After
the benefit concert "One World... of Peace through Music",
Master contributed US$10,000 to the Pasadena Boys Choir scholarship
fund, as well as another US$10,000 worth of gifts and red envelopes
to each of the boys. John Barron, the director of the Pasadena
Boys Choir, was thoroughly surprised and touched that Master had
answered his prayers for the scholarship fund. Some of the boys
wouldn't have been able to go to the summer camp for their music
lessons without help. The choirboys were all extremely grateful
to Master for Her love and generosity, as well as for the opportunity
of performing for Her. The following are from the appreciation
letters sent by John Barron and the boys. Witnessing the sincerity
of these talented boys from various cultural backgrounds, one
could feel that "One World" will soon be realized...
(Originally in English)
The
Pasadena Boys Choir
John Barron
Director
February 27, 1999
Dear Supreme Master Ching Hai
We
feel so overwhelmed with joy and gratefulness for the generosity
You have bestowed on our organization and children.
Our
children received Your beautiful gift packages and the special
New Year's gift envelopes that You so lovingly arranged for
them to have as special expressions of Your love, kindness,
and charity. How surprised they were when they were presented
with these beautiful flowered gift bags and Chinese New Year
gift envelopes.
When
Nancy came to the College where we conduct our classes to
deliver the gift bags, I helped her to unload them from the
van. We lined all of the flowered gift bags in a corner of
the room and told her that it was as if a beautiful garden
had sprung up right in our classroom. The soft pastel colors
of the flowers on the bags seemed to me to be a reflection
of Your gentleness, wondrous kindness, and Your love and caring
for humanity. How very blessed we feel by all of this goodness
and generosity You have so graciously bestowed on us. I hope
we can be worthy of all of it.
We
will have a little special gift for You in a few weeks as
a small and humble token of our thanks. In the meantime, we
send You our love, our prayers for continued good health and
prosperity, and our gratitude from the depths of our hearts.
God's
blessings on You and Your continued work in our world.
John
Barron
March
15, 1999 Dear Supreme Master Ching Hai,
I
have been away for over a week but I wanted to express to
You again how deeply grateful we are to You for showing our
organization and children so much generosity. The wonderful
gift of $10,000 to our scholarship fund was such a surprise
to us, but then to receive another $10,000 in special gifts
to our children was overwhelming. The bags were so beautifully
and lovingly put together, and to include a cash gift for
each child was quite a surprise to them.
I
also want to tell You how much we have appreciated everything
Your staff members have done to show their kindness and support.
I know how proud You must be of Your wonderful staff; each
of them whom I have met are such a beautiful reflection of
everything that You represent in Your love of people and Your
devotion to the cause of charitableness and helping to alleviate
suffering. I so very much admire all that all of You do to
make the world a better place to live.
I
will not see the boys choir for almost two more weeks, but
I know many of the boys are writing thank you letters to You.
Once we have collected them, we will forward them on to You.
Our
continued best wishes to You in your work; may our paths cross
again in the future.
With
our fullest thanks and gratitude.
Yours
very truly,
John
Barron
March
29, 1999 Dear Supreme Master Ching Hai,
Your
special gifts of some weeks ago to our children were very
much appreciated, and many of the boys wanted to express
to You their personal appreciation. We have compiled here
the letters that many of the boys wrote, and we have included
the photos that I took the day the gifts were distributed
to part of our group.
I
wish You could have been present when the gifts were presented
to see the surprised expressions on their faces. They were
overwhelmed with Your generosity and very moved by Your
kindness.
As
You know, we are going to apply Your gifts of $10,000 to
assist some of our boys with summer camp scholarships. Your
generosity will make it possible for a number of our children
to go to camp who would otherwise not have been able to
afford the costs of the summer training program in Northern
California. Your gift was an answer to a prayer. Just prior
to my being advised of Your donation, we had received word
from the school that we use in the summer that our camp
rates were going to be substantially increased. Your donation
will greatly help us to see that most of our boys get to
camp this summer. We are truly most grateful!
I
send my warmest regards and personal best wishes for a peaceful
and happy Spring and Summer.
Yours
very truly,
John
Barron
Director
John Barron (left) found that the music room was suddenly
turned into a garden of God.
Supreme Master Ching Hai,
Your
life is an inspiration to the people of the world, especially
those who have seen life’s darkness. Your beautiful poetry,
writings and wisdom bring joy and peace to those whose spirits
cry out for sustenance. Through Your artistry and gifts, You
bring relief, compassion, and hope to those who suffer. Your
kindness, Your generosity and Your gentleness soften the anguish
of tragedy and man’s inhumanity to man. Your life is
like a beautiful symphony, an eloquent poem which refreshes
the human spirit and points the way to truth, fulfillment
and beauty.
