I herewith wish to congratulate Samaneris Anuruddha and Niyyanika on their upcoming Upasampadā Bhikkhunī Ordination, which will be held in Penngrove, California, next Sunday Dec 3rd 2017.
Samaneri Anuruddha is from UK and has been training with Ven (Ayya) Medhanandi Theri at Sati Saraniya Hermitage in Canada.
I was a child, with clean clothes, when I first heard the Dhamma. And within me, heedful, was a break-through to the truth. Then I arrived at an enormous dissatisfaction with all sensuality. Seeing the danger in self-identity, I longed only for renunciation. Leaving my circle of relatives, slaves, workers, prosperous villages & fields, delightful, enticing possessions, I went forth, abandoning not-insignificant wealth.
Thank you for the kind wishes Mat and Ayya Vimala. We are very blessed to have this opportunity.
All - If there is anyone in the area of the monastery tomorrow (Penngrove, CA near Santa Rosa) we could use help with setup of chairs, making signs, getting the kitchen ready, and many other details. Any time is good to come help, but a lot will need doing after 12pm. Lunch is at 11am, if you would like to join in the meal offering.
“Just as, when it is raining and the rain pours down in thick droplets on a mountaintop, the water flows down along the slope and fills the clefts, gullies, and creeks;
these, becoming full, fill up the pools;
these, becoming full, fill up the lakes;
these, becoming full, fill up the streams;
these, becoming full, fill up the rivers;
and these, becoming full, fill up the great ocean;
thus there is nutriment for the great ocean, and in this way it becomes full.
Thus associating with good persons, becoming full, fills up hearing the good Dhamma.
Hearing the good Dhamma, becoming full, fills up faith.
Faith, becoming full, fills up careful attention.
Careful attention, becoming full, fills up mindfulness and clear comprehension.
Mindfulness and clear comprehension, becoming full, fill up restraint of the sense faculties.
Restraint of the sense faculties, becoming full, fills up the three kinds of good conduct.
The three kinds of good conduct, becoming full, fill up the four establishments of mindfulness.
The four establishments of mindfulness, becoming full, fill up the seven factors of enlightenment.
The seven factors of enlightenment, becoming full, fill up true knowledge and liberation.
Thus there is nutriment for true knowledge and liberation, and in this way they become full.”
AN 10.61
This is one of my favourite sutta passages, and I love this simile so much!
May you never be short of the rain of the good Dhamma!
When the computer was opened to project Bhante Gunaratana prepared video Dhamma reflection after the ordination, I had your one line message and fireworks zoomed in on the screen. In this way you were present for the post ordination celebration. Those present in person were delighted.
I’m just going to tag @sujato in here because it doesn’t look (from my end) like you’ve replied to him “directly”, instead it looks like a reply to the topic in general. I wouldn’t want him to miss out on your perfectly lovely message!
And congratulations. I wish you a great deal of peace, happiness and growth in Dhamma.
The American Vimala here. Congratulations to both of you in this next step on your journeys. It is very wonderful having two new sisters. Metta, Vimala Bhikkhuni, Blue Lotus Temple
Many Congratulations and metta-ful wishes – it looks like it was a beautiful ceremony! 
