the moment of truth!

this is the moment we were all working towards - Mrs Dayawathi receiving the keys to her new home on thursday 20 sept

it was such a wonderful occasion, i want the pictures to tell the story

you will see -

all 3 branches of this family moving in
ceremonial offerings being brought into the house
milk being boiled to over-flowing as a joyful symbol
friends, neighbours and workers all joining in the special day

to enjoy this web album click below, select SLIDESHOW, and choose the interval you would like between each picture [10 seconds is good for reading the captions]

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bruno1965/DayawathiFamilyMovingIntoNewHouse20092007?authkey=-4bcLw-p9q0

you can compare with the original photos of the family on this blog and on the appeal website www.srilanka.freewebspace.com

also you can keep in mind that all this happened quickly and easily without any obstacles at all

therefore we would also like to enlist your support ONE LAST TIME [i promise] to house another very needy family in the same area

we need to raise 12,000 euro for the project by december when work can begin after the monsoon

the same bank details as before are available on the appeal website or you might just like to hand something to either myself or michael if you see us around

the family in question is actually the carpenter from the Dayawathi house project who did so much skilled work for them while he and his own family are living in a make-shift shack constructed of driftwood and corrugated iron

it would be even more wonderful if, this time, you could organise some fundraising in your own circle for this new project to help speed things up

but, for now, whether you will become involved in the new fundraising or not, please enjoy the photos of the Dayawathi house

we can all be so proud of what we have achieved together

let's rejoice in this... not only were you very much there on the day - you are the heart and soul of this project

love

bruno

Our House in Sri Lanka!

this was the happy picture i took on tuesday 18 september - just 2 days before the Dayawathi Family moved into their new home in Sri Lanka

the workers were just putting the finishing touches to the woodwork and preparing to apply the final coats of paint - cool blue inside and turquoise outside... the colours of the sky and sea

it was such a privilege to be there on your behalf to see it all come to fruition with my own eyes

i never imagined i would be in sri lanka again [and so soon] but at the last moment i decided to combine a week in the sun by the beach with overseeing the last stage of the build and move them in.

all the workers were local people and the entire project was managed [for free] by the neighbours - the 20 year old Madara Sankalpani, her brother Awantha, and their wonderful parents.

the build came in ON BUDGET [12,ooo euro] and ON TIME [scheduled for mid-september, allowing an extra week for stoppage due to heavy rains]

the budget also stretched to include a shopping list to provide basic furnishings, equipment and clothing for all the family

there are 2 bedrooms for the 2 branches of the family, a kitchen, sitting/dining room, and an outside veranda room.

there is also a deep well and a loo outside

to view the HOUSE AND CONTENTS please enjoy a web-album of photos by clicking http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bruno1965/HouseAndContents0907?authkey=8knjtDkQStQ

SELECT SLIDESHOW and the time you prefer each pic to remain onscreen

sri lankan family is GO!

oh my god, what a day yesterday was!

everyone has moved in and they are all so grateful and cosy

i'm still not the better of it

cant wait to update this blog properly when i get home

great pics!

just about to board in colombo

love

bruno

greetings and blessings from bruno IN SRI LANKA!!!

HI-DEE-HI CAMPERS!
i decided to come over here to sri lanka and supervise and scrutinize things during the final week of the build
i wanted a holiday so i thought i could pay my own way here to do that and see the project through to the end myself at the same time

no pics to show you but when i get home and upload what i have so far, even, you will be delighted with how things have gone at the Dayawathi's new home

today all the painting is finished outside and in

tomorrow wed 19 all the shopping for furniture, kitchen, clothes etc etc will take place [great excitement, as you can imagine]
the old lady, mrs dayawathi herself asked with a toothless sideways grin for a little TV and as most families around there have one, even the poorest go without just to have one, i thought we could stretch the budget...

then THURSDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2007 [put it in your diary kids] is the MOVING IN DAY to end all moving in days!!!

