Sikh Temple Visit

We recently took a Saturday and organized a senior missionary visit to Hong Kong's only Sikh temple - or Gurdwara.  Memories of the wonderful one we visited in St. Peters, Missouri flooded me.  The Sikh's are some of the nicest people I have ever met - on both sides of the planet.

• Sikhism - meaning disciple or student
• Founded in 1469 in India
• Fifth largest religion in the world
• Belief in one God
• Distinct from Hinduism and Islam

Come join us on our tour!

First, we needed to remove our shoes, and put on headdresses of some kind in a show of respect. Some sisters brought their own scarves and others used the ones available at the Gurdwara.

Sister Van Wagonen, Sister Crockett, and Sister Brown

Sister and Elder Chamberlain

We came at the perfect time - a Sikh wedding was in process! I love the bright colors of the clothing and turbans.

The bride and groom in front of the altar.

After the wedding, the couple led the celebration procession through the halls. Isn't her dress gorgeous?

In a private setting, our senior missionary group met to be instructed on the beliefs of Sikhism.  Elder Coffey began the meeting and then turned the time over to the Guru. Our guide, Alex (standing in the back) is actually a Hindu, but was kind enough to come and tour us around the Gurdwara and make all the arrangements for us. Alex's father is Danny, of Danny's Fashion Shoppe - a popular tailor shop frequented often by senior missionaries.

Brother Gurmel, our Guru, explains the fundamentals of Sikhism.

Afterwards, we explored the halls of the Gurdwara and met some beautiful people!

Sister Macbeth, Sister roberts, Sister Orton, Sister Chamberlain and Sister VanWagonen
pose with a beautiful Indian woman dressed up for the wedding celebration.

Typical of Sikh and Hindu wedding festivities, many women decorate themselves with Mehndi, or henna - a paste-dye used for decorative and symbolic art on hands and palms.  

Preparing the meal

After the events, we joined our new friends for a traditional Sikh meal. Known as a Langar, this free meal is a traditional part of the Sikh worship.  It is meant to draw people of all religions, caste, color, creed, age or gender to come together in unity and oneness in the universe.  It is vegetarian so that people of all dietary restrictions can enjoy together without restraint.  We enjoyed curries, vegetables, yogurts, and naan. And it was delicious!!!

Canteen style serving - humble and simple and very very delicious

Enjoying the curry, naan, vegetables, and yogurt dishes.

At the end of our visit, we enjoyed visiting with some of the children.  The boys are wearing a Patka to keep their hair clean and tidy.  Sikh boys and men traditionally do not cut their hair - ever.  As it grows longer and as the boys mature, they will switch over to the traditional turban worn by the men.

Religious freedom and respect is a fundamental belief of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  From the earliest days, it was etched into the hearts of the Latter-day Saints as a foundational principle that has blessed the lives of people all over the world.  Joseph Smith set forth the standard of religious freedom, as revealed to him by the Lord.

 "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." (Article of Faith 1:11)

"Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, that the Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Latter-day Saints, Quakers, Episcopals, Universalists, Unitarians, Mohammedans [Muslims], and all other religious sects and denominations whatever, shall have free toleration, and equal privileges in this city ...—Ordinance in Relation to Religious Societies, City of Nauvoo, [Illinois] headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, March 1, 1841

We are grateful for our brothers and sisters of other faiths, or of no faith at all, and respect them all as eternal sons and daughters of a Beautiful King, even God, our Eternal Father. 

Lessons and Laughter in Lao

Elder Coffey and I visited the country of Lao to meet our humanitarian couple and inspect some of the humanitarian projects and processes there.

In Vientiane, the capital city, a happy chatter filled the room as students giggled through the opening exercise of vocabulary review. Deseret International Charities (DIC) English lessons were in full swing for government employees in Vientiane, Lao. Our senior humanitarian couple, Elder and Sister Bush, oversee the teaching of 500 students each week. Laughter erupted as the students followed Sister Bush in a round of Hokey Pokey, learning body parts while singing the fun American dance.

Elder Coffey joins in a round of Hokey Pokey

The six Elders who are serving in Lao are teaching at the Center for Medical Rehabilitation. These stalwart young men come from the United States, usually without knowing another language. They learn Thai in the Missionary Training Center and begin their service in Thailand.  They are later assigned to Lao, where they quickly pick up the new language.

But these Elders have gone even further.  They are teaching English to deaf students  - using Lao Sign Language, which they also learned on site. And the students love them!





American Thai-taught Lao-learned Lao-Sign-Language English teachers!  I'd say the gift of tongues is alive and well in this little corner of the Lord's vineyard!

At the Center for Medical Rehabilitation, we next observed disabled employees assembling wheelchairs which will later be used for some of our wheelchair projects.

This  man is trying out his new trike wheelchair.  A happy grin spreads over his face as he looks back in gratitude. It's such a simple thing - but a wheelchair can make all the difference in restoring dignity of the human spirit.

