The Dong Hung Temple is facing foreclosure. In the past year, their Master has been ill and has had difficulty raising the funds to pay the mortgage. Due to the limitations on the monks to perform services and events it has been very difficult to raise money to support the temple. Their lives have been affected by a real estate incident that originally did not involve them and now they may not have a place to live. They are kind, hard working, and dedicated people that have offered free retreats, classes, and other services to our community.

Please help our dear friends, the monks, get their second chance. They would like to take the necessary steps towards creating a new monastery and education center. This is a grassroots effort and we can all be a part of this effort!! The monks are hoping to purchase a piece of land off of Salem Road from the City of Virginia Beach. Please contact the Mayor’s Office and ask them to move quickly on their decision. (see below for contact information). They will have no limitations at this property and will be able to have full services, classes, and outdoor events. There is currently no livable building structure on the property. There is a standing shed/worship that eventually will be converted to the main worshiping temple. The monks will therefore need to construct a basic residential home for themselves.

As a form of fundraising, if everybody contributes just a small building brick, the project will surely and eventually be complete. The monks have taught us a famous saying in Vietnamese “một cây làm chẳng nên non, ba cây chụm lại nên hòn núi cao” (one mere tree will not make a wood, but many trees sticking together form a mighty forest). The temple will become a place for everyone to come learn and share their experience in life and practice. Moreover, it will be a place to provide spiritual guidance for the living as well as a worship place for the deceased ancestors.

If you have any questions or are willing to assist in any way, please contact Kathy and Christian Manzella at kathymanzella@yahoo.com .

We do not have all the answers, but, through the monks, we can do our best to answer as many of them as we can. Thank you so much for your time and consideration. It is very much appreciated.

Let’s build a new Dong Hung Temple together!!

Peace,
Kathy Manzella (Thánh Từ)

The Mayor’s Office contact information is:

Office: 757-385-4581
wsessoms@VBgov.com

Buddhist monks searching for new home after foreclosure of Va. Beach temple