Seventh Day Summer Retreat 2016: Remaining with Love

The 12th Summer Retreat 2016 has almost finished its way with shared tasks, experiences, spiritual values and life experiences. These are valuable lessons for youths on their way of personality improvement, equipped with powerful luggage for coming life. On the 7th day of the retreat, the lessons kept on spreading to youths together with emotional moods of the closing day.

On the last day of the retreat, the youth kept on receiving wise teachings from clergy lecturers. In the morning, based on the organizer’s invitation, Venerable Thich Tri Chon, Abbot of Khanh An Monastery, Ho Chi Minh City, came to share the topic: "TheNature of Love ".

 

As we all know, everyone in this life, has his/her own love. First, it is the boundless love to parents. Along with years of growth, we have love for not only the parents, but also to the larger subjects as relatives, teachers, people and homeland ... And then up to a certain stage of life, couple love will appear. The problem is how to love properly, how to perform a pure and noble love aligned with Buddha’s teaching so that we can create happy families for ourselves and have a part in building a sustainable growth for the society. This was what the Venerable lectured in his Dhamma talk to the youths.

 

In the afternoon, the final round of gameshow "Who is the Dhamma Master?" officially took place in the main hall.

 

After passing 2 interesting rounds of the contest, 15 representatives from the top-5 groups entered the exciting and enthusiastic final round where they had to perform a presentation in 4 minutes after watching on a short video clip from the organizer and 1 minute of preparation. The monk jury would give comments and evaluation. And the final result was: 3 members from Group Hy Xa won victory with the convinced score of 235.

 

The program was alternated with songs "If Only One More Day" and "Mother of Mercy" by singer Giang Hong Ngoc and the performances of singer Quoc Huy Duong, and little singer Hoai Minh.

 

 So the seven days of the retreat was almost over, smoothly and deeply. In just a few more hours that participants would say goodbye to the dear monks and friends to be back to their families. It seemed that time was pausing with lots of love, thoughts expressed in the meaningful program that evening: ”Remaining With Love”

 

Besides a general view of the whole retreat, the participants could have the opportunity to voice their thoughts on the retreat, about their own practice and progress thanks to teaching Venerables, etc. And this was also the chance for youths speaking up their deep gratitude to The Venerable Abbot, the organizer members and all of others who have tried their best for the retreat’s success.

 

Beside the winner, the organizer board also honored the high-scored players in the Gameshow "Who is the Dhamma Master?".

 

The lively applause and tears in all emotions…, all made a final meaningful evening to everyone.

 

May you all be always cheerful, happy and peaceful in Buddha’s spirit.

 

Goodbye and see you at the 2017 summer retreat.

Following are some recorded photographs: