20150624及時行善‧復學育才 Helping Nepal to Recover from the Earthquakes
Life is impermanent and unpredictable. Coming to this world, we bring our karma with us. In these times we live in, the Dharma is decline, the world is filled with impurities, and people’s minds have become imbalanced. With that, we’ve created more and more collective negative karma. And that’s why climate conditions have become so erratic, frequently bringing disasters to our world. See how countries have been affected by disaster.
So, really must be very grateful for being safe and well every day as that is indeed the greatest blessing in life. And being able to give brings us the greatest joy. In Nepal, relief work after the quakes in April is still underway. The U.N. World Food Programme has started a cash-for-work program there to help repair damaged trails in order to open tourism routes again and help Nepal recover sooner. They’ve also hired the locals for debris clearance and reconstruction in worst-hit-areas.
Tzu Chi members have been serving in Nepal for nearly two months now. We’ve also launched cash-for-works there. But, touched by Tzu Chi members’ love, many locals said they’d be happy too. Many of them said that they’d do the work without pay and just be our volunteers. But, as some locals are in need, we still them to accept our pay.
Yesterday, it rained heavily in Nepal but Tzu Chi members still put on ponchos and went from door to door to give out notices for the large-scale aid distribution we are going to hold today. All of our aid supplies sent to Nepal either by air or by sea have all arrived in Nepal. But giving out the notices, Tzu Chi member had visited people to see many people there are in each family how their living conditions are etc.
With all the information they’ve collected we can then plan our mid- and long-term aid projects for the locals, such as building temporary houses for them, etc. That’s why Tzu Chi members had to conduct a thorough survey to find out what people needed the most. Yesterday, they delivered the notices to people. Even though it was muddy everywhere they were not frustrated.
Although their white shoes and pants were all covered in mud, they pressed on to deliver the notices to people. Seeing how the locals suffer, our hearts go out to them. So, we must do what we can to help them recover. Recently, we’ve been helping local schools damaged by earthquake.
During the videoconferencing two days ago a school principal expressedhis gratitude to Tzu Chi. We’ve shared with the locals about how the aid they received from us came from the love of Tzu chi volunteers in dozens of countries worldwide and how the Tzu Chi members serving the quake survivors in Nepal are from different countries around the globe.
We also see that many children don’t have school uniforms to wear. My home collapsed during the quake and I was unable to save my uniform. So, I don’t have any uniform to wear now. I’ve lost all my books to the quake. See how children go to school happily in the uniforms we gave them. WE also went to care for students with visual impairment. Their homes are far away from school so they all live in the school dormitory. See how education is highly valued in Nepal.
We all know that the hope of society lies in children and the hope of children lies in education. So, we’d really like to help them rebuild schools. We’ve been serving there for nearly two months, and we’ll start to withdraw from Nepal soon. That said, some Tzu Chi members will remain there to carry out other aid projects. Time flies. It’s been two months already. Some Tzu Chi members have stayed there for a long time.
Take for example Mr. Leong Kwai Seng from Malaysia. He was in charge of managing our aid supplies and other miscellaneous work. He handled everything very well. Every time, the customs offer on duty tells me a different way to fill out the form. So, I have to fill out the form again and again. One time, I had to go to the customs three times before I could claim the supplies. The local young people love him very much.
When it was late and he asked them to go home, they’ve still stay to help him finfish the work. He was also reluctant to leave Nepal so he’d rescheduled his air ticket five times. He had been there since May 6. Two days ago, he told me that he had to go back to Malaysia because they’re going to present a sutra adaption in Malaysia. So, he had to leave Nepal.
But he assured me: “Don’t worry, Master. I’ll be back.” I’m truly grateful to Tzu Chi volunteers from so many countries and our young Tzu Chi members from working with one heart to serve the people of Nepal. I’m indeed very moved by them. This I sour relief work in Nepal. See how our portable beds have greatly improved the locals living conditions. Over 5,000 portable beds have arrived in Nepal and today they’ll hold an aid distribution.
Let us pray for them that it won’t rain much today so they can hold the distribution smoothly and give out our aid supplies to help more people in need. This is our hope.
首頁 