20150424人間菩提 ~ 醫療慈善濟貧困Tzu Chi`s Medical Mission---Safeguarding Lives with Love
On April 24, 1984, we held the second groundbreaking ceremony for our hospital in Hualien. Why was there a second groundbreaking ceremony? It was because after we held a groundbreaking ceremony for our hospital, the military took the land back for other uses. So, we could not build our hospital there and had to look for another piece of land and started everything all over again. But it was a blessing in disguise---The land where our hospital stands now has a much better location because it is closer to downtown. So, this is why we had a second groundbreaking ceremony.
At the groundbreaking ceremony that day, my master, Ven. Yin Shun, and the Minister of Interior, Mr. Lin Yang-kang, both spoke a few words. At the ceremony, I bit my lips with tears in my eyes. Why did I get so emotional? I had no money and few support. As the construction started I had to make payments every 15 days. Where was I to find money for the project? But we still started the construction, knowing that we’d figure something out later.
Now, we have six hospitals across Taiwan, including two in Guanshan and Yuli in eastern Taiwan. Although these two hospitals are small, they are well equipped. But, it’s not easy to recruit doctors there. Fortunately, there are still doctors who are willing to work there. They seldom take days off and often go to remote areas to serve. The two superintendents also work 365 days a year without rest.
This is how they safeguard people’s health and lives with love and also go to out-of-the-way places to provide free medical care. On these medical outreaches, besides doctors from our hospitals, our volunteer doctors will also go to help. They even go to offshore islands, such as Green Island, Kinmen, Penghu, etc. to bring medical care to the locals. It’s been nearly 30 years since our hospital in Hualien was built.
At the meeting for our overseas volunteers from 20 countries and regions a few days ago, we also heard them share how they carry out Tzu Chi’s medical mission in their countries of residence.
Take Singapore for example. We see an elderly woman there who had a stroke and has been cared for by her son. With her condition, she is not able to come out. So, our volunteer doctors and nurses go to her house to bring her medical care regularly.
“She can’t take a shower and has been having sponge baths for years. To be clean is important to her health, so we’ve helped clean her body.”
“This help is a big deal to us because for 14 years I look after her, we don’t get this help from any group.”
“I love you.”
“Tzu Chi does not only help my mother. They also help me and motivate me. They never give up on me.”
See how our volunteers give with love and live for the purpose of serving others. With their love, people have found peace of mind.
We also see that in the Philippines, many children from poor families are vey studious, but their parents have trouble paying for their education. So, our volunteers there provided tuition aid to these children in need. This is what our volunteers have done in many areas of the Philippines. To help others, we need many people to give with love.
Over the last few days, we’ve seen how our volunteers in many countries give o themselves with love. Every day during the meeting, we saw how our volunteers from around the world gathered together to learn from one another and share with one another how they serve people in their countries of residence and inspire them to give, as well as the work they’ve done locally.
Take our volunteers in Africa for example. Many people in Africa are poor. So, our volunteers in Africa gather together and go to many parts of Africa to bring care to the needy. Apart from giving people material aid, our volunteers also inspire them to give. Seeing how they’ve patiently inspired others to give what they can and gone to so many countries to help the needy, my heart is filled with warmth.
Although it pains us to see how the needy in Africa suffer, we’re comforted to see how our volunteers there go to their neighboring countries time and again to bring love and aid to people regardless of race and religion. This is how they give with genuine sincerity to serve others. They’re truly very sincere and full of love. See how our local African volunteers overcome their physical limitations and climb uphill to go to the needy and how they inspire many people to give. They’re really our role models.
They serve with utmost sincerity and inspire others by example. That’s why they can inspire many locals, instill love in their hearts, and motivate them to take action to serve. This is truly not easy. To inspire people, we need to set an example by fully giving of ourselves with an abundance of love and genuine sincerity. If our volunteers hadn’t done so, it would be impossible for them to inspire others to give.
This is how Tzu Chi volunteers around the world work with the same heart to benefit humanity. They serve with love in every corner of the world to bring warmth to the needy in every corner of society, inspire love in them, bring peace to their minds and give them hope. No matter where they are, this is how our volunteers serve as living bodhisattvas around the world.
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