With Wonderful Tibetan Orphans, Reflecting on How I Got Here

Author with incredible Tibetan orphans, high up in the Himalayas on the Bhutan/China border at Manjushree. Photo: Stewardship Report.

Tawang, India. Twenty-five years ago, I stumbled upon a ten-month-old infant in Indonesia who would change the direction of my life: my son, Mathew James Tendean Luce. That chance encounter ignited a passion for orphan care, a journey that has taken me to some of the world’s most remote and needy places, including this high-altitude village in the Himalayas near the Bhutan/China border, home to the Manjushree Orphanage.

Reflecting on the genesis of this journey

Reflecting on the genesis of this journey, I am reminded of my mother, a child psychologist in Boston, who always emphasized the importance of making a difference in the world. When she passed in 2001, she left funds to establish Orphans International Worldwide (OIW), a testament to her enduring belief in caring for the vulnerable.

Our work began in Sulawesi, Indonesia, supporting Protestant children in 2001. This was quickly followed by efforts in Haiti after Hurricane Jeanne in 2003, and in Guyana, South America, in collaboration with then-president Bharrat Jagdeo, addressing the needs of both Indo- and Afro-Guyanese children.

The catastrophic Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 significantly expanded our mission

We were called to aid new orphans – Muslim children in Sumatra, Indonesia, and Buddhist children in Sri Lanka. Their harrowing stories of climbing palm trees to escape the waves while watching their parents be swept away are forever etched in my memory. Concurrently, we began supporting Hindu orphans in Bali, demonstrating our commitment to children of all faiths and backgrounds.

The 2000s were a period of intense activity and expansion for OIW. We extended our reach to Togo, Ghana, Tanzania, Madagascar, and the Dominican Republic. The devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010 saw us redoubling our efforts there, continuing to support the most vulnerable in times of crisis.

Pivotal partnership with Dr. Kazuko Tatsumura

A pivotal partnership during this period was with Dr. Kazuko Tatsumura, daughter of a Japanese Living Treasure. Through her, we began supporting the Tibetan orphanage in Tawang, India. In 2014, we launched the Manjushree Fund to build an endowment for Tibetan orphans and destitute children.

By 2015, we had provided funds to help construct a four-story academic building on the orphanage’s campus, a significant milestone in our efforts to support education and empowerment.

One poignant moment that underscores the impact of our work occurred last year. On my way to JFK airport for a trip to Jamaica, the taxi driver asked if I was going on holiday. When I explained my work with children and university students, he became very interested. As he helped me with my bags, he said, “You must be Jim Luce.”

I was taken aback. “I want to thank you for your work around the world,” he continued. “For, you see, I am a graduate of Manjushree Orphanage and was educated in the building you helped build.” This encounter was a powerful reminder of the far-reaching effects of our work.

Luce Leadership Experience

The Luce Leadership Experience is another initiative close to my heart. It exposes Young Global Leaders in New York to diverse cultures and challenges, fostering a new generation of compassionate and informed leaders.

Last summer, our leaders visited Matt Luce’s Presbyterian orphanage in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. They witnessed firsthand the place where Matt was raised and met the elderly women who cared for him as an infant. It was a deeply moving experience, full of love and tears.

Two weeks ago, we faced a crisis when the Indonesian orphanage where Matt was once placed caught fire. The night was filled with frantic text messages as flames engulfed the home.

Miraculously, all sixty children and the staff were pulled out unharmed. In the morning, only a wall with the Angel Gabriel remained, seemingly untouched by the fire. This incident underscored the fragility and resilience of our mission, and the unwavering commitment required to support these children.

Here at Manjushree, the Cycle of Life is a prominent concept.

Children graduate, attend university, and some return to teach the next generation. My son Mathew has pledged to return to Indonesia to spearhead the reconstruction of the orphanage, bringing our journey full circle.

The ten-month-old infant I adopted 24 years ago, who inspired the creation of Orphans International, is now taking the lead in our mission. Surrounded by Tibetan orphans here in Tawang, I reflect on which of them will play a key role in our future.

In this journey of compassion and commitment, the impact of our work is evident. From supporting Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu orphans to empowering young leaders, we have touched countless lives. The story of the taxi driver and the resilience of the Indonesian orphanage are testaments to the enduring legacy of our efforts. As we continue to support and advocate for orphaned children worldwide, we honor their dignity and potential.

The journey that began with a chance encounter in Indonesia has led me to Tawang, where I find myself surrounded by incredible Tibetan orphans. Reflecting on how far we have come, I am reminded of the importance of compassion, dedication, and the belief that every child deserves a chance. And as I look forward, I am grateful for the opportunity to make a difference, one child at a time.

