Greetings to all of you.
 

 
Just a short note to inform you that on December 4th, 2007 Lopon Choewang our resident teacher has brought 8 new students from Yuksom and its surrounding in West Sikkim, they age from 9 to 14 years old and have already very well accustomed to their new home. This brings our number of young resident lamas at 13. We expect another two to join to reach our target of 15 students this year. Their new rooms are completed and freshly painted. As their number increase, so does our liabilities and expenditures and so far just two of you have confirm their wish to sponsor a lama in our gompa on a yearly basis. But we would like to remind you that if you wish to support them, you also can partly sponsor one lama, this will always be helpful to assure their education and well being.
 

 
Otherwise, the 17th Butterlamp retreat is about to start, with a few participants whom have already arrived. A few of you have registered and reserved a room, but surely and hopefully others will turn up like every year. The pilgrimage to Tashiding is confirmed from our side but still depends on the number of participants in order to cover the costs.
 
Till now, only half of the Butter for the lamps has been sponsored, so as before we will start the retreat without knowing if we can complete the offering of 111.111 lamps. Unless some collection has been organized of which we have not been informed, this is where we stand so far, it is somehow scary and sad but, the spirit is high and those new boys bring a lot of joy and motivation to keep going.
 

 
I take this opportunity to wish you all connected with us here a very Merry Christmas celebration wherever you are as well as a very happy and successful new year.
 

 
Yours Sincerely,
 

 
Tulku Ugen Chencho

NB : if you want to see the new Lama`s photo, please go to www.khordong-india.org <http://www.khordong-india.org>