On the 31th July 2011This winter is especially cold, but unlike the weather The Durban Buddhist Association's loves glows warmly. After the June donation of wheelchairs, this donation event was held at the Sie Chier High School in which three hungered families received aid.

The Durban Buddhist Association donated to each family the following : 5kgs of rice, 2Ls cooking oil, knitted woolen hats, woolen scarves, jerseys, blankets, sweets and cool drinks.

We recently held another bi-annual retreat in Humanistic Buddhism at Nanhua Temple, from 25th July to 31st July 2011. This retreat was directed by the Nanhua Temple Abbot, Ven Hui Fang, and the ABS Principal, Ven Hui Sang. Ven Hui Liao was the Discipline Master. There were 30 people participating in this retreat, Chinese & Western, from all over South Africa.

The retreat activities included learning and practicing sitting, walking & tea-meditation technique, Tai Chi exercises, Dharma Talks and private one-on-one consultations with the Master, Ven Hui Fang. Because for many participants this was their first-time exposure to meditation, on the first day of the retreat, the Retreat Master, Ven Hui Fang, taught them in the tea-meditation session how to be mindful, and how to focus on drinking tea. Tea meditation can train our mind to be mindful & to concentrate, and thus to use these skills in our daily life to be more clear and tranquil, and to improve our effectiveness & ability in observing people & events. According to the Chinese medical science & theories, drinking green tea will improve our physical health and increase & balance our energies. So, this retreat is encouraging people to adopt meditation Tai Chi & green tea drinking in their daily life.

On the 25th July 2011, 24 students studying landscape design at the University ofPretoria came to visit Nanhua Temple and our Zen Meditation Centre, with the purpose of using our Zen Centre garden as a practical project in their studies, and redesigning the garden so that the meditation practitioners will experience oneness with the whole environment, feel the Zen atmosphere, and calm their minds.

On the morning of July 9th, the graduation from the 4th group computer course took place. Student from many locations participated in this course. The course was about the learning of and how to use the programs of Microsoft Office 2007. The graduation ceremony was hosted by Ven. Hui Fang, with a participation of about 130 people. 

Nanhua Temple organized another Children's Camp on the 5th July 2011, for children 6 -13 years of age coming from Chinese & Western families, and from all parts of South Africa. All of the children told us they were very excited for weeks ahead to come and participate in this event.
On the first day the children were introduced to each other in an 「ice-breaking」 session, in order to get to know each other better and to build teamwork. Ven Yung Hsin taught the children about Buddhist conduct, to help them to understand the camp and temple rules & regulations.