Tags: orphan care, humanitarian work, Tibetan orphans, global leadership, Luce Foundation, compassion in action, Mathew’s Rule, child advocacy, Indonesia, Haiti, Guyana, Sri Lanka, Togo, Ghana, Tanzania, Madagascar, Dominican Republic, Manjushree Orphanage

#OrphanCare #HumanitarianWork #TibetanOrphans #GlobalLeadership #LuceFoundation #CompassionInAction #MathewsRule #ChildAdvocacy

With Wonderful Tibetan Orphans, Reflecting on How I Got Here (Dec. 20, 2019)

SERIES ON/FROM TIBET IN INDIA,
SEPTEMBER 2019 IN 20 PARTS

1. The Dalai Lama & Dr. Kazuko: A 47-Year Friendship
2. Tibetan Children’s Village: Step One to Success
3. India: Great Protector of the Tibetan People
4. With Incredible Tibetan Orphans, Reflecting on How I Got Here
5. Meet Japanese Grandmother of Tibetan Orphanage in India
6. Lama Thupten Phuntsok: Tibetan Monk’s Life Outside Monastery 
7. First Trip to Tibetan Orphanage High in Himalayas
8. Dharamshala for Americans: His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Hometown
9. Himalayas: From India/Pakistan to Bhutan & Nepal + Chinese Tibet
10. Himalayas: Once Greater Tibet, Now Tragically Divided 
11. Meet American Lobsang Sangay, President of Tibet
12. Dr. Kazuko: Planning Nine Orphanages Globally Through Gaia
13. Viewpoint: Whatever Faith Tradition, It’s All About Kindness
14. Orphanage Burns in Indonesia; Matt Luce Pledges to Rebuild
15. At Fifty, I Gave Away My Wealth; at Sixty, My Possessions
16. Autumn Elegant Evening to Highlight Charity Efforts Around World
17. New Look: Stewardship Report on Connecting Goodness at Tenth Year
18. Luce Leadership Experience Looks to Israel after Greece, Indonesia Trips
19. Charities at Twenty Confer Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Kazuko
20. New Look: Orphans International Website Refreshed for 20th Anniversary

SERIES ON PILGRIMAGE: FOLLOWING FOOTSTEPS
OF BUDDHA ACROSS INDIA IN 15 PARTS

1. On Pilgrimage: Following the Footsteps of Buddha Across N.E. India
2. Under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya Where the Prince Became The Buddha
3. Photo Essay of Bodh Gaya, Where Buddha Became Enlightened
4. Next Step of Indian Pilgrimage: Vultures’ Peak Where Buddha Preached
5. Touching the Untouchable in a Rural Indian Village
6. Rediscovering the World’s First Great University in Buddhist India
7. Buddhism for Beginners: Insights from a Non-Buddhist
8. Buddhism and the Universal Concept of Social Responsibility
9. Help Me to Support Education & Orphan Care in Bihar, India
10. Most-Photographed Man in the World Prepares to Retire
11. Yoshimitsu Nagasaka Photo Exclusive: The Dalai Lama in Bodh Gaya
12. Varanasi: Holy City of Buddhists – As Well as Hindus, Jainists, Jews
13. On the Banks of the Ganges: Reflections of a Journey in Time
14. My Pilgrimage Complete: Life Continues Like a Wheel
15. Pilgrimage Postscript: Pneumonia and Possible T.B.

SEE ALSO

• Dr. Kazuko Opens Academic Building at Tibetan Orphanage in India
• Next Generation Leadership for Dalai Lama’s First U.S. Temple
• Peace, Compassion and The Dalai Lama’s NYC Birthday Extravaganza
• Tibetan Monk Gatzo: No Matter How Hard, People Can Endure
• NYC Gala in Support of Tibetan Orphans Set for January
• Japanese Holistic Healer in NYC to Build School for Tibetan Orphans in India
• History from Time: How and Why the Dalai Lama Left Tibet
• Life Changer: My Visit to an Indonesian Orphanage
• Jim Luce on Orphans International Worldwide
• Jim Luce on Tibet
• Jim Luce on Buddhism
• Jim Luce on China & Chinese-Americans
• Jim Luce on Cambodia
• Jim Luce on Sri Lanka & Sri Lankan-Americans
• H.H. The Dalai Lama’s 83rd Birthday Interfaith Celebration in NYC (2018)
• Peace, Compassion and The Dalai Lama’s NYC Birthday Extravaganza (2017)
• From Daiwa Bank to Heiwa Foundation

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