Traditionally in Laos males would become novice monks at some point in their lives, giving them the opportunity to gain both an education and religious merit. Laos also has a somewhat unique belief among Buddhist countries that merit (boun) is transferrable among people, thus a son or daughter may make merit for a parent by temporarily entering a monastery. Lay persons are expected to feed and care for the monks of their local community, with the morning processions of monks (tak bat) who walk to collect offerings. Monks renounce material possessions and labor, thus the community and the monastery (wat) are bound in a mutually reinforcing relationship.