Peru's Parliamentarians Express Gratitude to DDM's Compassion in Peru at the Center
On the morning of 12 October 2007, Director of Commercial Office of Peru in Taipei, Mr. Jose Eyzaguirre, his wife and six other parliamentarians from Peru paid their first visit to Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education in Jinshan Township, Taipei County to express their utmost gratitude to DDM's humanitarian work in Peru, following the earthquake that occurred on 15 August, 2007.
The six parliamentarians included Franklin Sanchez, Elizabeth Leon, Fabiola Salazar, Margarita Sucari, Karina Beteta, Orlando Clendenes.
On 15 August, 2007, a deadly earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale had struck southern Peru. The disaster had claimed over 500 lives, injuring more than 1,600 people and leaving tens of thousands of people homeless.
Venerable Master Sheng Yen responded to the disaster by immediately instructing Dharma Drum Social Welfare and Charity Foundation to mobilize a team of volunteers to provide humanitarian assistance in the affected regions of Peru.
Dharma Drum Mountain's relief team, including Mr. Haotso Lee, Ms. Yunsan Chen and Mr. Jongbin Yen, left for Peru on the evening of 20 August, bringing with them two letters of condolences written by Venerable Master Sheng Yen and the Abbot President of DDM, Venerable Guo Dong.
The relief team successfully distributed relief materials such as rice, canned food and mineral water to the victims, providing assistance to more than 3,000 households to overcome this stage of difficulty in life.
Therefore, in addition to visiting Taiwan to celebrate Taiwan's National Day (the Double Ten National Day of the Republic of China), the Peruvian congressmen also wanted to pay tribute to DDM's act of compassion in Peru by visiting the Center.
The honored guests visited the Wish Fulfilling Guanyin Hall, the Founding History Memorial Hall and the Grand Buddha Hall. Regardless of the differences in faith, all of them paid full attention in learning how to pay respect to the Buddha.
The Abbot President, Venerable Guo Dong, also accompanied the honored guests to listen to a briefing on the outcome of this humanitarian trip to Peru and presented them DDM's publications as a gift, with the hope of extending interaction and widening the scope of exchange in the future.
Venerable Guo Dong described those who embarked upon humanitarian relief as bodhisattvas and those who suffered from the disaster as "great" bodhisattvas. He went on to say that since humanity relies on the nature of mutuality, we should bring the spirits of being compassionate and caring into full play in order to help people out of suffering.
Congressman Franklin Sanchez, responded that they were all very much impressed by DDM's compassionate act which does not discriminate on race, faith and nation.
Although time was limited, all honoured guests shared the same interest of visiting DDM in the future for Dharma wisdom.
(translated by Jin Yang/edited by DDM Australia Editing Team)
