March 2001
Newsletter
The scent of Autumn is growing stronger as the lush veld grasses begin to lose their green lustre, while yellows and browns have started to streak the leaves as the verdant summer season draws to a close.  The days are still pretty warm but we can now enjoy doing the many physically demanding jobs around the centre without flaking out by midday as in January.  And a lot has been happening:  the bungalow next to the main house has been transformed - with a new roof, ceilings, floor, shower and completely repainted - we now have a pleasant, comfortable room for three guests.  Please feel  welcome to come and stay anytime.

We are busy with further renovations to add more accommodation and are nearly ready to use a new water reservoir which will supply the house and gardens.  The Working Weekends have been enormously helpful in tackling the huge job of clearing up the junk lying everywhere and getting the vegetable garden in shape.  As the metal, plastic, conveyor belts, glass, car wrecks, etc. disappears, the place opens up and is transformed; also two 13m long trenches have been prepared in the veggie garden and we did our first plantings last weekend.  There is still much to do and we can really use your help on working weekends or any other time - there is a lovely feeling of working together, especially in these early stages of the centre's existence.

The big news is that the large, white Alsatian/Labrador dog, who wandered onto the retreat centre at the beginning of January, is here to stay.  All our efforts to locate his previous owner failed, and when our tick-prevention remedies worked so well, we decided to keep him.  In fact, his warm and friendly nature had already worked its way into our hearts and he is rapidly charming all those who visit Emoyeni.  His name is Rocky, due to his compulsion to chase and fetch any rock thrown anywhere!  Sticks are boring, its rocks that count.  Come and let him wrap you around his little claw.

The Environmental Impact Study is in its final stages now and the report has been submitted to the Department of Conservation for approval.  Fortunately, no significant objections have been registered during this process and we are hoping to receive their approval in April.  We were honoured when Geshe Damcho came out to Emoyeni in January to offer a blessing for the new Centre.  About 25 people came out for the ceremony, which was very moving and gave a sense of grounding the Dharma at Emoyeni.  Another Tibetan presence was felt when Ven. Chantal, a nun in the Tibetan FPMT organisation conducted a weekend retreat on Bodhicitta early in March - with 12 people attending our resources where stretched a little, but the retreat went really well.  Thanks to Karen and Linda for organising the retreat.


FUND RAISING COMMITTEE

It is nearly 6 months since we first took occupation of the somewhat run-down Magaliesberg farm and started the process of establishing the Emoyeni Retreat Centre on it.  A great deal has been achieved during this time and a solid foundation is being laid on which to realise the long term vision for the Centre.  With the Environmental Impact Study soon coming to an end, we need to start looking ahead at the next stage of the Centre - the design and construction of the main Retreat Centre buildings (meditation hall, accommodation, dining room/kitchen, office, library, etc.).  The plan for the overall site layout has been completed and our architect, David Coates, has made substantial progress in the design of many of the main buildings.

To bring the new Retreat Centre into existence we now need to embark on a major fund raising exercise.  This is an area where everyone can help and there will be many, many ways in which help can be given.  To co-ordinate this fund raising project and to generate ideas of different ways of going about it, we would like to form a Fund Raising Committee.  We are going to need as much help and expertise and enthusiasm as is offered - so if you would like to be part of this team, please contact us.

HELP US DEVELOP A WEB SITE

In the techno world of the internet every organisation just has to have a web site, and we feel ready to join the web with an Emoyeni Retreat Centre site.  Our contract with Mweb allows us 30 Mb free web space, and we would like to develop our own site in the near future.  Is there anyone who could give us advice on how to set up a fairly simple web site, and be willing to help us resolve problems when we get stuck?  To facilitate future growth of the site, we are keen to set it up ourselves - but would love to have an experienced advisor.  

Mervyn