the Dayawathis [all 10 of them] will most gratefully and ever humbly take ownership of their brand spanking new home - completely fitted out [within local norms] and wearing frsh clothes and sleeping on fresh matresses and drinking their own fresh water from their own well just outside the backdoor no-less.

i feel so overjoyed to have been part of this and thankful to you all for responding so quickly and so generously

before i leave on friday morning for ireland, the builders and everybody will have been paid in full and every last penny of the total budget will have spoken for [and accounted for]

your adopted family here on the sunny southcoast will have spent their first night in the house and no doubt will also have had their first fight over who sleeps where and what channel to watch on the tv [sri lanka's cricket match or some old lady in a sari singing next to a palm tree at sunset!]

remember to check back in on this blog next week for all the pics!

love and respect to you all

bruno

Sri Lanka House Windows in!

The house in Sri Lanka (that you have paid for) is almost finished.

The windows have been installed and the interior is complete.

The family is expected to move in to their new house in the next few days.

house interior plastered!

hello everyone! since these pictures were taken the other day, the house interior has been plastered completely and the workers have moved outdoors again to finish the exterior surfaces.

the weather has been torrential and the job has been delayed by a week

but now everything is back on track for completion VERY soon indeed

i'm sending some money today for the remaining materials and, after that phase, all we need to do is consult once more with the family about what kind of fixtures, fittings and furnishings we can offer them with the last of the money so generously offer by you their sponsors

we havent forgotten to include in our budget the provision of a sewing machine and bread oven which should ensure the family can be self-sufficient and even self-employed!!

this will be a HUGE change for them and this amount of control over their own lives will definitely have a positive effect straight away for these people and will cascade through the generations to come

The ROOF is on the house we are building in Sri Lanka!

Working on the roof!
Quality materials and excellent workmanship!
Mrs Dalwaithe and her daughter inside the shell of their new house.

The old lady is very grateful to everybody who has supported this project.

Her family will benefit for generations from your generosity.

FINALLY...some PHOTOS of the new build in Sri Lanka!!!

here you can see the old house has been cleared away totally and the extent of the newly levelled building site is revealed.
you can just make out the neighbours' property alongside and the banana and palm jungle wasteland beyond.
it's not a very large site, granted, but it will provide the DAYAWATHI family with a beautiful new home and a fresh beginning to life.

In another picture you can see the various generations of wonderful women who form the backbone of this family unit. this is my favourite picture as it shows they have proudly laid out a pristine table with some simple food to offer the workers.

the other pictures show how the walls have progressed in height and the openings for the windows and doors have been prepared while the woodwork is being prepared off-site [along with roof tiles etc which are made especially for the next stages]

sri lanka build is well and truly flying along!

we've just had some wonderful news from sri lanka! it seems like only the other day we heard the build had begun.
today we had a txt and email to say the building project is flying along despite the monsoon rains!
the builders express their own gratitude for allowing them to be involved in such a worthwhile endeavour and, of course, the family themselves are overwhelmed with joy and continue tho thank you from the bottom of their hearts.

meanwhile, as we strongly requested, the family have been accommodated nearby while the work progresses but - you'll never guess what...

the most senior member of the family, the old lady in the photos, has pleaded to be allowed to live ON SITE so she can see and enjoy with her own eyes the miracle which is unfolding around her!!!

the builders have had to create a special temporary structure on site for her to live in!!!

we hope to get more recent pics as soon as possible so we can all stay in touch

but the most encouraging news of all is the project manager has said AT THIS RATE THE BUILD SHOULD BE COMPLETE IN 5 WEEKS!!!

that means early september

this is so wonderful and congratulations again for helping to make it all happen!

another pic!

This photo is slightly happier! The old lady and 2 of the children [right] still look confused and dazed.
Their neighbour [teenage girl on the left] and local builder and project-manager [behind] have come to break the good news and to assess the ruin and site for building.
They are all such good people and can be trusted totally to look after our Sri Lankan family.

