Everywhere in the world, we can observe and be touched by acts of kindness. People from all walks of life, faiths, and cultures extend themselves beyond the call of duty to help others unconditionally. Through their noble deeds, humanity as a whole is elevated.

To commend virtuous actions and encourage more people to be inspired by their examples, Supreme Master Ching Hai has lovingly created a series of awards, including the Shining World Leadership Award, Shining World Compassion Award, Shining World Hero and Heroine Awards, Shining World Honesty Award, Shining World Protection Award, Shining World Intelligence Award, and Shining World Inventor Award, to recognize some of the most exemplary, generous, caring, and courageous people who walk amongst us.

Sister Didi Ananda Kalika is a yoga teacher from Australia lives in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

She is a nun with Ananda Marga, a worldwide spiritual and humanitarian organization founded in 1955 by Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar of India, also known as Shrii Shrii Anandamurti.

In 1993, Didi Kalika was sent to Ulaanbaatar by Ananda Marga to work as a yoga and meditation teacher. While in the city, she saw first-hand the troubles faced by children living in the streets, especially during the winter when temperatures can fall to minus 40 degrees Celsius. According to the United Nations Children's Fund or UNICEF, Mongolia has a population of 2.4 million and in the city of Ulaanbaatar alone approximately 4,000 children live on the streets.

I remembered at that time, I was even a bit depressed. “Oh, the world has so many problems.” I felt quite depressed. And in the yoga group, one of the nuns, she asked, “Could you come and play with the children in lunchtime because there’s nobody?” She was running a small school. And some of those children, they came from very difficult backgrounds.

At the beginning I found it hard because the children had some behavior problems, and they weren’t that easy, but I found by going regularly and just playing, being involved with them, somehow I felt, okay, this is the way to get out of my depression also, but I felt like just by doing something simple you can contribute.

At first, Didi Ananda Kalika started to provide food and basic medical care, but after realizing that more was necessary, she and a few caring friends started the Lotus Children’s Center in 1995 to help improve the lives of these children. The Lotus Children’s Center provides shelter and food for 150 children and abandoned babies, including those with disabilities. All the children are cherished equally with unconditional love.

To provide the Center’s residents with a family environment, the children live in groups of eight to 10 and are looked after by housemothers. Each group occupies a house or “ger,” a traditional Mongolian tent dwelling that is still a common form of housing in the country.

I love being around children, so somehow it became my way to work with children and help them and give them a home.

The Lotus Children’s Center has a goal, not only to meet the children’s physical needs, but also to help free them from the poverty cycle by giving a quality education, counseling, and life skills. The Center also helps the youngsters to find suitable employment later on or placement in higher education.

Well, it is not quite enough for the children to grow up just with the curriculum from the academic education. Therefore, we organize taking the children to camps such as in Terelj, Gachuurt, and so on, for the purpose of introducing them to their world, to teach how they can save the natural environment and how they can save the river and water, and also to teach them life skills. That is a very delightful and grateful way, which is what I like most.

Folks, please give encouraging words to each other. Give inspiration with warm words that promote courage. Give your support to the toddler who is taking his first step by saying, “Carry on walking.” For a primary school girl who is making the effort to write characters in line, encourage her by saying that she will be a scholar. For a boy who is happy with earning his first salary, advise him with encouraging words by saying, “A father’s son has already become a man.”

For her service to the vulnerable children, Didi Kalika was named 2001’s “Mongolian Mother of the Year,” an honor from the Mongolian government. In September 2008, the Lotus Children’s Center school was recognized with the City Educational Bureau Medal of Excellence for its high academic standards.

When we return, we’ll find out more about the Lotus Center as Sister Didi Ananda Kalika is honored with the Shining World Compassion Award, along with a US$10,000 contribution from Supreme Master Ching Hai to further her noble endeavor. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

Welcome back to today’s program about the Shining World Compassion Award recipient Didi Ananda Kalika, who founded the Lotus Children’s Center benefiting the most vulnerable children in Mongolia. An unwavering faith has given her inner strength to continue her work.

When you do service, and when you are involved with so many other people, it also enriches your life a lot. Sometimes, when I’ve been with the children, there’s been some hard times when the children have been really sick or when the children haven’t been accepted.

Sometimes I brought really sick children to the hospital and they’ve said, “No, we won’t take them.” Sometimes you think, “Oh, this is as hard as I can take.” But you always find the courage, you always find ways to overcome problems. I find that I get some help and extra kind of inspiration to do something. (Wow.)

