Divine Intervention?

By Dave Pope

Since meeting Sunim a few days ago and relating the story of how we met to different people I've heard the comment," Divine Intervention" a few times. Lets examine that....step by step.

Step #1- Heading home and just about to reach the city limits of Kelowna I glimpsed a Costco and  CHEESE! jumped into my head. I needed some. Then I thought hey...I just ate dinner...I dont need cheese tonight....I can grab some tomorrow....bettter to get home before dark. I've always been a procrastinator, but trying to change that I stopped in and grabbed a brick of cheese. I thought I might do some snacking when I got home anyway and cheese is pretty high up on my list. It took about 10 minutes.

Step #2- Getting back out on the road I passed a Home Depot and PAINT! jumped into my head. I needed some paint for a project and thought I might do a little painting when I got home.....after some snacking. I had actually sourced the type of paint I wanted (at the Vernon Home Depot) a week earlier. I didn't buy it so that when I started the project I'd have a freshly shaken can, but really I think I was just procrastinating. It even went through my head, with the can of paint in my hand at the paint counter, that I was procrastinating. I still didn't buy it citing the freshly shaken can reasoning. I came really close to buying that can of paint.

Step#3- When I got to the paint department in the Kelowna store they couldnt find the type of paint I wanted. We searched up and down the aisles 3 times. The friendly clerk apologized stating that the store was almost closed, that she had been left alone in the department and wasnt familiar with the type of paint I wanted. I explained to her that Vernon had it so they got on the phone and called the Vernon Store and found the skew#. But no bin# and we still couldnt find it until, low and behold, it was there all along hidden behind a hanging sign that was a little askew and blocking my cans of paint on the shelf. Five minutes later I grabbed my freshly shaken can of paint and headed out to the parking lot. It took me 30 minutes to get in and out of there.

It was dark now, I try to avoid driving at night, but the highway between Kelowna and Vernon has a fair amount of lighting so I was OK with that. The stops at Costco and Home Depot had me leaving Kelowna 40 minutes later.

Just shy of Vernon, in one of the dark and unlighted stretches of highway, I glimpsed a flash of what looked like a person hunched over the wheel of a bicycle. A dangerous situation is what came to my mind. It could have been a breakdown or it could have been someone just taking a rest. Either way it was a dangerous situation becuase the last stretch of highwway leading into Vernon is unlighted and no shoulder to speak of due to curb barriers. I almost didn't see this person at all...no reflective gear.....a dangerous situation indeed. So I turned around a few kms down the road, at a break in the center line barrier, and went back to investigate. When I pulled off the highway and got out I could tell right away that this person didnt speak fluent english. And sure enough it was a flat tire. When I offered to give him a lift into town the relief on his face was clearly evident. We loaded up his bike and his gear and off we went in search of an address he had.

Step#4 - When we got there the lights were on and a truck was in the driveway but no one answered the door as Sunim rang the bell a few times. Thinking that the bell might be broken I knocked on the door but still no answer. Maybe they were in the shower....maybe they were asleep, maybe they just didn't want to answer the door because it was late at night. So when Sunim asked about a hostel I said he was more than welcome to stay at my home and he graciously accepted.

It was during dinner that I found out he was a Monk and about the monumental test he is putting himself through. Later that night, after filling his belly and just before laying down to sleep, he quietly said that God had sent me to him. I thought about that for a  minute then asked him how long he was broken down on the side of the highway for. He looked upwards for a few secounds then replied,"40 minutes". It was the exact amount of time I had delayed my departure from Kelowna by. Had I not made those two stops? Had someone opened the door at the address Sunim got from a hostel guest in Vancouver? Had I bought that can of paint a week earlier?

I believe Sunim was right, that God did bring our paths together, and for more than just a road side rescue, a meal and a place to sleep. The next morning, as the gravity of Sunim's goals really started to sink in, ideas started forming in my head about how I could help him with his Journey Of Spirit. We were both in the kitchen, enjoying the morning sunshine after a breakfast of strawberries, grapes, apples, CHEESE, toast and coffee. I started to create this page while Sunim was working out a new route and entering addresses from my family and friends into his route computer. I was careful not to let him see what I was up to fearing he might ask me not to...then I would've abided by his wishes.  

