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There are many ways you can help Ling Khangtsen:
Many of the Ling Khangtsen monks need sponsors. Sponsorship helps the monks obtain food, clothing, study materials, medicines, and other necessities. Because many of the monks have come from Tibet and have no support, your sponsorship can make a real difference in their lives. Full sponsorship for one monk for one year costs $240 (US), or $20 per month. This amounts to only 66 cents per day! With this sponsorship you will receive the name and picture of the monk you sponsor, and correspondence via mail or email is certainly encouraged. If you would prefer to make a donation, for any amount, to support the monks in general, and not sponsor an individual monk for a year, that is of course, much appreciated as well, and your donations will be distributed as most needed Contribute to the Medical Emergency Fund: Many of the monks that come to Ling Khangtsen from Tibet are ill when they arrive in India. In addition, many of these monks are not used to the Indian climate and food. As a result, they frequently become sick after a few months in India. Further, many monks in the Khangtsen suffer from tuberculosis, malaria, and other serious illnesses that are common in South India and among Tibetan refugees. Ling Khangtsen has established a Medical Emergency Fund to take care of its sick monks. You can contribute to this Fund by indicating that you wish to support the Medical Emergency Fund with any contribution that you make.
The situation of refugee monks living in cramped conditions at monasteries is not a new one. Valuing the freedom to study Dharma has made monks in Tibetan monasteries in India willing to put up with hardships that would be considered unacceptable to the ordinary person. However, with the burgeoning population in the monasteries and at Ling Khangtsen, Drepung Monastery, it is becoming increasingly difficult to accommodate and provide facilities to monks who are presently living there, as well as, the steady stream of new comers from Tibet. Therefore, for pragmatic reasons, we at Ling Khangtsen decided to alleviate the situation for our monks by embarking on a building project that would cater to the present and future monks community's accommodation, prayer and study facilities. We have also kept in mind the extremely kind benefactors, who have helped us by including within the plans, simple but comfortable, guestrooms for our kindly benefactors and visitors.
As of May 2003, we have already purchased the land for this building project, which will consist of blocks of monk's rooms, prayer hall, library, kitchen and toilet facilities, and guestrooms. Benefactors have included architects who have come forward to help us draw up detailed plans with respect to the buildings and the surrounding area. To mark off the boundary of this land, we have planted rapid bearing coconuts, the fruits of which the Khangtsen could use and perhaps also sell, if the conditions permit. Due to the critical reasons that the existing prayer hall (Gompa) is too small to accommodate our monks during the prayer sessions and teachings, we are compelled to start the construction of the prayer hall this year and then slowly carry out the others. The estimated cost for the prayer hall (Gompa) alone is sixty three thousand two hundred eighty dollars ($63,280.00 US).
To see the architectural drawing of the overall "Site Plan" for the proposed Ling Khangtsen building project, click here. For additional background information on the building needs and land purchase, click here. To sponsor this development and to help cover the professional and construction services that we need for this large and very important undertaking, Ling Khangtsen has established the Ling Khangtsen Building Fund. You can contribute to this Fund by indicating that you wish to support the Building Fund. Contribute to the Ling Khangtsen General Fund: There are those times when unexpected needs and emergencies present themselves, for instance, on the 7th of April 2001 the Late Venerable Gungbar Chetsang Rinpoche died, and the fire puja and funeral ceremony had associated expenses. As an additional example, the Khangtsen intends to collect all the available teachings of Kyabje Ling Rinpoche and the prior Ling Rinpoches to establish a library of his works, the physical collection of these writings will require specific funds. These are one-time projects that are of specific importance to the monks.
There are many things you could do to help Ling Khangtsen. If you
know about architecture, engineering, or construction, you might
be able to help us with our Building Project. If you would like
to teach English, other modern subjects, or computers, you might
be able to come to India and help in these areas. In your own country,
you might be able to organize a support group or help us from your
own home on projects that we undertake. If you would like to volunteer,
please write
to us or send us an email.
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