A five days trip to the Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son Dhammagiri Foundation was amazing and successful. The trip was organised by the Student Club. The trip with thirty three people which included IBC professors, teachers, staff, students and the Metta Free Clinic Team from Malaysia left IBC Campus, Korat at 03:30pm on December 18 and reached Chiang Mai, the next day at 04:15AM. Then the team spent the day visiting some historical places in Chiang Mai like Doi Suthep temple, Wat Phra Sing, Wat Chedi Luang and later in the evening, visited the Royal Park Rajapruek which has a beautiful showcase of different flora and fauna from various nations.
The next day, the team proceeded to Mae Hong Son which was approximately a nine hours drive. After brief visit to a temple overlooking the Mae Hong Son city, the team arrived at Dhammagiri Foundation, which is located in the outskirts jungle from the city. The three years old Foundation spans over the paddy field with a stream nearby and surrounded by a hills. The well-managed foundation is specially designated to provide scholarships and financial support to orphans and disadvantaged children. There were over sixty children, all below twenty to which the foundation provides free accommodation, food, and sends them to schools nearby. The management is very effective the children are well-disciplined, cook for themselves and also take care of the visitors. The Foundation is run mostly by volunteers under the guidance of its founder Ajahn Cagino and few other monks.
Though the information about the IBC’s visit had not reached the Foundation given its remoteness and unreachability by networks, however, after some discussion with the concerned people, the Metta Clinic Team set up the clinic services. The first day of the clinic was provided for the staff and volunteers of the Foundation. On the second day, local people and some parents of the children were treated on their ailments and joint pains with acupuncture. The number of turnouts for the service was about 200. The team had learnt a lot from the Foundation.
