German child collects funds for tsunami affected children

GALEWELA Group Corr.

MY five-year old grandson Aaron Beier has collected funds from his pre-school-mates to support the tsunami affected children in Sri Lanka. I also was able to collect funds from my friends in Germany and Switzerland where I talked about the situation in this island.

Lord Buddha showed us the path to get ourselves released from suffering. As the followers of Lord Buddha we have diverted those funds to build a pre-school for the children of the families affected by tsunami, motivated by loving kindness.

Ms. Ursula Beier, a leading Buddhist social worker made the above observation speaking at a public meeting held at Samarasinha Manthindaramaya temple at Kahawa.

She led a German Buddhist delegation and participated as the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the Gangodawila Soma Thera Memorial Pre-school built at the premises of the temple mentioned above. Janavijaya Foundation constructed this building.

'Universal Association for Peace and Love' of which Mrs. Ursula Beier is the Chairperson, raised funds for the construction of the building to the tune of Rs. 1 million.

Master Aaron Beier cut the ribbon and declared open the new building and soon joined with the local pre-school children and played with the new toys donated to them. Speaking further Ms. Beier said: Tsunami has taught us to make our lives more human and to be helpful to others.

It also taught us to correct ourselves; not to repeat our mistakes. This natural disaster also paved the way for the good-hearted people in other countries to show their generosity and extend support to make the lives of the affected people better.

Ven. Rajawelle Subhuthi Thera, Co-ordiantor of the Janavijaya Foundation delivred a brief surmon and told that the principle behind the construction of the new pre-school was to' mould the children into good citizens and develop the village' the concept of late Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera.

Pre-school properly constituted would be the best place to bring-up the children on that line, the Thera said.