I hope I can do right by Sunim, help him to find warm beds and hot meals through the kindness of others and I pray that the steps he takes lead him towards achieving his goals and away from danger.    

The layout of this article is based on one of my favorite Bible verses.

God directs every step we take, so how can we possibly know which direction we are headed in?

Book of Proverb

Help from the Buddhist Is Invisible But Appears Slowly

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135493829)

In life, there are some obstacles that afflict people before they make some kind of achievement, partly this is because the achievement is not, in fact, visible to the person. There are also some circumstances when people worry about whether they are truly going in the right direction or are lost. After a person learns the true result despite all the struggles, the person would realize that he or she has been right all along. Often people feel thankful for the struggles after it is understood that those struggles were to help develop maturity.

When I first came to Canada, I was not much pleased with the unexpected coldness. While I had been waiting for warmer weather, my roommate and I talked about camping. So, we checked camping out online, but the camping place opens the 18^th of April. If I really did go camping in a place I wasn’t supposed to, something unfortunate might happen. I heard farmers here in Canada own guns, and some can possibly harm you. Furthermore, you are not allowed to camp anywhere except in designated places.

I thought it would be obvious to have campgrounds open in spring. If I didn’t know about all the rules and left for camping, I would have been lost. Sometimes you need to question things you believe are definite. This is one of those times that I avoided misfortune because of a small doubt. I was glad that the cold weather prevented me from camping somewhere that might be dangerous.

I feel lucky to have postponed my plans for a week. I made a reservation to stay here until the 17^th, and fortunately, the hostel was having a spring sale, so I paid only $15 per night—$195 for 13 days. In addition, I could even exchange some money into Canadian currency. Every problem seems to have been solved extremely spontaneously. I must be one of Buddha’s favorite followers. ^^

If your mind is clean, purpose is innocent, and effort is sincere, what more could block you from achieving anything? It might not seem to work out when perceiving progress with a mind of greed or rushing; however, there could be nothing you can’t work out as long as you keep your first thoughts pure. 

Day 9 - Part 2

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135492914)

These are Canadian dollar bills. Today is actually Easter, so most of the stores are closed. Some students here, who either forgot or didn’t know about it, started getting busy for the Easter holiday. Some had to exchange money because they are going to America tomorrow. So, I exchanged my American dollars with them. I was also lacking Canadian dollars and wasn’t feeling safe about taking American dollars everywhere for 5-6 months. Canadian bills are made out of some kind of plastic. Therefore, they don’t get wet or catch fire easily. I was fascinated by them a few days ago. They kind of look like counterfeit money too. I think it would be a good idea to make Korean bills, too, out of plastic. I went out this evening to ride my bike, but it was raining. Also, there is no open place, so I decided to stay in my bed all day long. 

Day 9 – My New Residence with 3 Double Beds

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135492914)

The bed indicated by the red arrow is mine. The first floor of this dormitory is for boys, and the second floor is for girls. Since there are mostly students here, it is usually noisy until midnight and quiet until nine in the morning. The student using the bed below mine had taken a bike trip for 100 days in Europe. I received a lot of help from him.

I couldn’t sleep very well last night. It was pretty loud, but the heat bothered me more. There is an electric heater right next to me. Fortunately three students will be moving out this Saturday. Then I can have the bed with the yellow arrow. It is the bottom bed and will be more convenient. 

I Gained Selfish Self-esteem After Looking At A Beggar

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135359425)

An old man in plain clothes seems as if he’s enjoying himself while humming his music. Just a few minutes before, I was sitting down on a bench in a small park. A woman beggar was slowly coming toward me. I was worried she might come ask me for something or threaten me. I didn’t move though. I felt bad about running away from her because of it. So, I was just sitting still uncomfortably. Nonetheless, her target was not me. It was the trash can beside me. She started dumping the contents of the trash can out and searched for food. She found a can of soup, and she drank the soup inside the can without any hesitation. She then walked to another trash can.

I have never witnessed a beggar searching for food out of a trash can. I soon felt mixed feelings. She must have been someone’s dear daughter once, but how could she take food out of a trash can without feeling embarrassed? I realized I was wrong. At first I was worried that she would harm me. I felt so ashamed of myself. I was afraid of her…she wasn’t a robber or mafia. She was just a person who only cared about her daily meal.

