20150603合力救援‧守護健康 Safeguarding Lives with Love
The images we see truly give us a heavy heart. In China, a cruise ship carrying tourists capsized in the Yangtze River for reasons yet to be determined. There were 456 people on board. This is indeed a major disaster. See how unpredictable life is. In helicopter carrying workers and supplies to and from disaster areas, crashed and those affected by recent quakes still live in harsh conditions. Tzu Chi members serving in Nepal for over a month now, and they’ve been interacting with the locals more and more frequently.
See how our young volunteers there sang “We Are One Family” and did sign language as they sang. They also knew the meaning of the song. The Earth is our home. So, we’re one family. See how love has spread in Nepal and how the locals prayed sincerely with one heart like one big family. Indeed, living together under the same sky and on the same land, we’re one family. When one place is affected by disaster, people in other areas will come together to bring aid to those affected.
Apart from carrying out emergency relief Tzu Chi members also share the Buddha’s teachings with the people in Nepal. This is really very touching. They also helped organize an event where the young people showed their respect to their parents by cleaning their bands and faces. This is how we should care for those who we don’t even know, not to mention our own parents. Seeing that, I’m truly moved. Tzu Chi members are truly living bodhisattvas who give with compassion and wisdom. With compassion, they go to this land devastated by earthquakes to serve.
And with wisdom, they inspire the locals opening their hearts and encouraging them to give with love. In Nepal, our medical members have come across people with contagious diseases. At one tent area, they found that two people are taking medication for active tuberculosis. But they still live together with everyone in the crowded tent area. Head lice are also a problem there. There are many stories to share. Behind every person we help, there’s a sad story to tell.
But, we’ve seen how Tzu Chi members brought warmth to them. With their altruistic vows, Tzu Chi members reach out to people in need, especially the suffering in places affected by disaster. What they do is very moving. Those who come across caring doctors are really blessed. Take for example Chen Tuanzhi from China who was born with a deformity that caused her knees to bend forwards. So, she had never stood with her two feet.
Coming to Taiwan, she’d received the treatment she needed. At age 26, she finally took her first step at our hospital in Hualien. See how our volunteers cared for her in a relay of love. After she returned to China, our volunteers there continue to care for her. When she went with our volunteers to visit the needy, she could walk on her own. She is very self-disciplined and fears no hardship. She follows our doctors’ advice and diligently continues her physiotherapy in China.
So, while being helped, we help ourselves as well. This is very important. She had a rare condition, but our doctors have treated her at our hospital in Hualien. We see the video clip of the secondary anniversary of our hospital in Hualien nearly 30 years ago. See how young everyone was. I’m very grateful to this group of doctors for joining our hospital in Hualien back then. It’s a blessing to have them. Many of them have attained great achievements. Take Dir. Kuo of our urology dept. for example.
He ranked third in the amount of essays he’s published on a medical website. This is no easy feat. He is the third in the world, not in the country. From our TV program “Tzu Chi Doctors” online, a woman learned about Dir. Kuo specialty and came all the way from the U.S. to Hualien to see him. She is a Chinese American and was only 21 years old when she came. Tempted by her friends, she used ketamine and became addicted.
Over time, she had ketamine induced bladder damage. In a minute, she needed to urinate around 20 times. So, she came to Hualien for bladder reconstructive surgery. Dir. Kuo cared for her with great mindfulness. Over the last 30 years, he has enjoyed a very good reputation for his service. When his patients speak of him, they always say: “Dr. Kuo takes good care of me and he is very nice and friends”.
This is the praise I often hear from his patients. Seeing how he cares for patients nicely and sincerely, I’m very comforted. In the video, we also see Dr. Chen Ing-ho, Dr. Chao Shen-feng, etc. They’ve joined us since the early years of our hospital. Supt. Chien also came with them that year. He had served at our hospital in Dalin and now serves in Taichung. Karmic affinities are truly inconceivable. This is how our medical mission has been established. With time, we can create beautiful history. I’m truly very grateful.
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