Date: July 13, 2010 (Tuesday)
Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Tzu Chi's Continued Care in Lesotho
(Between in May and June, 2010 – Tzu Chi volunteers held winter aid distributions in Lesotho.)
Take a look at Lesotho, a country often referred to as “the Kingdom in the Sky.”
Yet, a large portion of its people is impoverished, and the climate there is quite extreme.
Speaking of Tzu Chi’s presence in Lesotho….
In 1991, riots broke out in Lesotho against the foreigners there.
Such a conflict led the Taiwanese businesspeople who had factories in Lesotho to move their homes across the border…
This means that they lived in South Africa, but their factories remained in Lesotho.
That was what most Taiwanese businesspeople did, including a Mr. Wu Wen-Zhang
Then, in 1995, he saw a newspaper article about Tzu Chi volunteers distributing aid in South Africa and he was very touched.
So, he found our volunteers in South Africa and became a donating member.
So, our very first donating member in Lesotho was this Mr. Wu.
Then, in 1998, disputes over the results of a general election led to widespread rioting.
Such an outbreak of rioting and unrest led to widespread arson, looting and hostile sentiments toward foreigners.
So, there was much unrest at the time with most of Lesotho’s capital, Maseru, being looted and set ablaze by arsonists.
In response to such a major outbreak of rioting, Mr. Wu and other volunteers quickly gathered together to provide care and comfort to foreigners who were affected by the riots and had no homes to return to. So, with Tzu Chi volunteers and other Taiwanese businesspeople providing their homes to serve as shelters, around 500 people were helped.
Mr. Wu alone, sheltered more than 40 people in his home.
So, this was what they had done back then. When they returned to Taiwan that year, they described to me what had happened and how they held large-scale distributions with the help of Tzu Chi volunteers in South Africa.
So, during that period, Tzu Chi volunteers in South Africa joined together to help with providing aid for these people that were being sheltered.
Nevertheless, at the time, there was a group of Taiwanese businessmen who were planning to sue the Lesotho government and claim compensation for their losses.
But I said to them:
“Why don’t you use the money that you would spend on filing the lawsuit to hold a large-scale aid distribution?”
“That way, you can form good affinities with the locals.”
I am very grateful that they took my advice and provided aid to the locals.
Seeing this, the locals felt sorry and ashamed for what they had done and were very grateful to these people from Taiwan for having gone to their country.
So, after the riots that time as the factories and stores of these Taiwanese businesspeople were burnt down, they rebuilt their factories and stores, and since then, they’ve seen much less trouble.
All this happens in life, and see how people in different places, around the world, lead very different lives due to the impact of climate conditions, as well as the mentality people have.
So, both climate conditions and people’s minds can greatly affect our life.
Even now, Tzu Chi volunteers in Lesotho are still there caring for the locals.
Starting from 2007, due to the severity of the ongoing drought, Tzu Chi volunteers began providing food supplies to impoverished families every month for six months.
Then, after several bouts of rain last year, they began distributing corn seeds to farmers.
So, this year, these farmers had a good harvest.
(In May 22, 2010, a good harvest of corn in Lesotho)
The Lesotho’s volunteers said:
“One two and three, that is big a difference.
Because you can find one stem, we can get three corns or even two.
Even get one, this one is so goods.
So it compares to the seeds that we ever used it in numbers, it’s not habitual.”
“This corn, they are going to take out at the end and the in front.
Take off them. In between of corn, that we can choose seeds for the next seedy aids.”
Such good harvest is indeed very incredible.
The locals also know to repay the kindness they had received….
From their harvest, apart from what they need for themselves, they are giving the rest to Tzu Chi, so Tzu Chi can provide this corn to people who are worse off than them.
See how they have been inspired to help others and pass love on.
In May this year, Tzu Chi volunteers in Lesotho again held winter aid distributions.
During these distribution, the locals displayed their traditional ways of calling out in a high-pitch, staccato voice which was indeed very endearing.
Seeing how these people don’t ask for much and are happy as long as they can live, my heart truly goes out to them.
We often speak of how we must make great and selfless vows to benefit others and further carry them out with firm resolution.
Thinking of how dedicated and resolute Mr. Wu was back then.
I am very moved and also very grateful.
One time, he fell very ill and his condition was very critical.
When he was sent to the hospital, he heard the doctor say to his wife:
“He is already dead.”
“What did you bring him here for?”
At the time, he thought to himself:
“People here live a hard life.”
“If I cannot come through alive, I vow to be reborn to a place where the poor are so that I can help them.”
That was his altruists vow.
Incredibly, he recovered from this condition.
And, after he recovered, he dedicated himself even more to Tzu Chi’s work.
But now, it’s Ms. Chen Mei-Juan, who is in charge of Tzu Chi’s missions in Lesotho.
She is a Tzu Chi commissioner who runs a business in Lesotho and lives in South Africa.
So, it’s quite hard work for her.
For this time’s winter aid distribution, there were four commissioners, one Tzu Chen member, and ten local volunteers taking part.
See how so few volunteers could do so much to care for so many locals.
What our volunteers have done is truly remarkable.
That’s what they’ve been doing to bring care and comfort to the poor there.
Tzu Chi’s care recipient, Mo Lei Fei
“After I have gotten Tzu Chi’s help, I am still living like my parents are there.
Because they give my food to eat and they give me everything from the food. Everything I have, it’s like the one of that I have gotten from my parents.”
My heart truly goes out to him.
Despite how hard the work is, our volunteers remain unwavering and stay there to care for the suffering in Lesotho.
Indeed, everything originates from our mind and so do Bodhisattvas as they see people in need and they vow to relieve their suffering.
It’s truly very moving to see.
Seeing how our volunteers wrap the blankets around the locals, we can imagine how cold it is there.
It’s indeed very moving to see how our volunteers care for others.
(Source: Da Ai TV 人間菩提)
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