We
cannot begin to repay You for all You do to make our world
a better place, but we can send You our love and our deepest
expression of thankfulness. We are humbled by Your kindness
and abundant generosity. May Your life always be blessed and
sanctified - may Your spirit always soar.
The
Director and Boys of the Pasadena Boys Choir
The
Pasadena Boys Choir, which consists of many children from
different cultural background, is a miniature of the world.
Letters
of Appreciation
from boys of The Pasadena Boys Choir:
Alex
Chao
Joey Hung
Robert Carr
Shafeeq Shomsid-Deen
Jeff Hsu
Ken Ochiai
Jason Ochiai
Eric Syphus
Danny Snowden
Wes Graham
Josh Rangel
Blake Christensen
Peter Delgado
Ted Kim
Aaron Pyon
Rory
Moon
Ben Soifer
Erik Shaw
Brett Shaw
James Chang
Brian Williams
Sean X. Luo
Pierce Ocheltree
Jonathan Keating
Chris Henley
Mark Woodall
Aaron Gatdula
March
12, 1999
Dear Supreme Master
Ching Hai,
Just
like the thousands of people who have heard the "One
World", I too, thought it was extremely beautiful.
Especially, I liked the "Winter Afternoon".
Whatever the music, the words (created by You), explained
to me what the real world was like, far different from
the world I live in. Despite the differences in the many
independent worlds now, I too believe in the union of
the different worlds.
Also,
I thank You for the gifts and Your generous heart. I am
very honored to receive Your powerful books and C.D. full
of beautiful music. Once again, thank You very much!
March
5, 1999
Dear Supreme Master,
My
name is Blake Christensen and I am 12 years old. Singing at
Your concert was exciting. Your story about Your life was
very interesting and the way that You sing was moving to me
and also the way You sang to the audience. Your art work is
very beautiful and also Your women's clothing. Thank You for
the gift basket.
Love
Blake Christensen
March,
8, 1999
Dear Supreme Master,
For
You have been a wonderful woman throughout Your life. I'm
in fifth grade and love to sing. When I sang in the beautiful
concert, One World, I felt so fortunate to sing for You.
Not many children were able to do what I did. Your generosity
made You the person You were and are.
Thank You
for the wonderful gifts to packed and the Chinese New Year's
red bag. I'm also thankful for going through trouble to
pack that.
March
30, 1999
Dear Supreme Master Ching Hai,
I
am Shafeeq Shomsid-Deen, my name means follower of the faith
and light of faith. I am thirteen years old, and in seventh
grade. I love to play with r/c (radio controlled), Lego
building, and hockey. I enjoyed Your tribute the One World...
of Peace Through Music. I thought (and as with my parents)
feel that it was of exquisite taste and perfect stature.
I loved Your tapes, CD, and book on Your life, and Your
donation to global disasters. I feel that Your support and
donations toward the disasters was very gracious. I feel
that others who have money should do this too. My dad is
an Ob/gyn and my mother is a home-establisher. I feel grateful,
and feel gratitude toward Your gift package. I would like
to thank You again.
Sincerely,
Shafeeq Shomsid-Deen
March
18, 1999
Dear Supreme Master Ching Hai,
I
have studied the arts since I was very young as You. I was
first introduced to the piano since I was three by my grandmother.
Upon my arrival to the United States, I started professional
lessons. Since then I have taken the vocal arts and have
been in organizations like the Pasadena Boys Choir for seven
years. Your poetry and music has been an influence. So was
Your concert.
"One
World" was one of the greatest experiences I've had
in my life. I enjoyed learning the music and shall cherish
their memory. I have also heard of Your work around the
world and of how You have continued to support people in
need. You have my respects and thanks. Specifically for
Your work and Your generous donations and gifts to the Pasadena
Boys Choir. Thank You.
March
20, 1999
Dear
Supreme Master,
I
am in the seventh grade and I really enjoyed performing
in Your program. I personally thought that it was excellent.
And it really opened my eyes on what the world is really
like.
Thank You
for Your generous gift and I hope You live a long, loving,
caring and prosperous life. I hope I get the Honor of meeting
You some day. Sincerely...........
One
World of Joy and Happiness From
Mrs. Zaida J. Rinsulat, Cotabato Province, the Philippines