Built On Respect » A long-overdue update

A long-overdue update

Surprisingly, it’s been 6 weeks since I arrived in Dhasa. I had big plans for this trip – starting SamaSource here was a main priority

I’m glad to say, this has been going well. There were so many obstacles — having working computers, finding a good manager, and the small unavoidables, such as lack of Internet due to someone cutting up the phone lines to sell the copper. I really can’t imagine how desperate someone must be to do something so selfish, the town was without phone lines for four days!

But all along the way, these needs were met with the help of others.

The movie about my student, Geshe Yonten, is complete. It was narrated by Richard Gere, it is amazing! Geshela and I are working on screenings now to raise money for the children. It is Geshela’s aim to take all the children home from Manali to Zanskar: this will be the first time they have seen their parents in six years. He is planning the trip fro early July.

My friend Kyipa, founder of Jamtse in Action, is currently out of the country. I think her work here with the elders is so important though, the SamaSource group and I talked, and we have decided to keep up Kyipa’s good work – and we will visit the elders at least once a month on a Saturday afternoon.

I’m still working to bring SamaSource throughout the Tibetan community in India. This has been a long slow process of meetings, but I must say I am fortunate — every person I have met with has been positive, and I have been able to meet with everyone I’ve wanted to — Including HHDL’s envoy from Europe, and the Tibetan Prime Minister, the Kalon Tripa. I’ll continue to have more meetings for this.

That is the short update! I’m writing a lot of pieces for the Huffington Post’s Impact section — you can find them at www.huffingtonpost/heidiminx.

Thank you!!!