Second Day of Summer Camp

Dharma Service
To deepen the youths’ experience of Dharma services and begin building on their understanding of Buddhism, on the 21st of December, the Buddha’s Light International Association Young Adults Division members attended the Dharma Service which is held every Sunday for all the community members who would like to attend. This is an opportunity for the youths to chant and pray with the public, and especially for the South Island YAD members who play the dharma instruments during the service, they have the opportunity to face their fears and to build up their confidence in playing in front of a group of people at a more formal event.

After the Dharma function, the youths were given the opportunity to learn how to wear and fold their chanting robes. Under the guidance of Venerable Rulian, group leaders guided the less experienced participants through the steps of properly wearing and folding their robes, and also taught them the required etiquette when wearing the chanting robes. The youths will get a lot of practice wearing their robes over the course of the camp, as they will be attending morning and evening chanting everyday.

Cleaning
Broadening and building on the youths’ wisdom, inner wealth and merits are the main mission for 2008 Summer Camp. As part of their effort in completing their mission, the youths helped with lunch serving, kitchen cleaning, scrubbing and washing the corridor as well as cleaning the exterior of the bell tower. From these chores and activities, the youths developed co-operation, team spirit and wisdom.

All the youths exerted all their effort and energy to make Fo Guang Shan North Island Temple sparkling clean, and when they eventually finished their work, they were contented with the results of their efforts. The youth faced the tasks at hand with a willing attitude to complete the chores; although the work may have seemed tiring, it wasn’t tiring to them, and although it seemed like hard work it wasn’t hard work at all. Cleaning the temple was like cleaning their inner selves, becoming clean and free of negativity and rubbish, which allowed them to feel good and happy.

Learning Drums
One week later, Buddha’s Light International Association North Island Young Adults Division members once again had the opportunity to learn the drums with teacher Ms. Linda and Fo Guang Shan North Island Temple volunteer Annie Ng.

As the main performance item for the YAD will be the “Beauty of the Drums”, YAD members are diligently practicing their new found interest. Having practiced for just over a month now and hooked into learning the drums, the fifteen youths are now interested in becoming more experienced. Not only is it about the method and rhythm used to hit the drum, it is also about the cooperation and being in sync with one another. Under the guidance of the patient and dedicated teachers, the youths are becoming more confident in performing a successful performance by the beginning of 2009.

Account by Fan-Ping Chiang and Sheng-Han Lim