I just want to say that generally Suryavana is going well.
However, unfortunately January and February were quiet months with minimal income which left Suryavana once again on edge. Fortunately this month, March there is a lot of activity thanks to three big events, one of which is an Ordination retreat for David Giménez who has been coming to Suryavana since we opened and is amazingly wheel-chair-bound and blind.
In the winter we buy propane for the central heating and cooking costing a small fortune!
We had to invest in a new generator this winter and we put in a large new window in the shrine room downstairs which we use on this retreat as it’s easier wheel chair access.
Conversations are ongoing with local authorities and architects about the shrine room in the back patio. It is looking promising but Suryavana paperwork needs sorting out before proceeding. Some important documents. Now we are “Comunidad Budista Triratna Centro de Retiros Xerica”
We have proceeded to get all this documentation up to date which is taking several weeks.
Despite the challleges with moving forward I have faith that we can rise to it.
Personally I am keen to reinvest as much money back into the project as well as having a buffer. It is always rather tight. And obviously these two objectives conflict at times.
An important investment was the new generator (which consumes a quarter of the diesel than the rather elderly and worn out 15 year old Taiguer, which by the way, completely broke down in December. (Water pump). Though now repaired by our kindly neighbour Angel.
The next project, a part for the shrine room is to upgrade the solar panels. What we have are 15 years old and the technology has kept forward. The intention is to install new 450W panel doubling the capacity to accumulate solar energy and have the co trol panel linked to the Internet to keep an easy eye on battery level and energy generation.
All the best.
Suḍāka