A group of more than a hundred people from the Firefly Mission of Singapore visited Than Hsiang on 3rd November 2005. Sisters Heng Boi Sim and Koh Bee Ling took them on a tour of Than Hsiang starting with Wan Ching Yuen Centre, where they sang some songs with the old folks there and presented the old folks with presents.

Later Sis Koh introduced the Firefly Mission group to Than Hsiang Fund’s four-fold core activities of providing Education, Welfare, Cultivation, and ICT (Information, Communication & Technology).

She also briefed them on Than Hsiang’s Conviction of:

The Young to Learn
The Strong and Healthy to Serve
The Aged and Sick to be Cared For
The Departed to Find Spiritual Destination.

This was followed by a Question and Answer session with Than Hsiang’s abbot, Ven. Wei Wu. The elderly members of the group were interested in Wan Ching Yuen Centre. Ven. Wei Wu informed them that each resident paid a monthly fee of RM450.00 while it was free for those on welfare. These monthly fees were insufficient to cover the Centre’s expenses. Hence the Centre depended on public donations.

To another question about Than Hsiang’s Kindergarten, the group was informed that besides covering the normal school syllabus, the seed of doing good was also planted in the children as part of Than Hsiang’s Cultivation ideal. Ven. Wei Wu also informed that IBC (International Buddhist College) in Thailand would set up a course for training kindergarten teachers in the near future.

Before their departure, the Firefly Mission group donated RM2,000.00 to Than Hsiang. A big Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu! to them for their meritorious donation.