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Medical Clinic
Karma Senge Rinpoche’s main priority for 2007 is building a medical facility. A centrally located site in a large meadow below Kyere Monastery has been acquired and building materials are being gathered. The facility would begin dispensing Tibetan medicine, as there are two well respected Tibetan doctors that are willing to staff it. Since the closest medical facility (the clinic at Dusitil Monastery) is farther than one day’s journey by horseback, the 2,000 to 3,000 people living in this area would greatly benefit if this clinic can be built. If there is enough support, Chinese and western medicine could also be provided at this clinic. The picture above shows one of the Tibetan doctors and Rinpoche standing on the site where the clinic will be built.
Wenchen Gompa (aka Weyching Gompa)
Started in 1995 by Karma Senge R., this kagyu nunnery now has 65 nuns in residence getting the same rigorous traditional Tibetan education that monks receive. It is the first nunnery to be re-built in this remote area and sits high above timberline on a hillside overlooking a large grassland river valley that is surrounded by jagged Himalayan peaks. The retreat center for the ani gompa was built around a sacred cave recognized by Choygam Trungpa R. in writings he left in Tibet, as a place where auspicious incidents were likely to occur. When I was there in Sept of 2007, there were 5 nuns doing 3 to 6 year retreats there, and 65 nuns studying at the gompa. Everyone enthusiastically hopes the nunnery will continue to grow, as it is clear that there are many more nuns waiting to practice there. Their enthusiasm and dedication to practice is truly inspiring.
Kyere Monastery
This monastery, where there is still a lot of restoration needed, is located at the head of the same river valley as Wenchen Gompa. All the monks at this monastery, as well as the nuns at Wenchen are very poor. Many of them need outside help to buy food so that they can go into retreat.
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