Buddhist Blessing.

  The day began with the blessing ceremony for Max' new business.  I was struck with the similarities to Christian blessings in similar circumstances.  A religious leader who, led a liturgy, though there were no congregational responses, sprinkled water on the facility and the people gathered (aspirges), received gifts of money and food for his temple and he brought two acolytes with him.  Max gave him $120., which in this economy is huge, and the friends gathered gave him more. I added my own silent blessing as the monk was doing his.
   Several of Max' friends were there as was her mother and step-father.  Poo took the morning off to participate and Gai also came.  A good time was had by all and now the business is officially open.
  Max plans to spend her days there, from 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. She has done a lot of work to get ready for the opening and the place looked great.  She's had to buy furniture, linens, dressing gowns and everything else  needed to operate.  We (Grace University Lutheran and other friends) provided some funds to help her get started.
  The monk started the blessing by finger painting Buddhist symbols on the window above the door.  The symbols are ubiquitous and very popular as a tattoo. I need to do some research on their meaning.
  PS  This just in. While I was typing the last sentence Max called me, I'm in Bangkok on the first leg of my trip home, to say that she had receipts of $24.00 today.  A few blogs ago I had reported that she came home excited because she had made $10.00. Let's hope that this is the beginning of something good.

Max' new business.

Monk finger painting.

Blessing the people. An acolyte is standing in the back.

Receiving gifts.

Random photo:  Gad, one of the students I tutored came over  this morning in  her school  uniform for a  photo  retake.