By the end of the first day that 19 Buddhist monks spent walking from an east Fort Worth temple toward the nation’s capital, all of Venerable Samma Maggo’s toenails fell off. The skin of his feet also peeled off.
Yet the 68-year-old continued to participate in the Walk for Peace for 83 more days.
Maggo told dozens of attendees gathered at the temple Monday night that from the beginning, he accepted the idea he may not be able to complete the entire walk by foot. Participating was enough. After all, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he said.
“I feel the pain, but my mind is so strong,” Maggo said.
Maggo parted ways with the group in mid-January and reunited with the sangha, or his community of fellow monks, the day before they arrived in Washington, D.C., 108 days after their departure from Cowtown. He was one of several monks who shared reflections on participating in the Walk for Peace journey during the temple’s Feb. 16 Lunar New Year’s Eve festivities.
Venerable monks share their experiences of the Walk for Peace at the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center on Feb. 16, 2026, in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
Hundreds gathered at the east Fort Worth temple Monday evening for a nightlong agenda of Lunar New Year festivities to welcome the Year of the Fire Horse. Attendees shared Vietnamese food such as pandan waffles, watched cultural dances and snapped pictures of the temple grounds adorned with flowers and colorful lanterns illuminating the night sky.
Vendors line walkways inside the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center selling food and other items on Feb. 16, 2026, in Fort Worth. Lunar New Year’s Eve attendees enjoyed a variety of food, drinks and desserts before celebrations at midnight. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
Inside the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center’s shrine hall, monks talked about their Walk for Peace. The monks — and their loyal pup Aloka — returned to Fort Worth on Feb. 14 after completing the 2,300-mile walk to promote peace and healing.
Venerable Douangphaneth Mingsisouphanh, also known as Venerable Suvanno, used humor and candor in sharing his reflections of the four-month journey.
Initially, he didn’t think people would be interested in their walk. As supporters began to show up in the hundreds along the group’s path, he thought they were in the area for a concert, he said. He was surprised to learn they were cheering for the monks.
He jokingly referenced the walk as a “run for peace” because of how fast group leader Bhikkhu Pannakara trekked.
His body ached and suffered along the grueling journey, but he used breathing and meditation to keep going. Suvanno said he felt energized to continue when passing people who smiled, cried with joy or pressed their hands together and offered a slight bow out of respect.
“I never thought this would happen,” he said. “We have to keep going and practice our mindfulness. And one day we will have peace together, and we can live in this world with peace.”
Pannakara and leaders of the temple gave framed certificates to the monks who participated in the walk. The 150 volunteers were given a certificate as a token of appreciation for their help.
Venerable Bhikkhu Pra Khamvanh walks out holding a certificate after joining other monks to share their Walk for Peace experiences on Lunar New Year’s Eve at the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center on Feb. 16, 2026, in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
Around 11 p.m. the monks concluded their reflections and took a break before beginning their chants ahead of the new year. Attendees, clad mostly in red and yellow, went out into the temple grounds to enjoy the remainder of the festivities.
Ali Lou, 38, has celebrated Lunar New Year at the Historic Stop Six temple for over 15 years. On Monday night, her husband carried their daughter on his shoulders so she could have a clear view of the dragon dancers that she adores.
“I want her to learn about her Vietnamese culture,” Lou said.
Hoa Dao Lion Dance Association dancers perform with the dragon during the Lunar New Year celebration Feb. 17, 2026, at Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center. (Christine Vo | Fort Worth Report)
Phung Pham, 35, came to the temple with her three children — ages 13, 12 and 9.
It’s an annual tradition for the family to celebrate Lunar New Year together at the temple where her parents have been members for almost two decades, often not returning home until after midnight, she said.
“A lot of times we can’t get together like this. So it’s one day here where we celebrate everybody and their achievements and what they’ve gone through,” Pham said. “I just hope that after this, everybody continues to come when they can, just to find that peace and celebrate.”
The Hoa Dao Lion Dance Association dancers perform a dragon dance to celebrate the Year of the Fire Horse at the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center Feb. 17, 2026, in Fort Worth. Blacklights make the dragon glow as members of the Hoa Dao Lion Dance Association danced. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
Cheerful shouts of “Happy New Year” and the rapid pops of firecrackers rang in the Year of the Fire Horse shortly after midnight.
People crowded together around the entrance as members of the temple’s Hoa Dao Lion Dance Association presented a variety of performances on the ground, jumping on each other’s backs or running across poles several feet in the air.
Under a blacklight, younger members of the team performed a dragon dance with a neon green, glow-in-the-dark dragon which was followed by older members of the group dancing with a bright orange dragon.
The temple lights came back as several lion dancers gathered in the center to release red banners with messages of well wishes for the new year.
Confetti floated in the night sky. Applause filled the air. The new year had begun.
Hoa Dao Lion Dance Association dancers open a banner which reads, “May all your wishes come true,” in Vietnamese and Chinese during the Lunar New Year celebration Feb. 17, 2026, at Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center. (Christine Vo | Fort Worth Report)
Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org.
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