all of this we received the tragic news of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima. Every night we try to keep up to date with an old TV nearby.
Tsultrim Thopden Rinpoche, currently the spiritual leader of our monastery, noticed our concern about the events in Japan and invites us to him. He asks us to explain the situation to him. We share our thoughts, explain the situation to him and tell him that Karmapa had just sent out a letter making wishes for the victims. Rinpoche thanks us and tells us that the friends in Ladakh will do the same!
We are very moved.
During all of this we received the tragic news of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima. Every night we try to keep up to date with an old TV nearby.
Tsultrim Thopden Rinpoche, currently the spiritual leader of our monastery, noticed our concern about the events in Japan and invites us to him. He asks us to explain the situation to him. We share our thoughts, explain the situation to him and tell him that Karmapa had just sent out a letter making wishes for the victims. Rinpoche thanks us and tells us that the friends in Ladakh will do the same!
We are very moved.
|
|
|
|
Our doctors teach in the schools
Everybody is examined
Our monks learn something about hygiene
Thanks for the wonderful party!
|
|
|
|
|
|
* The community supports Sherab Gayltsen Rinpoche´s actions in Swayambhu.
Medical camp in Kathmandu
Together with the Ladakh group we move on to Kathmandu. Apart from a small medical camp in Kirtipur for Shangpa Rinpoche’s nuns, we also planned to set up a large medical camp in Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche’s Manang Gompa.
5 days, 20 helpers and 3000 potential patients. The resonance is enormous. The beauty is, that all nuns and monks that had only been trained weeks ago, are now able to help us. Confidence increases when you can help others measure their blood pressure etc. Our delight about this increases likewise!
The KHCP has made a big step for the future. In the end there is an extra reward. The Manang community makes a large room for a clinic available to the Karmapa Healthcare Project – with a view of the Stupa of Swayambhu!
More about this next time.
Together with the Ladakh group we move on to Kathmandu. Apart from a small medical camp in Kirtipur for Shangpa Rinpoche’s nuns, we also planned to set up a large medical camp in Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche’s Manang Gompa.
5 days, 20 helpers and 3000 potential patients. The resonance is enormous. The beauty is, that all nuns and monks that had only been trained weeks ago, are now able to help us. Confidence increases when you can help others measure their blood pressure etc. Our delight about this increases likewise!
The KHCP has made a big step for the future. In the end there is an extra reward. The Manang community makes a large room for a clinic available to the Karmapa Healthcare Project – with a view of the Stupa of Swayambhu!
More about this next time.
The KHCP Tour in numbers:
- 88 helpers
- 5 months
- 1,100,000 km
- 5 medical camps
- about 6000 treated patients
- Thanks a million to all helpers in the East and West!
Come Together
All participants of the KHCP Winter Tour 2010/11
KHCP is the official social project for the healthcare subject of H.H. 17th. Karmapa Thaye Dorje.
KHCP e.V. is a nonprofit-organization with its seat in Germany.
Any travel costs are paid privately. This also applies to all helpers.
All activities are carried out voluntarily and the full amount of donations is forwarded directly and personally to Karmapa’s monks, nuns and accordingly to KHCP projects in Asia.
DONATE NOW >>
