20151030一生無量勤耕耘 Creating a Cycle of Love in Myanmar
The images we see are of Myanmar. In July, several days of torrential rains had led to severe flooding there, affecting 12 of the country’s 14 states. Around two weeks after the flooding occurred, Tzu Chi volunteers in Myanmar mobilized to carry out relief. For the first trip, they traveled nearly 12 hours northward from Yangon to give out aid supplies to those affected in Mandalay.
When they told me that the roads were still cut off and they had to go in the disaster area by boat, I suggested them to start with places closer to them and focus their efforts in helping those affected near them before slowly extending their aid to people farther away. Also, as we only have few volunteers in Myanmar, I asked our volunteers in Malaysia to go to Myanmar and give them a helping hand.
I’m very grateful to Mr. Koay Chiew Poh, the CEO of Tzu Chi Malaysia for leading a group of volunteers to Myanmar. After surveying the disaster areas, they learned that tens of thousands of hectares of rice paddies were all flooded, and the livelihood of many poor families was affected as their crops were all damaged. So, they borrowed rice seeds and started all over again.
Just as they were about to reap a harvest, torrential rains once again brought another devastating flooding. As their fields were submerged in water for nearly half a month, their rice plants were all gone.
“The rice plants have been soaked in water for 12 days and all rotten.”
“The fields have been flooded and cannot grow crops. Even if they can, the farmers don’t have rice seeds to saw.”
They’d like to borrow rice seeds again, but they couldn’t afford to do that. In their time of need, Tzu Chi volunteers showed up. Our volunteers also worked with a temple to prepare hot meals for those affected. The temple’s nuns and novice nuns all pitched in to help so our volunteers could deliver meals to those affected twice a day.
After learning more about the disaster situation and the number of people affected, our volunteers decided to hire the locals to help cook hot meals every day. Because the areas flooded were vast, our volunteers set up tents on higher grounds in several villages and build a temporary stove in every tent and hire the villages to help cook the meals. After the meals were prepared, our volunteers delivered them to those affected by boat. They did so for several days feeding around 1,500 people every day.
“I come here to work so everyone can be fed.”
“I don’t feel tired. I have no job now. It’s nice that I can come cook here. Even if I’m not paid, I’ll still come to help.”
Hiring the locals to help is a very good idea. As people’s crops were about to be harvested, the floods destroyed them all. When they didn’t know what to do, we hired them to help cook and deliver hot meals as a way to provide relief to them. By doing so, they could not only help those affected but also make money to sustain their lives. This is a good way to provide relief to people.
After the emergency relief was over, our volunteers visited farmers affected by the flooding from door to door to see how they could help them. Our volunteers are very sincere to help. To reach the farmers, even though they had to tread through muddy roads and overcome many obstacles along the way, they pressed on. Now, they’ve given out rice seeds to farmers.
“After sowing the rice seeds, I’ll harbor good thoughts and tend to my field with love. I’m sure I’ll have a good harvest.”
“I received ten bags of rice seeds from Tzu Chi. After they are soaked and germinate, they’ll be ready to be sown in two days."
Without Tzu Chi’s rice seeds, I would have to grow beans. But I have to borrow beans from others and I don’t know how much I can harvest because I’m only good at growing rice. Tzu Chi gave us these rice seeds. They have germinated and are ready to be sown. I’m sure I’ll have something to harvest this time. I hope there won’t be flooding again.
We also see how the living conditions of the farmers we helped years ago have improved and can now donate their rice seeds to farmers affected by the flooding this time.
“We’re very happy that with Tzu Chi volunteers’ help we can donate our rice seeds to needy farmers.
We were helped before so we can stand on our own two feet now. Now that farmers in other towns need help, we must seize this opportunity to give and pass on our love to them.
“Thanks to Tzu Chi volunteers who gave out rice seeds to us in 2010 we’re able to lead a better life now. Now, the farmers in Hmawbi and Taikyi need help, so of course we need to give them a hand.”
Having received the rice seeds, the affected farmers didn’t have to borrow them again and could work with their own two hands to gradually rebuild their lives. We just saw how the farmers we helped before are leading a better life now.
Take Mr. U Thein Tun for example. Having sown the rice seeds he received from Tzu Chi, he followed our volunteers’ advice to cherish life and did not use pesticides. Instead, he went to his field every day to pray and speak kind words and sing to his rice plants. He did so every day. So, while other farmers’ fields were affected by pests, his field was not and he has a good harvest every year.
Now, he rented more land to farm, rebuilt his house, and bought a cultivator. He often shares his story with others and donates rice seeds to needy farmers every year. He has inspired many people to save a handful of rice from every meal before cooking and donate it to those in need. With the help from Tzu Chi and the locals, tens of thousands of hectares of fields can be sown with rice seeds again.
Such is the cycle of love. Indeed, a seed can give rise to innumerable seeds. Seeing this, I am truly very moved.
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