Ellen Gamboa (傳學),
Coordinator, Ceremony Announcer Section

Ellen is the announcer in most of the ceremonies and activities of the monastery, where she would make calls at the precise moments. Trained as a singer, she knows how to use her beautiful voice to set the right mood and deference during these proceedings. Oftentimes, she also leads in the singing at the conclusion of an activity.

Apart from acting as ceremony announcer, Ellen is also talented at handicrafts. She worked with the previous Abbess Master Jianyong in coming out with string after string of magnificent combination
beadworks to beautify the altars of Ocean Sky. She recalls: “Master Jianyong drew out some talents and creativity that I never knew I had by encouraging me to create things with my knowledge in arts and crafts.” For the 2012 Liang Huang Saturday repentance practice, Abbess Master Jianshu asked Ellen to make the tiny robes used as offerings during the chanting of Chapter 10 of the liturgy. She came out with beautiful small robes made purely out of beads, which participants were so delighted to bring home after the ceremony!

Ellen has been a vegetarian for 20 years. After regularly attending meditation classes since 2004, she finally took the Lay Bodhisattva Precepts in 2008 and then again in 2011. She said: “I would like to think that
I am gradually changing. I used to have an explosive temper. Now I am trying my best to subdue it by observing the precepts.”

In class, Ellen would diligently ask profound questions and share her past cultivation experiences for the benefit of her classmates. She said she is still learning to let go of many bad habits and attachments. With her bodhisattva vow, she hopes to improve and help more sentient beings.