Ironically, I felt some kind of self-esteem. Poverty and beggars also exist in developed countries. As a result, I felt self-esteem after observing someone’s hardship. Are my feelings true characteristics of human beings—to brag in front of those less fortunate than I am, and to envy those better than I am? Just like others, I started my life as a baby.

Day 8 - Part 7

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135357665)

This is one of the buildings in Gastown. I would name it a rice ball building. Might Canadians call it a cheesecake building?

Day 8 - Part 6

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135357665)

This is one of only a small handful of existing steam clocks in the world. It is located in Gastown. I was expecting it to be in a grand building, but the clock was quite small compared to what I thought. I would not have been able to find it if there were no people gathering around. It uses four holes to breathe out steam every 15 minutes. Because the tones from all four holes sounded different from one another, I could hear “do-re-mi-fa.” When I was standing next to it to take some pictures, it sprayed its watery steam on me. For a second I thought it was a raindrop.

I don’t like having too much reflection from the glass. It makes my picture unclear. L

This is how it looks like inside of the clock. I think it looks pretty interesting.

Day 8 - Part 5

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135357665)

Another special figure of Canada is Canada Place. It looks like a big cruise terminal, and as I expected, it was a cruise terminal. There was no standby cruise when I got there, but I heard it looks extremely nice and fancy. 

The tall building behind the terminal is a hotel.

Those rainbow colored segments are names of some cities in Canada. If you just step on all of them, you could say you have traveled all across the country. Though, in reality, it would take a very long time.

A picture I took on the third floor.

That is the Convention Center, located across the water. It is extremely big, but looks fancier than here.
That bridge connects Canada Place and Gastown. What I heard about Gastown is that because it’s a historic part of the city it follows old traditions and customs of the area.

Day 8 - Part 4

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135357665)

The place you see across the water is Stanley Park. It looks like an island. I visited there a few days ago, and now I am across from the park.

This place is called Sea Plane Terminal 2, where you can take a touring sea plane. I couldn’t make up my mind whether I would like to take it or not. I thought, “I bet it’s expensive…. I don’t think it would be that amazing.” But I changed my mind soon. I realized this place and this time could be my only chance in my life to take such a tour by sea plane.

Day 8 - Part 3

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135357665)

I found a cute yacht couple. ^^

I wonder what the usage of that house is. Is that seagull the household?

“Hey, what are you looking at? This is my house. Don’t you dare think of taking it!” I could see the seagull saying this with its creepy eyes.

Day 8 - Part 2

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135357665)

My new inn is right behind a Vancouver harbor. I took a picture of this yacht because it looks the strongest among them all. If there is anyone who wants to give me this yacht for a gift, I will refuse. Learning how to handle it and paying maintenance costs would surely cause me a headache. 

If this one costs about $700,000, how much would that strong-looking one cost? --;;

If anybody is willing to give me this one, I would take it with my generous mind. I want it because of the motorcycles. I remember someone saying, “I would not take that stuff even if a truck ships it for me.” And the person next to him said, “Then give it to me, I will take the truck and throw the rest away.”

Day 8 – Leaving Luxury Behind. It Will Be My First and Last Luxury.

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135357665)

Yesterday was my last day to enjoy luxury which I permitted myself to have in order to adjust to a week in Vancouver, Canada. 

This is how my bike looks with all my bags. It is the first time my Geumgang Lyun looks actually like mine. At first, I was having a hard time even making it stand still and turning the handle. I was a little worried, but I got used to it 20-30 minutes later. I had to throw away some of my clothes to reduce the weight of the bags. I gave my hiking bag away to the hostel owner.

Human bodies have infinite potential. I was surprised that I could actually ride this bike. Moreover, I was about to fall off the bike after I changed the weight of the bags. I wasn’t able to balance well when it got lighter. It was very odd.

