Loving Kindness: An Instrument for Peace

: Religious Youth Service; Wednesday, April 09, 2003; Written by: RYS-Nepal

Participants: 41

Religions Represented: 6

Nations Represented: 4

Banepa, Nepal— Loving Kindness: An Instrument for Peace

Duration: April 2 - 9, 2003

Central Work: Construction of classrooms at the Metta Center, a girl’s orphanage and environmental tree planting.

Highlights: The Lighting of 10,000 earthen lamps as an interfaith prayer for peace at a Sakya Buddhist Center.

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This project immediately followed the December 2002 RYS project and gathered the support of local Ambassadors for Peace, RYS alumni and various religious communities. The interface with the Buddhist community included sharing time at a ceremony with hundreds of Buddhist monks and nuns. The work was very meaningful as the classrooms we constructed were put to immediate use by the Metta Center. Each of the participants had a chance to make strong personal connections with the orphans that lived at the center and who really appreciated the extra care that they received.

This was the second RYS project in New Zealand and the 1 st international program. This project drew much support from Australia and pulled in participants from a wide variety of nations and religious traditions. Networking with organizations was a key to the programs success as Habitat for Humanity, the local civic leaders and the Moreau Youth Movement worked to model the pattern of cooperative living so critical in building a culture of everlasting peace.

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