Some updated photos from Sri Lanka

We really want to preserve the dignity of these beautiful people so we will try to publish some happier pictures as soon as we get some. However, in the meantime, just look at the state of this ruin! And this is obviously the best and most lived-in part of the house!

Your Sri Lankan Family thank you from the bottom of their hearts!!!

THANKS TO YOUR BIG-HEARTED GENEROSITY, we have raised our target amount of 10,000 euro!!!
This means the family have now been told they are to have a brand new house!
We've been told they are in shock and delighted beyond words
They wish to send you all their heartfelt gratitude!!

This must have been the best-kept secret ever!
They had no idea til the project-manager and surveyor arrived on site and told them the great news.

Myself and my partner, Michael, have the funds in a special appeal account and are transferring to Sri Lanka as required, in small amounts.

We will update the website www.srilanka.freewebspace.com
with any pictures or news of progress we receive.
We will also update you via this blog from time to time - so don't forget to subscribe to it and you will be informed directly by email of any new posts.

The family will be rehoused while the build goes on.

We have left the appeal bank account open just incase anyone else you know would like to contribute-
every building project goes over budget and this will be no exception so we want to make sure it is finished and the family not only gets a house [furnished] but the means to support themselves afterwards-
as we said before, a sewing machine and/or a bread oven could provide these wonderfully resourceful people with the tools to make a good living in their own neighbourhood.

All their neighbours are absolutely thrilled for them!
The neighbours have pretty good houses by comparison and they told us this family is really the poorest of the poor and nobody there can afford to help them at all.

So, THANK YOU everybody!!!

You are so kind to have contributed your prayers and best wishes, and of course your money too.

It is our great pleasure to co-ordinate this project on your behalf.

Please rest assured it will be completed as promised and all funds will be accounted for. Your money will only be used to buy materials and to pay the local building-project manager.

Love and Best Wishes,

bruno

sri lankan family appeal, PLEASE HELP!

my partner, michael, and i have just returned from sri lanka where we had the most beautiful holiday.
now we are raising 10,000 euro by the end of may to build a house for a destitute family michael met after taking a 'wrong' turn one day while out exploring the villages on his scooter.
of course, there ARE no accidental wrong turns in life
at the end of a laneway, michael found the most beautiful family living in a ruined house, barely coping with the direst of conditions and facing into the torrential monsoon season with no roof over their heads.
they spoke no english.
the next day we both went back along the lane to find them again.
we spoke to their neighbours who told us the whole story...

it is an extended family of 10 people who are trying to stay together as a family unit despite the tragic death some years ago of the 'man of the house'.
when he was nolonger around to support them, the family quickly became destitute.
their family, friends and neighbours were also poor and couldnt help them in any way.
then the tsunami hit this beautiful coastal village in december 2005 and devastated the whole area destroying homes and sweeping thousands out to sea where they drowned.
as you drive along this coastal paradise today in the sun on your rented scooter, the wind gently blowing on your face and arms, you see many empty plots of land by the beach where houses once stood - look a little closer and you can glimpse small grave stones marking the land of people who once lived there.

HOWEVER, this was not the fate of our family in need...

they already lived in a ruin, remember, so they had nothing for the wave to destroy!
they survived the whole ordeal, thankfully.
the tsunami came and went
the aid agencies came and went
new houses were built all around them for families who could prove they were affected by the wave
but our family remained unaided - afterall, they are just poor!
good, simple, Buddhist people... the poorest of the poor

we have contacted GOAL, the well-known irish charity which does a lot of work in the area and have enlisted their help [free of charge] to organise the building of a new house for this beautiful family
the neighbours have been sworn to secrecy and the family know nothing about it as yet... it is literally beyong their wildest dreams!

for 10,000 euro we can build a large but modest two-storey house on their own plot of land once the ruin has been cleared away
but the most important thing is they will have a roof over their heads to call their own, they can stay together as a unit, the children can return to school, and
GRANNY, MOTHER and ELDEST DAUGHTER can be given sewing machines, a bread oven, and the like to ensure SELF-SUFFICIENCY and even SELF-EMPLOYMENT!
with this kind of foresight and vision, the assistance we can all offer right now will continue to benefit them long after the money we raise has been spent and the house is built!

