It was already 8:30am and none of the named volunteers for the said project could be seen at the temple premises. I felt a little relieved when Sis Poi Kin walked into the canteen after a little while. (Sis Poi Kin really walk the talk by taking public transport from her house in town to THT) We sat near to the enzyme counter and started to discuss about enzymes with Sis Gaik Yen giving some input while she was setting up her stall. Still no sign of the others…until Sis Chun Yan turned up. We then started to set up our collection center in the car park by reserving some space with plastic stools. The rest of the team was slowly emerging, one after another and very soon we were busy collecting recyclable items from THT internal units. Against all odds, a total of 14 members turned up! (Things do turn out right when we perform our work according to the Buddha Dharma and with mindfulness) The canteen, office and Wan Ching Yuan staffs began to bring out their collected stuffs. A few devotees stopped by and dropped off their recyclable items. Some of us were very unsettled, trying to look for the more than 150 empty drink cans that we had collected during our recently concluded Buddhist Camp for Secondary Students. Apparently, the whole bag was placed outside the Article Shop and could not be found. Bro Liang Da told the rest not to worry and commented that someone needed the cans more than we do! (Amazing and remarkable indeed to be able to view matters so positively and in the right way!)

Sis Chun Yan lamented on the lack of publicity and to maximize the crowd turnout for the “Dumpling Festival” she started to mobilize the team members to talk to devotees about our environmental day program for the year. Together with Bro Liang Da, she went to THT office to print out bookmarks on recycled paper detailing our program for the rest to cut and distribute to devotees. (We must be diligent, to wait for tomorrow will be too late) Sorting out the items, the team members interacted and exchanged views and opinions…and soon the vendor’s truck arrived at 11:35am. The items were weighed, the prices were computed and surprisingly, the first time project yielded RM124-00. After all clearing works were completed by 12 noon, it was unanimously agreed that the collection be donated to the ongoing food charity sales in aid of the victims of Myanmar Cyclone Nagris and Sichuan earthquake. (We are proud of our Than Hsiang Youth who practices compassion)

Most of the members stayed back and had a review immediately. While sipping tea in the Article Shop, the members were briefed by Sis Chun Yan on what waste is recyclable and not recyclable. Moving forward, many remedial and follow-up actions to further publicize our future environmental days were proposed and discussed:
• Bro Liang Da will handle the printing of posters and banners. Bookmarks must be ready by next week end for distribution to devotees attending the Mahasanghikadana. Members will distribute flyers and bookmarks to the nearby residential areas the following next Sunday on 22-06-2008.
• To accept all items brought by donors but members must educate them on what is recyclable and not. We will then send the items not acceptable by our vendors to other recycling centers.
To end the review, merits accumulated for the day were transferred to the Myanmar and Sichuan disasters’ victims…may the deceased find spiritual destination and the injured, hungry and homeless recover and overcome their misfortunes. We further vowed always to benefit the innumerable sentient beings; eliminate the inexhaustible afflictions; learn the boundless Buddha paths; and attain the Supreme Buddhahood. (We are following the Right Practice that Shifu taught us)

After the review, we adjourned to have our vegetarian lunch at the canteen. Before we ended the day, six of us stayed back and had a good time joining the “lao pusa” in washing the dishes that were used for the ‘Fo San” – 3-day Buddha Name Chanting which coincidentally was concluded on the same day. Nonetheless, all of us went home filled with Dharmic Bliss. (Now this is also dana … giving time and energy…)