So you know the award of giving. Never be stingy to your neighbor or to the victims of disaster. And then you will see what you get later on. So, like last year we donated for the Philippine Pinatubo disaster. And this year I get back. From my own work. And maybe we are going to donate it in a minute. And maybe last year it might bring it back to my account. So, it was very lucrative for the Philippines. Now, you don’t always give with the expectation of a return Then you get only half back. And even from my own labor, from selling paintings and all kinds of things, singing tapes, I have to sing more. Maybe because God knows that I “expect” some returning profit. So, Hes didn’t give it to me. But Hes gave it to Cúc from the Houston Center, because she didn’t expect anything; she was very innocent to draw it out. (The money is from You, Master.) The money from me? (Yes.) Then why didn’t you ask me before you gave it away? Never mind. If you asked me, I’d say, “Give it yesterday.”
Now there are some other remaining Centers like Thailand, Thailand Center. Yeah. Thailand? Oh, oh, oh. Oh, you run 90 miles an hour, quick. It’s difficult to walk here. What is that? Losing shoes. Tell her to hurry up; no need for the shoes. Quick, quick, quick. Thailand people, apart from being extremely respectful, protective, and loving toward me, they have been also very independent and active in the promotion of the Teaching. And they have been very independent. They have their own Center and they have not even needed any help from Maoli except for the sample booklets and all the finances for the lecture videos and all that. Otherwise, they are completely independent. And they’re very, very devoted and very, very respectful, very humble folks. Thailand, you’ll like them. Every time I’m in Thailand, I have a police escort in front and behind. (Wow!) Otherwise, I’d never get through the traffic. So they arrange all the police to clear the road every time I’m in Thailand. And then, every time, there are so many people just hanging around just to cook for me. And you see the way they offer the food. I feel like they’re offering it to the king. It’s very respectful, and they have absolutely excellent manners, and they practice very, very well.
Next one, Costa Rica. I give this award to them in the hope that they will better themselves. But Costa Rica Centers have been translating a lot of Shifu’s (Master’s) work and they have been very enthusiastic. But of course, the Costa Rican people, they have their “mañana (tomorrow),” and we can’t do anything about it, so I hope they improve. But they love me very much. But also, no wonder, Costa Rica has its own Center. I bought it in the beginning of the mission, about four or five years ago, when I didn’t have much money then. However much money I had I just put it in there, I gave them the Center. But it is a beautiful Center. Now you have many (meditation) Centers around the world, so in case you happen to go there for holidays or a visit, then you can always pass by, eat vegan and meditate. Right? (Yes.) And stay there.
Now we come to Hong Kong. Yes. Hong Kong Center has bought their own land despite the very expensive and crowded situation in Hong Kong. They have bought three pieces of land, nearly stuck together, and they had offered it to us whenever we are in Hong Kong. So, I stayed very long in Hong Kong this time because of this beautiful land. And moreover, they have been very devoted to the comfort and benefit of the Aulacese (Vietnamese) refugees in Hong Kong. And also, they have been very patient with me because they have done too much, so they made a lot of mistakes also; not according to my taste. So, I scolded them a lot since we’ve known each other, and they still put up with it. And they didn’t get angry with me, and they didn’t shout at me. Because when they talk, it’s just like they’re shouting. Therefore, when I shout at them, they thought I was just talking to them. That’s why they were never mad at me. We got along perfectly well. If I shouted a little bit louder, they thought, “Wow, Master is improving in Cantonese.” They thought I’m pretty integrated now, I’m becoming more and more like the Cantonese manner, talking very loud with all hands and feet and shouting at the top of my voice.
So I never had any problem with Hong Kong sensitivity, but sometimes they had problems with me, because when they talked, if I was very far away, I was worried, and I sent an attendant to go down and have a look to see who’s fighting with whom. But every time was the same, they said, “No, Master, they are laughing, they’re talking together. No problem.” So I stayed in Hong Kong long because we had no problems, we shouted at each other. So sometimes when I’m not angry with them, or when they’re doing everything perfectly well, and I talk in a very low and sweet voice, and they wonder what’s wrong with me today. They say, “What’s the matter?” or something. So I have to always remind myself to raise my voice to be in accord with the circumstances and the customs of the country.