they will be SECURE


for our part, this will be a wonderful thing to have done - it opens my heart even thinking about the positive things we can do with this life of ours and how simple it can be to do them...

we will raise the funds by the end of May
the family will be accommodated while the build goes on for 3 months
then they will move into their own home asap and 'normal' life can begin

we will keep you updated with information and photos via a special site we have set up for this project www.srilanka.freewebspace.com
you can already see some gorgeous pitures of some of the family on that site - the children seem happy and quite well, but Granny's face tells the chaotic helpless story [imagine the fear that rapid downward spiral must induce]
the mother was not there the days we visited - she was out trying to scrape some kind of a wage together for food

the simplicity of this appeal is key

it is just a case of one human being reaching out to another

we are mainly approaching our own friends and their friends for this appeal
for example, 200 people offering 50 euro would raise the full amount

speed is of the essence

so, if you and your good friends can find it in your hearts to help and you can spare 50 euro...

please GO TO OUR WEBSITE www.srilanka.freewebspace.com

you will find information there about how to contact us and contribute as soon as possible

thank you SO much for taking the time to read this heartfelt appeal on their behalf

love and best wishes

bruno

some new poems

you can find some new poetry i have written in the FOLIO section of www.nua.cc
please enjoy!
bruno

Ringu Tulku Rinpoche

you can find dates and booking information for the visit of Ringu Tulku Rinpoche to Dublin on the events page of www.buddha.ie

back from sri lanka and paris

wonderful time in sri lanka - what a paradise! people, beaches, mountains... all more beautiful than your wildest dreams.

michael and i arrived in the airport north of colombo and were met by our driver and guide who brought us by road right round the south-west coast to the old fortified dutch town of Galle where we stayed the night in a huge colonial house with a grand balcony from which we could view the ramparts and the vast ocean.

apparently, because of these old walls, Galle was not harmed by the tsunami of 2004 - almost every other coastal area was, unfortunately... even the west coast, which should have been shielded from the easterly tsunami, was devastated... perhaps even more so than the east coast.

the next morning we hired scooters in the old town and headed off along the coast road east.

bitter sweet experience - the most beautiful beaches in the world alongside ruined houses and waterfront plots of land where homes once stood... the gravestones of entire families marking the spot where daily life had been lived and snuffed out

after a day riding along - stopping occasionally to take it all in, marvel at the scenery, and shed a tear - we backtracked to unawatuna and looked for a good place to stay

our first choice [Sun and Sea] was booked out so we went around the point to Sri Gemunu, situated on its own gorgeous little lagoon, where we took their best room and a balcony with various spectacular sea views.

although the wave had reached the second floor, the employees assured us nobody was hurt somehow

once settled in there we just hung out, swam in hot ocean water, over-ate, biked a little and enjoyed eachother's company.

we were extremely touched by the dignity and grace of the locals

most 'victims' of the tsunami, have now received the assistance and rehousing they required.
however, those families who were in the direst of poverty before the wave hit are still in the same if not worse situation.

michael has decided to help one such family who are the poorest of the poor - and have watched as their better-off neighbours got new houses and money

the father of this family was murdered leaving them without any male figure in the picture to look after them... they quickly became destitute and could not be helped significantly by those living around them

if you would like to know more or contribute to our fundraising for them, please email me

bruno1965@gmail.com

after the beach we took a wonderful train journey around the coast and up the tea-covered mountains inland to Kandy where we stayed in the very elegant Queen's Hotel for a few days.

this stay included a gruelling climb up the famous Adam's Peak - a steep cone of a mountain stretching high into the clouded night sky

steps lit by flourescent tube lighting disappear into the darkness above... you have no idea whatsoever really how far it will be and around every corner is another difficult climb

8km of steps! yes... 8km [5 miles!]

