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Donate to help get the temple back to Lao people.

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ລະດົມທືນຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອການເຄື່ອນໄຫວຕໍ່ສູ້ເອົາວັດລາວພຸທວົງກັບຄືນມາໃຫ້ຊຸມຊົນລາວທົ່ວໂລກ ທ່ານໃດມີໃຈສັດທາຢາກມີສ່ວນຮ່ວມ ສາມາດບໍລິຈາກໄດ້ໃນນີ້.

Donate to help get the temple back to Lao people.

Calling for all Laotians across the globe to stand up for justice in the fight to regain our iconic temple back from the hands of questionable Board of Directors at Wat Lao Buddhavong in the State of Virginia and Washington DC area.  This temple was the first and biggest temple since Laotians found refuge in the US.  It was once an international destination for Laotians.  The monks who presided over this temple were recognized and respect around the world.  The scandal that broke recently on January 6, 2020 (Washington Post) in Social Media involving a prominent monk's misconducts affected Laotians worldwide. 

There are allegations involving misuse of funds, poor management, embezzlement, and bullying worshipers.  Parts of the millions of dollars of community’s donations worldwide allegedly went to personal use of the Board of Directors. When asked, the community was met with acts of silence, no tress-pass orders issued to over 20 individuals, and legal charges filed against community members as a form of intimidation; all of which were either dismissed or not filed by the District Attorney. The community is in turmoil and the decade long attempts to have fair election, transparency, accountability, and religious rights have eventually been met with a newly filed (2/24/2020) civil lawsuit against those who stood up and demanded justice.  In the name of the temple, its sole 3 long standing board members have recently taken legal actions seeking $1.25 million dollars from the people who once helped found and built the temple as well as people who volunteered and helped the temple for decades.  The current Board who have been controlling the temple for over a decade is comprised of one monk, whose behaviors were widely known for lacking Buddhist value and greed.  Another member is a non-Lao and lives in Florida who serves as a treasurer, a secretary, and a trustee.  Her control as an attorney by trade was allegedly used to support financial mismanagement.  Lastly, the third member who had since moved to Texas, is a Lao elder with discredited reputation in the community. 

We are a people with an amazing culture. Our religion, tradition, customs, heritage, and beliefs have forged us to be peaceful, honest, loving and compassionate. Our temple is a sacred place, where we all gather in devotion and worship. For many years, our temple members have requested transparency about the financial and bank records from the Wat Lao Board of Directors. It is the right of the members to have transparency, honesty, and openness. Temple members have been bullied and intimidated in many ways.

Lao Global Heritage Alliance 501(C)(3) is raising money to support the Virginia Lao community. The project is called, Project Rescue. Project Rescue aims to return Wat Lao Buddhavong back to the community. The community is coming to together to rally in Virginia to stand up against oppression and intimidation.  The rally is calling for:

(1)   Transparency and Accountability,

(2)   Religious Right, and

(3)   Fair Election.

Your donation will cover the cost of:

(1)   Rally supplies, transportation/buses for the elders, permits, police guards, media, water, snacks and other anticipated expenses.

(2)   Media Production and Printing Cost

(3)   Legal Defense Fund to fight against the $1.25M lawsuit.

We could not do this without the outpouring of support from families in the local communities and our friends from the collective Lao communities at large. Help return our once thriving Wat Lao Buddhavong temple to the community. Can we count on you?

 
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

-Winston Churchill

(UPDATE March 31, 2020:  Due COVID-19, The state of Virginia  recently extended  Stay-At-Home order  to June 10,  2020. The community rally scheduled on March 14th is postponed to later date, pending  CDC and VA State health advisory.  LGHA wishes everyone good health and that you are safe. Please do you part to stop the spreading of COVID-19 virus).

Disclaimer:
LGHA 501(c)(3) is currently NOT registered as non-profit with GFM. We are in the process to make that happen.  Once it's done, David will update GFM to reflect LGHA as the beneficiary of fundraising.  Until then, GFM will show fundraising goes to benefit the organizer, David Phommavong.  Donated funds will be transferred into LGHA account for Project Rescue where two people have fiscal oversight. Dr Watt, (Director) and KongKham (Treasurer). David Phommavong, LGHA director, does not have access to LGHA bank account.  There are 8+ team members added to GFM administration for additional controls.  Hope this brings builds confidence with our donors that transparency and accountability are in place to prevent fraud and misuse of funds.

LGHA will provide expense report from the Rally and Project Rescue on LGHA website after the Rally. The projected cost of the Rally is $16,500. The projected budget to fight $1.25M lawsuit is $33.5K or 67 billable attorney hours (time and material) to file a motion to dismiss the case.  If LGHA cannot get the lawsuit dismissed, the lawsuit may drag on for months or years, in which case, it will cost more, much more.  The fundraising goal of $50,000 is based anticipated financial need near term.  

Thanks to all our donors for your generous donations.

We are BLESSED to have your support.

Fundraising team: Project Rescue (4)

David Phommavong
Organizer
Raised $1,875 from 35 donations
Sacramento, CA
Max Mounkhaty
Beneficiary
Xieng Mieng
Team member
Raised $150 from 3 donations
Kongkham Nanthavong
Team member

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