The woman was desperate. With two young children, she lived in the corridor of an old hostel, which she had to leave by September. They lived on the equivalent of two US dollars a day that she made by selling one or two cigarettes from a packet in the street. Very soon winter would come and temperatures drop to as low as 40C below freezing.
How and where can we begin to report on a visit to Mongolia. The flight there is long from Ireland. It takes travel on three planes before landing in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Panchen Otrul Rinpoche is met and welcomed warmly by the Abbots from the main monasteries and immediately taken to Lam Rim Monastery for welcome prayers and a reception. There is great happiness that he has returned yet again.
Driving through Ulaanbaatar one sees a veneer of affluence - big new jeeps, smart new buildings being built, but a closer look reveals a crumbling city; roads with no gutters, so that they become lakes in wet weather, potholes abounding as do manholes without covers. Weeds and graffiti are everywhere.
So Rinpoche`s fourth visit to Mongolia starts again. There are visits to the monasteries both in Ulaanbaatar and the remoter areas. He ordains monks, gives initiations, teaches people non-violence and love, how to say prayers and take refuge. His visits take him to prisons, hospitals and Mongolia`s only orphanage. He reaches out continually to children and everywhere they respond to his openness.
The people come to see him and receive his blessing. He visits them in their apartments and gers, accepting all invitations and listening to their problems. The problems are huge and basic. A governmental lack of funds means that services are run down or non-existent. Illiteracy, alcoholism, petty crimes, street children, homeless and jobless people, are all on the increase. But it is the severe winter which underlines all these problems for then it becomes a matter of survival.
The people are incredibly kind, generous with their hospitality, hardy and resilient. They delight in Rinpoche`s presence . One old man had tears running down his face, hands shaking with the joy of having a lama in his ger again. People produce old texts, hidden for generations for Rinpoche`s scrutiny.
Travelling is hard and lengthy, there are few proper roads, but the delight of the people when they see Rinpoche, the similarity to Tibet makes it all worthwhile. The country is magnificent. It is vast, and its open plains, lush forest, mountains and lakes are unspoilt. Thirty six varieties of wild flowers were counted on one trip. Wherever he goes Rinpoche is invited back time and time again.
This year was very special as Jebtsum Damba, the reincarnation of the last Bohd Khan who died in1924 visited Mongolia for the first time. Rinpoche spent much time with him, visiting the monasteries and museums. They also discussed the current difficult social problems in Mongolia both expressing their wish to help in whatever way they could.
Rinpoche has a great wish to be of service to the Mongolian people. His first teacher in his youth was a high Mongolian lama. Already Rinpoche has two monks working in Mongolia, teaching both in the monasteries and with lay people. But he also wants to address the basic problems which people bring to him, especially he wishes to help children.
In order to do this Rinpoche would like to establish a permanent base in Mongolia. For this he needs funds. Mongolia is a Buddhist country with close links to the Tibetan people. They help by allowing young Mongolians to train in their re-established monasteries in India. Our contribution to Rinpoche `s work can be in helping to finance his project. Please help.
Conditions permitting, Rinpoche will return to be with the people of Mongolia again next year.