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By Jessica Ravetz
The second part of my trip was leading our first donor tour. Four
brave Seattleites, three women and one teenage boy joined me. We
spent two weeks together beginning in Shanghai and ending in Lhasa.
Most of the time was spent in Amdo. We stayed with THF founder,
Kunchok Gyaltsen, at Kumbum Monastery and were fortunate to receive
a blessing from his teacher, Tashi Rinpoche. We took at long walk
through the hills behind Kumbum to a mediation cave. We visited
a small grassland monastery near Blue Lake. We met the Repkong (Ch:
Tongren) government officials and visited a school where THF will
begin support this fall. In Lhasa we visited the Jokhang Temple,
Potala Palace, Norbulingka and Sera Monastery. We all enjoyed the
beautiful scenery, the wonderful people and the chance to see something
totally different.
It’s impossible to compare life in Tibet with mine in Seattle,
but my trip reconfirmed my belief in the power of education and
was a potent reminder that we never know where our life will lead
us. If we work hard and truly believe our dreams really can come
true. Growing up on Whidbey Island I never would have believed that
I would become the Managing Director of a nonprofit working in Tibet.
I feel very fortunate to be working with such a tremendous group
of people, both in the US and Amdo. We have generous donors, hard
working volunteers in the US and Amdo, good staff, a smart board
of directors and the best in-country advisors you could ask for.
Very, very gwatenche (thank you in Amke dialect).
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Tibetan
Culture