Later we were driven to the small village of Nabong.  We were fortunate to be accompanied by the Deputy Director in the Ministry of Education and Sport. We were headed to a water handover ceremony at the Nabong Primary and Secondary School - 750 students and 35 faculty. In a recent clean water and sanitation project, DIC built 12 toilet stalls, 4 handwashing stations, and piping and filters for clean drinking water. 

Deputy Director of the Ministry of Education and Sport inspects a handwashing station.

The 2 hour ceremony of speeches, dance, song and lunch were evidence of their extreme gratitude.

Girls dressed in traditional Hmong costumes.  Hmong are a minority group living in the area.

Click here for a video of these beautiful young women as they danced for us at the ceremony -  Hmong Dancers

Elder Coffey with some of the beautiful dancers

        Distributing school kits 

Dressed in costume for their dance routine, They were a little shy, but finally consented to a picture.

Traditional Lao hair style

But the "Fun Team" stole the show. Look at the faces of these young people as they watch in amazement when the "Fun Team", as the Elders are affectionately called, break out in an unexpected dance routine that rocked the school!

 Video of Elders Dancing

Life will never be the same for this school!  After the ceremonies, the "Fun Team" leads the students in water rocket launching. It is always a huge hit wherever they go.

The Elders have worked hard. Their shoes will probably never be the same either!

Meanwhile, the school staff have been cooking up a lunch for their visitors. 

In the pot go the veggies for our delicious lunch!

No need for too many utensils - fingers do the trick in Lao!

After the meal, the staff wash up the dishes in cold water.  Cold water dish-washing is typical in Asia.

Elder Coffey tries to get some of the students to pose for a picture.

There you go! Smiles and all! 

The greatest joy we experience on our mission is when we are out with the people, seeing their lives, their homes, their world. And everywhere we go, it is the humblest of people who carry the largest smiles. To act in the name of the Savior - to help restore dignity, lift out of poverty and bring hope to families - this is the healing mission of LDS Charities and of Deseret International Charities.

The LDS Charities website explains, "Sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LDS Charities follows the admonition of Jesus Christ to help others in need. Jesus Christ taught His followers to give meat to the hungry and drink to those who thirst. His gospel includes taking in the stranger, loving neighbors, and visiting those who are sick or imprisoned. He taught that we are to love and care for each other, visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions, and lift up those whose hands hang down and whose knees are feeble."

"To touch the soul of another human being 

is to walk on holy ground."

                                  Stephen Covey

Real Treasures in Roi Et, Thailand

Roi Et:

The mystic hollow ringing of the brass temple gong echoed through the air. Stroking and rubbing the brass knob in just the right rhythm will produce deep melodic buzzes or tones that carry your prayers to heaven.

Click HERE for a video of the ringing gongs.

We were at the Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol Naga pagoda.  Famous as one of the largest and most expensive Buddhist temples to built in the area, the treasure in this pagoda lies on the 5^th floor at the top of a winding staircase.

Visitors worship before relics of Buddha preserved in a glass case.

Thousands of travelers, members and pilgrims come from miles around to offer prayers and offerings before the sacred relics of Buddha, lying in a glass case at the highest part of the temple.

We were in Roi Et to attend a large wheelchair distribution ceremony. Recipients and family members came to be trained in their wheelchair use and participate in the handover ceremony. 

 

The media was there also, and no wonder, because the Governor of the Roi Et Province, Somsak Changtraku (purple shirt, below), was one of the key note speakers.  He shared publicly his appreciation for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and explained how the government is working to make the community easier to get around for those who are disabled.  

The gentleman in the purple shirt is the Roi Et Provincial Governor,
with his entourage of media never far.

The head of Rotary, Krairat Watson, also spoke, praising the work of LDS Charities and the Church for the humanitarian work done throughout Thailand.  

Local priesthood leaders were in attendance, including local Stake President Amphorn and the local Bishop of the Roi Et Ward.  

Local LDS Priesthood leaders meet Krairat Watson, head of Rotary.

Each wheelchair had the recipients own name on it, having been made to their individual size and specifications.

Elder Coffey checks the legs of a wheelchair recipient, 11 year old Chinaway Wichaisorn.

Chinaway Wichaisorn, (11 years old, above) has weakness in his legs that has prevented him from ever being able to walk. Multiple visits to doctors and therapists have not been successful. Chinaway is in the the 5th grade and an excellent student - loving especially Thai classes, though he says he also listens to English. His last wheelchair was given to him when he was in kindergarten and he long ago outgrew it.  This new chair will be a great blessing to him and his parents as well.

With all the historic and cultural treasures in Roi Et, the real treasures are the people, who carry the Light of Christ with them wherever they go.  As sons and daughters of God, there is a connection we feel as brothers and sisters, linked together by sacred divine ties. Most people just want to be happy at home, with their loved ones around them.  We are grateful LDS Charities can help bring a little more happiness into their lives.