Everything Has Its Right Time

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135357168)

This is a cherry blossom tree in front of Barnard Bridge. It is so splendid and gorgeous that it looks like the flowers have just bloomed. Even though most of the other flowers are falling off, this tree’s blossoms are blooming gloriously. I think about the lives of flowers, especially in Vancouver. Maybe it is because I see snow covered mountain some miles away. Vancouver is where snow and flowers coexist, where winter and spring coexist. This tree looks like it must have some nobility because it appears to be the first tree to blossom for the season, so vibrant is its appearance. In fact, it must be the last one. However, because it is the last one, it gains people’s full attention. Although every cherry blossom tree blooms for the same amount of time, the amount of the blossoms may vary.

I have heard an old singer talk about her life. She lost her youth because she was popular and busy being a celebrity in her early life, and thus regrets what she couldn’t enjoy as most normal young people do. Therefore, she feels sorry for today’s teen idols. She knows that they must as well lose their youth. Furthermore, it is no longer a matter of an idol actually having any talent. Most teen idols are turned into celebrities and made by entertainment companies.

Doesn’t life work the same way? Everyone has his or her own spring in life. Who knows if that spring will be today or tomorrow? It varies greatly. But, I would say, every person contributes his or her passion at least once in a lifetime. I often see people enjoying that moment. An old man may say he is living a sincere life while he is drawing. A person may realize the true value of his or her life when one meets a true love. Although time and the type of spring may differ, spring must come at least once in a lifetime. We don’t need to get anxious waiting for that time to come. We just need to live everyday earnestly and be prepared to enjoy our own spring seasons.  

Should Stay Only At Home to Be Safe – But That Is Not the Purpose of Coming Here

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135178570)

The first day I left my inn I felt extremely unsafe. Streets, people, the language—all of it looked so unfamiliar. I was exhausted by the time I came back to my room. Although the room is not my own, I could not help feeling so comfortable and safe on the bed. I sleep like a corpse at night. Due to anxiety over the last few days, I have already lost 4 pounds. Losing this much weight without doing any exercise proves I have been quite nervous. I lay down and as I look at the ceiling, I think about my first day here. The only place I could be safe was in this room. As long as I was in my room I did not have to worry about whether a foreign person would come up to me and start speaking a language I don’t understand or whether I would get lost. Yet, these fears are not the purpose for me coming all the way here. This is not my house either. Was I born just to rely on safety? According to Buddhism, this world is full of things that make us suffer. Am I willing to bear all my pains? I am not here for safety and comfort. If we were bounded into a cage and received delicious food, a warm bed, and entertainment, how many would be willing to live there forever? Everyone has a different perspective, but if it was me, I would hardly enjoy staying there. I once read that “we feel safest when a ship is in a harbor, but we do not make a ship just to leave it there.” Yes, prayer and asceticism must work the same way. We don’t stop our prayers; we don’t stop our ascetic practice when we feel enough fulfillment. Despite a sense of fulfillment, we continue to step forward. Although it may be exceedingly harsh and fearful, we can strongly believe that a journey is the right way because of the fear we feel. Then why should we have any fear? This idea comes from a book titled The Great Monk Guangduk’s Ideas and History, found at my temple, Bul-Guang Temple. Guangduk’s life shows a way for us to live and inspires us. After thinking about his logical ideas with my best judgment, I could see the value in his high ideas and trust them. Therefore, I never stopped taking my steps forward. Indeed, I do not fear darkness and pain. The most evolved sentient beings in this world, in this universe, must be humans. We do not step back from darkness and we can courageously take a big step outside our comfort zone. We don’t need to live small. We have strong souls to fulfill something grand and valuable. I am not saying I am one of these brave sentient beings, but I know I am here to become one of them. 

Emotions Come From Our Minds – We Must Be Awake Not to Be Deceived

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135178556)