The Hong Kong people, they are disciplined, and they are hardworking and fast, and they’re very straightforward. No nonsense, because their life is like that. Hong Kong is crowded, expensive, fast-moving, but easy to get jobs. So they work hard, they earn their living, they’re very straightforward, they share whatever they can, and they do what they can for the Teaching. All of them are lovely. Even when they shout at me, I’m getting used to it by now. So in Hong Kong, we don’t need microphones to work with each other. That’s why in Hong Kong, one time, I taught them how to bake the (vegan) cake, called “Ching Hai Cake, Ching Hai Rose.” And the video members and the audio members, the working members, were so used to no microphones, so that even when they videotaped me without any voice in it so that the whole tape was ruined. It was very beautiful, everybody was laughing very loudly, but when you see it, only the mouths open, and nothing comes out. So that is because we’re so used to working independently, without any supplements, without any helping instruments like microphones or loudspeakers. So now, you see when you happen to see that video, you will see it’s like a silent movie.
I don’t know if I have forgotten anybody. I guess in the future we will see more into the matter because there are many people who have not been able to come. Also, there are new countries that probably have not started any work yet. Or they just planned to do some, so, they couldn’t report. So at the moment, we only pick these countries.
And now comes Taiwan (Formosa). Taiwan (Formosa) is my first base. And from Taiwan (Formosa), we have many “newborn” friends and children. I started in Taiwan (Formosa), and the Taiwanese (Formosan) people to me are just like my own people. There’s nothing they wouldn’t do to help me in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end. Everything is possible because of the Taiwanese (Formosan) people. But I scold them the most. Because when you do more, then you make more mistakes. But when you don’t do anything, then you’re perfectly OK. When you do more, you speak more, then you make more mistakes. Right? (Right.) Therefore, it’s no exception with the Taiwanese (Formosan). So, every time I see them, I just want to run away. Because I say, “Here comes the problem again.”
But they are the most beautiful people, most devoted, most faithful, and most simple, most kind-hearted. I think God has sent me to Taiwan (Formosa) in a perfect arrangement. So last year, in the Pinatubo volcano eruption, the Taiwanese (Formosan) people, the Taiwanese (Formosan) disciples, helped the most. The first million dollars are all from the disciples. The second million dollars are mostly from us, and all the expenses are from the Center. And the Center is all my money. You know. You know. So, anyhow, they have sacrificed the money that they have put up. Actually, they wanted to buy something, maybe buy a new Center or something. But because of the eruption of the volcano, they have donated all that. In three days, they collected USD1,000,000.00 and gave it all to the Philippines.
Is it supposed to be like this? Ten million is from them. (Ten million. Yes.) Is “ten million” (in Chinese) one million? No, huh? About one half is from them and the other half is from us. Right? (No.) (Ten million is from them.) It’s all their contribution. Haven’t we contributed anything? That means we didn’t give anything. (We provided clothes for people later on, which amounted to ten million. It’s twenty million in total. Later we also gave another six million.) Understand. We also contributed something. The first, it’s over one million dollars. Then later we gave more. It becomes more than over US$2 million. I think half of that is from the disciples of Taiwan (Formosa). And some more from outside Taiwanese (Formosan) people, not disciples. And some others… Some portion of it came from disciples all over the world. And this time, the Taiwanese (Formosan) people also put up US$70,000 and more to have ready. We’re going to donate it to the flood victims, because the US disciples have given some, like cleaning tools and some of the money, but still they need some more. So, we are going to donate more. And US$70,000 is from them already now. We’re going to give it to them.
And the first prize, we give it to the Taipei disciples. This is the contact person in Taipei. Since the day of yore, when you did not even know my name, they were already around me. Since the day of tents, of wandering. He was one of the first disciples, nearly the first. So we have known each other for seven or eight, nine years now.
Photo Caption: Big or Small HOME Is All
