Work of Charity

We eat, drink and sleep. We study, struggle, sacrifice our leisure with our kith and kin at home, being in school for almost nine and half months. We survive, dream for long life, wish for bountiful wealth and unconditional health. We do all these not for any reason but in expectation of good living for ourselves, soliciting to place our parents’ burdens on our shoulder totally relieving them, wishing to serve our nation with dedication, and in making sincere prayer for all sentient beings so that they are liberated from their sufferings. Education, experience, knowledge, wealth and health are must for us to shoulder the work of noble deeds. If one of these is missing in a person, what we do may seem more like an attempt, than real work. If one argues that good work can be done even without the requisites I have mentioned, I challenge them to try out once. I am sure somewhere, something will definitely be missing or something will be short of perfection.

Opportunity to good or charitable works pops up rarely. It is not everyday scene. Given its seclusion, opportunity to charitable works proved rarest or falls only like cascade to Baylling HSS. In five years’ time, I remember Baylling HSS having blessed with just two rare opportunities where we thought universally, rendered wholehearted physical support and satisfied the communities on the way to our destination, to their fullest extent. One was in 2010 where our students helped Trashiyangtse Dzongkhag Administration in transshipping the construction materials from Ranja to Baney Lakhang site where major renovation of that lakhang was in progress. Another rare occasion we have had is today, the 24^th August 2013 where we had gone to reach materials for construction of Chorten and installation of small prayer wheels round Chhugom Goenpa, located about one and forty five minutes walking distance from Baylling.

One thirty six (136) students across all sections from IX to XII, based on their volunteerism had gone up. They were escorted by Mr. Choki  Dorji (VP), Mr. Chimi Dorji (AP), Mr. Pema Tshewang (Scout Master) and self. As students were chosen on volunteerism, no marks of reluctance, no signs of tiredness were spotted on their faces. We sang, shouted, shared jokes and laughed heartily throughout our journey. Scorching heat of sun at the starting point did not deter us from setting our journey. Light rain and little slippery road conditions on the way did bother us, invoked deep feelings that the 30 kgs of cement we were carrying on our back might get wet and hence become unusable. However, miraculously, before we got drenched, rain did stop. We were made to believe that almighty above might have simply blessed us with drizzle so as to pave favourable journey. Reaching our destination, I almost felt like we had just gone for picnic when the caretaker, one who is initiating the development of the site of that lakhnag, served us tea and snacks, and very delicious meals.   

We believe in helping and getting helped, scratching one another’s back, and benefitting one another. To provide our benefit to communities surrounding us and to make them feel our presence, we are conducting activities of different natures. Our current task of visiting Chhugom Goenpa was our small attempt in promotion and preservation of our cultural heritage and artifacts.

I apologize every reader for encouraging volunteers to visit Goenpa in wrong attire - in pants and shirts. I hope everybody would forgive us understanding our intention.                 

 

Chhugom Goempa at the end of our mission

VP and friends on their march

Students waiting for loads