Before I left for Canada, I found 3100 Chinese Yuan in a corner of my room in Seoul while I was packing to leave. I wondered how much Canadian money it would be. Maybe about $5? I looked it up online to see how much this Chinese money would actually be worth, just in case. It was about $560 Canadian! Hurray! What a windfall! I suddenly had become rich. Yet, later I had to lose some money to pay the airlines to ship my bicycle—$200. I also had wanted to get an inn for $19, but I thought “Why don’t I stay luxuriously in a $39 room?” So for once, I got a high-priced room for myself. I was happy that I would still own $100 even after all that. I went through security checks in Incheon and Beijing without any trouble. In China, I went up to a Chinese lady at a currency exchange service. Just as I took out my Chinese (Taiwanese) money from my wallet, she said, “Taiwan money, no exchange.” No way~~~! My money could not even show its whole appearance and had to go back into my wallet. I was both excited and disappointed. It wasn’t the money’s fault that I couldn’t exchange it.  Around me nothing had changed, despite my hopes.  I had just thought foolishly, and searched carelessly and poorly. During my 11-hour-long flight I blamed myself for acting frivolously. When I arrived in Canada, I took my Taiwanese money to an exchange service downtown. The exchange rate was better than I thought: the remaining yuan was about 98 Canadian dollars. I did not try to look up and double check the exchange rate because I knew I would be disappointed if I was cheated and received less money than I was supposed to. Similarly, although the real facts do not change, people get disappointed and, sometimes, torture themselves due to their own thoughts, judgments, habits, and traditions. Moreover, people oftentimes do not accept mistakes and stubbornly insist on their excuses or blame others. This type of action also may create even worse pain and in the end people will have to carry their mental burdens for an extensive period of time. However, once a person admits a fault, the person might then still have time to fix the problem or at least feel less pain. We could relate this to lessons explained in The Thousand Hand Sutra; sins are all created in our minds when we live without self-examination.

Even Mannequins Look Different

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135053889)

I am downtown Vancouver now.  The population is so diverse. It is about 30% White, almost 50% Asian, 10% Indian, and 10% others.  Clothing varies greatly too. Some people wear parka jackets while some wear short-sleeve t-shirts. Fashion styles, languages… everything is dissimilar, including even body shapes. Tall people, short people, large people, thin people, tall and thin people, long and large people, short and thin people, short and obese people, a person whose head is smaller than mine but has hips larger than my upper body, a person whose body is extremely out of proportion. I always believed that paintings of Columbian artist Fernando Botero were unrealistic. People in his paintings are at least charming-looking, but in reality some people are far out of shape. How could these works of art—the people and the paintings—be created without god?  I thought about it.  The reason this world is composed of all these changes and differences is “harmony.” True harmony is generated when everyone accepts others’ differences and thoughts, and when an individual does not force others to agree with his or her thoughts. We are free—unrestrained as long as we give no harms to one another. I witnessed an aged-man in casual clothes on the street. He was listening to music with headphones and getting into the rhythms. His body may have been 60 years old, but his soul must be young. 

I could see this idea about harmony, difference, and change at the stores here too.  Even so, everything is just big. There are so many products; the people are big; and even mannequins are big too (not the size of the bodies but the breasts). They mannequins here are more glamorous than those in Korea. 

Day 3 - Testing My “Geum Gang Lyun”

Translated by Ian Haight and Hwajin Kang (original: http://blog.naver.com/mahabira6061/70135049284)

I wished to go to Stanley Park today, but the brake pads on my bike, “Geum Gang,” kept squeaking. I had to spend the whole morning fixing that problem. Once I finished my lunch and looked outside, it was pouring harsher than yesterday. At last I gave up and decided to go downtown to purchase a book of maps. I could take transportation for free until 1:30, so I tried not to waste time window shopping. The map cost $9, but if I had to pay $5 for transportation, I would cry. When I came back to my inn, it was 3:40. While I was blogging I noticed the rain had stopped. I took my bicycle to a grocery store as a test. It was freezing—as I expected—so I went in again to search for my gloves. Yet, you can never find anything in a messy room. I gave up after a little while because I knew I wouldn’t be able to find them within the next 24 hours. So I became a shopper and spent $25 at the store. I passed by a “park,” indicated in the blue box on the map above, but it looked more like an empty space to me. Nearby houses looked spacious and sophisticated. So much free land to build such houses!

This is the map I purchased today. It was originally $8.95 but with tax, I paid $9.50. It has maps of Canada, the U.S.A., and Mexico. I think Mexico is there just to make it thicker.  The maps are fairly detailed and well-explained. There was one map book, which cost about $20, but I did not appreciate its heaviness and inconvenience. Since I will be using it for a long time, I wrapped the cover with plastic tape. I am going to Stanley Park no matter how harsh it rains.

Distance I rode my bike: 4.5km (~3 mi)