The Lotus Children Center’s emphasizes the importance of caring for one another and living in harmony with animals, plants, and nature. What’s more, the children are taught to respect life and care for animals through a vegetarian lifestyle. The 35 staff members are also encouraged to be vegetarian.

I found the vegetarian food makes them a lot calmer and a bit more harmonious and the kids settle in easier. So I’ve found it very helpful for working with children.

All of our children are vegetarians. I am very happy for the good physical, spiritual, and mental effects of the vegetarian food and its good results. In addition, it is like a best recipe for the children, especially to those who are from a difficult and hard living environment, because they exercise and practice yoga.

Along with the Center, to show the community that eating vegetarian food is compassionate and excellent for one’s health, Didi Kalika established the Ananda Meditation Café. At this all-vegetarian café, the children can also train their vocational skills. Today, Didi Kalika has many plans for the further development of the Lotus Children’s Center.

We run the vegetarian café and a guest house which helps to train some of the children in hospitality. They can work in that area if they want.

One of the projects which we’re working on is building a new place for the children to live, and that’s on 10 hectares of land, which the government gave us. So I hope that can do more in farming and growing some vegetables and food they eat.

Golden leaves have blown away. Migrating birds have returned. The first of September has come. This is truly a celebration for us. I am riding my tame colt. I am carrying my backpack. The first of September has come. This is truly a celebration for us.

For her loving assistance to Mongolian children in need, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored Didi Ananda Kalika with the Shining World Compassion Award as well as a US$10,000 donation to further her selfless work. Didi Kalika expressed her gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai for her recognition and support.

I haven’t met the Supreme Master Ching Hai; actually I would like to meet her one day. So I hope we can meet. I think what she is doing, encouraging people to think about the planet and care about the planet and develop themselves, it’s really great. I have seen, like in Mongolia, the increase in vegetarian people.

She has a lot of spiritual strength to be able to direct a lot of people to look at their lives and to enrich their lives spiritually. So, I think that’s really great.

The Shining World Compassion Award ceremony was conducted by our Association members in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in the presence of Didi Ananda Kalika and the Center’s residents and staff.

We are very happy that Didi Ananda Kalika is receiving the recognition award from Supreme Master Ching Hai. Didi Ananda Kalika is a yoga teacher so I am very happy that she teaches and passes on her knowledge to the children which she learned and experienced.

“…For your selfless service to humankind, for your high ideals and kindheartedness, and for being a dedicated and noble role model, we hereby applaud and celebrate the compassionate deeds of Sister Didi Ananda Kalika, loving mother with a merciful heart.” With Great Honour, Love and Blessings, The Supreme Master Ching Hai”

I need to thank everybody for being here and to the holy Supreme Master Ching Hai, who is also a Sister to me. Thank you for your efforts to inspire people to care for each other, to care for the planet, to care for each animal, each plant, and each child. At Lotus, we endeavor to care for each child. So, I’ve been very fortunate to live in Mongolia and have the opportunity to care for many children. I guess that’s my contribution in the world.

And I know being vegetarian is one way to look after the planet, to care for the animals and plants. So I’m very fortunate to have this opportunity. I think people know the Lotus stands for something very pure, which is the children are very pure. And the Lotus is expanding, so I hope all our minds can expand and also every one of us can think what we can do to give more love and care in this planet. So thank you everybody.

In addition to receiving the crystal award plaque and US$10,000 financial gift for the Center, Didi Ananda Kalika was presented with gifts, including Supreme Master Ching Hai’s #1 international bestselling books, “The Dogs in My Life,” “The Birds in My Life,” and “The Noble Wilds,” Supreme Master Ching Hai’s lecture DVDs, music CDs, and poetry collection titled “Pebbles and Gold.” After the ceremony, our Association members presented an entertainment program for the Lotus Children’s Center.

We thank you, loving Didi Ananda Kalika, and may Heaven bless you and your caring staff manifold for all the wonderful work you do for the pure-hearted children of Mongolia. May your dedicated service continue smoothly as you nurture more youngsters to lead fulfilling and virtuous lives.

We appreciate your company for today’s program. Coming up next is Words of Wisdom, after Noteworthy News, on Supreme Master Television. May your life be blessed with courage and kindness.