Dharamshala: Dorjee Tsering is a man who believes that caring for the elderly and the infirm is a mission to be exacted with kindness and compassion. The Tibetan expression Nying-Jay Yul (the name of the NGO he helped to start) means roughly, it's always difficult to literally translate a word from one language into another without loosing some of its essence, giving kindness and care to others. This, Dorjee Tsering does.
His ideas have come to fruition, and along with Judith Moritz, an Austrian teacher from Vienna, he has worked to support elderly and disabled Tibetans living in exile in the Dharamshala area.
Dorjee was born in 1963 in Dharamshala; his family was amongst the first batch of refugees to flee Tibet in the wake of the Chinese invasion. His parents had thirteen children and Dorjee was the only child to survive. This in itself is an extraordinary story, yet despite this very difficult start in life Dorjee has found it within himself to help others.
The basic idea of the NGO is to give practical help to people in dire need of it. For example, for people who suffer from the effects of Polio, prostheses are supplied and, in an act of foresight and imagination, the NGO has collected glasses in Austria (then sorted and graded them) and finally delivered them out to old people in the general area of Dharamshala.
A practical act of kindness that makes a difference- simple, effective and capable of changing lives for the better.
Judith, for her part, works in Austria to raise funds and also to raise awareness about the needs of those less fortunate in Dharamshala, holding Christmas Markets and workshops for children, for instance.
The partnership between Nying-Jay Yul and Bridging East-West is an example of cooperation and trust between very different cultures and societies. In other words, those who can give (their money, time and kindness) to those whose needs are great. However, it is not a one-way show. All ultimately benefit on practical, emotional and personal levels.
Then again perhaps the difference is not so great between Austria and Tibet after all they are both mostly mountain people with a strong independent streak in them!
If you want to help these good people in order for them to help others here is their website: givingkindness.org. It can only be good for your Karma too help those who selflessly help others. www.giving-kindness.org
