Article: Sunday school crowd
My friends and I raised surgery funds at the Subang Jaya Buddhist Association from 9:00am to 12:30pm today. By selling Heart4Hope Ambigram roundneck and polo tees, my biography, and three other books, we collected RM2,977.00 in cash plus another RM1,000.00 in the form of a cheque. Right after I arrived home, someone who could not make it to SJBA deposited RM500.00 into my bank account. Still more ordered books and tees through e-mail. Someone else offered to make and sponsor 120 cupcakes for the next event.
It was a peaceful Sunday. Tai Lin and Yan Ee picked me up from home at 8:30am. We arrived at SJBA and set the booth up as the children began their Sunday school class. Foi Fong, Chew Mui, and Wan Hwa joined us there. Ah, not to forget Ellie – that is Tai Lin Jr. Unlike Wesak Day, the temple crowd today was small and manageable. Most people bought one to two pieces of t-shirts each. There were no more than two customers buying at a time. Response seemed lukewarm so before counting the money, I thought we collected around RM1,000.00 but I was wrong. Perhaps people were calm and not lukewarm.
Along the way, a group of youth about the age of college goers arrived at the temple just to support us.They left right after. Who were they? Were they from Taylor’s?
Today’s supporters were people of different age groups, race, and nationality. This is a notable fact. According to Wan Hwa, some of the youths were Indonesian Chinese. Volunteers at the canteen who looked like foreigners helped out too. Hence, it’s safe to say that we reached out to all kinds of people and from all walks of life at the Buddhist temple today.
Thanks to everyone who contributed and made the difference. Thank you SJBA for opening your doors to us.
6 comments
Hi Yvonne,
Well after you publicise your fund raising at SJBA, we received a lot of comments about it. I am sure you are aware of it.
I, myself have a few questions to pose to you.
As you are now a Christian, having turned your back on Buddhism,do you think it’s proper and ethical of you to come to a Buddhist temple to raise funds from Buddhist devotees. From what I have heard, the books which you are selling are Christian books and I was told that the books are criticizing Buddhism.
Just because Buddhist people are compassionate people, you make use of this good quality of Buddhists to raise fund for your need.
It would have better and ethical if you were to go from church to church to sell your books and wares to the Christians who I am sure could be as compassionate as we Buddhists.
In future please don’t take advantage of the good qualities of the Buddhists for your own ends after having turned your back on Buddhism.
Hi Yvonne,
Well after you publicise your fund raising at SJBA, we received a lot of comments about it. I am sure you are aware of it.
I, myself have a few questions to pose to you.
As you are now a Christian, having turned your back on Buddhism,do you think it’s proper and ethical of you to come to a Buddhist temple to raise funds from Buddhist devotees. From what I have heard, the books which you are selling are Christian books and I was told that the books are criticizing Buddhism.
Just because Buddhist people are compassionate people, you make use of this good quality of Buddhists to raise fund for your need.
It would have better and ethical if you were to go from church to church to sell your books and wares to the Christians who I am sure could be as compassionate as we Buddhists.
In future please don’t take advantage of the good qualities of the Buddhists for your own ends after having turned your back on Buddhism.
Hi Christine,
I am sorry to hear of this. Have you ever had the chance of reading my biography? I did not intend to criticize Buddhism in my book. I grew up with Buddhism and that’s true. I believe the Christian church will not hesitate helping a Buddhist either.
Chistine.
The four books we sold at SJBA that day were:-
1. My Biography “I’m not sick, just a bit unwell – Life with Neurofibromatosis”
2. Malaysians – a portrait photobook by Steven VL Lee.
3. Outside Looking in – Kuala Lumpur, a photobook by Steven VL Lee.
4. Wild Orchids of Camerons Highlands, a photobook produced entirely by volunteers of REACH (Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands)
Dear Christine/Chriscarla,
Let me begin by saying that I am a Buddhist/Taoist and I have read some parts of Yvonne’s books (I must admit I have short attention span). I believe the “comments” you referred to are in relation to the part where she wrote about her conversion into Christianity. Personally, I did not come across any criticism about Buddhism (or any religion other than Christianity for that matter). Rather, I understand them to be her own experience growing up as a Buddhist/Taoist/Confucionist and converting into a Christian later on.
Religion is, indeed, a sensitive issue and whilst it may not be the smartest move for her to write about Christianity whilst trying to raise fund outside the church, she was, after all, merely sharing her innermost thoughts, feelings and experiences. Maybe she should have used better words, more religiously sensitive phrases etc, but even then, I am sure the comments would still come flowing in since at the end of the day, she cannot deny that she was a Buddhist who is now a Christian.
Which brings me to my point. Does it matter what religion she was and is? Does it matter what she said or did? More importantly, would Lord Buddha turn a person away just because she “bad-mouthed” him? I think not. He is ever compasionate. Perhaps before criticizing Yvonne publicly or turning her away from our doorstep, we should ask ourselves, “What would Lord Buddha do?”
Yvonne, I have no problems with you being a Christian. But please tell us honestly. Do you believe the god you choose to worship, honour and love will send all these Buddhists to hell to burn forever and ever?