steps all the way
the darkness [2am start]
rain started almost immediately we set foot on the mountain and it ran down the steps towards us like a torrent and enveloped us from every angle drenching every stitch of clothes and every soggy inch of skin and bone

5 hours to go up!
3 hours to come down!

but ahhh... the view from the top!

the sunrise, and the mythic shadow cast by the peak over the jungle hills and valleys far below...
oh please!! it was so grey and cloudy nothing could be seen at all [cotton wool!]

the footprints of the Buddha on the summit....oh no!! ...inside a temple, you're not allowed to see them!

however, apparently there is great spiritual merit in climbing up there [not to mention the slapstick humiliation of being passed out enroute by sri lankan grannies practically running up those f***ing steps in flip-flops!]

but hey, it was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience allround in sri lanka

so happy to have gone there and to have gone together

an all-too-brief weekend in paris on the way home to ireland... all the old favourites and usual haunts - even one or two new experiences for us old hands

it really is the most wonderful city in the world and i intend to continue to stay there a few times a year

home to great weather in ireland, two doggies thrilled to see us, and our home sweet home

still recovering though and having flash-backs every time i have to go up stairs!

a heartfelt wish for all beings...

here is a beautiful clip i found of Situ Rinpoche... be happy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5yPh8trI9k

love

bruno

colombo bombings!

just watched channel 4 news which gave a fuller bulletin than last night's sky report...

seems two tamil rebel prop planes dropped bombs on the sri lankan airforce base, just next to the main airport in colombo...

at least one person killed and many injured
they were targeting the airbase specifically because its military planes ae being used regularly during this current wave of very violent, almost civil war type, attacks and counter-attacks

a bit concerned we might not get to go afterall - we leave next sat 31st for paris then on to colombo on monday 2 april via doha with qatar airlines

now the 'funny' thing is... we might get as far as doha before we are told qatar will not fly to sri lanka...

i don't even remember where doha is!
i know we certainly won't have visas to hang around and explore there

what to do?!

michael says he thinks all will be well

the main airport was only temporarily closed, so maybe he's right and things will carry on regardless

having your annual holiday in a civil-war zone
laying on the most gorgeous beach in the world, Unawatuna, secretly praying for all the hundreds of people who lost their lives there in the tsunami
and trying to look glamourous at the same time...

first post...

just back from the Himalayas and India where i spent 7 weeks in dec/jan

first, i retreated alone in Sikkim and received teachings from Ringu Tulku Rinpoche

then we went to Bodhgaya - the place of the Buddha's enlightenment - to chant for world peace at the Monlam gathering at which many thousand Tibetan monks and nuns were in attendance

after that, RTR and around 70 of his close students and friends [including his entire family!] began the pilgrimmage across north India to visit the main places of the Buddha's life and teachings

we finished up in Kathmandu, Nepal.

heading off again on march 31 with michael to Sri Lanka for 2 weeks and returning via Paris [where we have rented an apartment for the weekend of our birthdays]

almost finished fundraising for Ringu Tulku Rinpoche's Bodhicharya Retreat Centre in Sikkim, India - thanks to all of you who contributed and a huge thanks to Margaret Ford in Scotland for doing the communication and admin

my home retreat is still going strong and the practice [though inconsistent] is doing me the power of good - heartfelt gratitude to my precious teachers Sogyal Rinpoche, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche and Thich Nhat Hanh

i am in the process of organising a venue for Ringu Tulku Rinpoche's teaching visit to dublin [may 26/27] when he will teach on THE SEVEN LINE PRAYER TO GURU RINPOCHE with a commentary by Mipham Rinpoche

Rinpoche told me in Kathmandu, the night before the pilgrimmage group dispersed to the four winds, that this very teaching was the first one he received on his own directly from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche!
so this dublin teaching will be extremely auspicious and all are welcome

to contact me please email bruno1965@gmail.com

also, i would like to offer a poem written before i left India and based on the various sites of the Buddha we visited

you can find it in the FOLIO section of www.nua.cc

love and best wishes,

bruno