20171225圓滿生命守志願Living a Meaningful Life by Carrying Out Our Mission
Hard work is rewarded at the end. On Saturday, I visited the Tzu Chi Hospital in Hualian. As soon as we got there, we saw our lively and refreshing nurses. They were the graduates of the first class from our Junior College of Nursing, and the Nursing Department of Tzu Chi University.
Ever since the first class, some of them have stayed in Hualian after graduation. They safeguard people’s lives in these remote areas with their power of love.
We rode the elevator, and as soon as the door opened, I saw many people around many stands. I started from the handicraft stand of the Psychiatry Department.
As I walked down the aisle, I saw many awards and certificates on display as well as many awarded inventions. Because of their mindfulness, their inventions really helped the patients.
Because of their perseverance, many inventions are fully developed. It makes us happy to see their awards and inventions. As I walked around, I met Dr. Chou. He is now the Director of the Hualien County Medical Association.
Upon seeing me, he said, “I’ve been with the mission since its beginning.” When was that? It was forty-five years ago when we started holding our free clinic.
Dr. Chou, Dr. Chu, Dr. Chang, and Dr. Huang from the four major departments of the Hua-Lien Hospital helped us set up that free clinic. Our medical mission has been going on for 45 years.
Looking back at the early days, it was because of the free clinic that we realized there was a shortage of medical care, and decided to build a hospital here.
At that time, the reason for building a hospital was to provide timely medical treatment, so lives can saved. Thirty or forty years ago, medical was not so advanced.
We had no idea how big the scope of the hospital should be. After the hospital was completed, we found we needed to train medical staff. That is why we got involved in education.
Establishing the education mission was challenging. Most people didn’t know how difficult it was; yet, I am full of gratitude. Seeing our education mission established, it has trained many talents.
Our nursing staff is lively and refreshing, and has grown professionally. They truly give of themselves from the bottom of their hearts. They devoted their life to saving lives.
We can feel their devotion and see all the awards they’ve received. Then, I heard the departments’ reports. Each report was very touching. From the work of Department of Psychiatry to the establishment of our bone marrow registry, precious lives were saved.
Look at a case in the Department of Orthopedics. A man suffered from serious bone fractures was treated by our doctors. He came to share his story that he can stand now.
His doctor shared his case, and he stood up and walked to the front. We saw that he walked very well. He came specially to express his gratitude to the Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital.
Also, the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery touches me as well. There is a close bond between teachers and students. These medical students are interns. Their teacher Dr. Cheng is very devoted in teaching them.
Dr. Cheng also mentioned a case where a patient received 10 operations. Dr. Cheng was determined to not amputate his leg. That’s why the patient is so grateful to him. There are many stories of gratitude like this.
There was another patient who suffered from psoriasis on his whole body. He could not put up with the itchiness at all; the bedding was stained with blood every night.
So, his bedsheet had to be washed every day. He then started to live and sleep in his car for almost 20 years. He had a hard life. However, after six months’ treatment he was healed. So, he is very grateful.
The hard work and everybody’s love that went into establishing the medical mission over the years have paid off. Now we see medical staff who graduated from Tzu Chi’s schools.
Our graduates of the first class till now, after twenty-plus years, many of them now serve at our Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital. They have become professionals and safeguard the life of patients.
They keep conducting researches and developing new inventions. Our nurses invent simple devices that are very helpful to patients. This is the result of their tireless dedication, and I am grateful for so many touching stories.
It takes sincere, selfless love and the determination to safeguard life and health of patients and to fulfill the mission of our hospital. Before the meeting ended, we received two certificates that tell us the hospital has passed its accreditation review.
I am also grateful to the volunteers for their dedication. And of course, I am grateful to the medical staff for their wondrous skills in treating patients. This is what they do on daily basis.
With love, we can make our life meaningful. So, we really need to be grateful that we have good health and a right life’s direction to give of ourselves.
This is the essence of a meaningful life, serving people selflessly. This requires we hold on to our aspiration. This is the essence of a meaningful life. This is how we perfect our character.
Whether nurses or doctors, they should be mindful about developing good character. Then, their life will be valuable and respectable. I am grateful that we have nurtured so many outstanding medical staff. This is very meaningful, and I have no regrets.
首頁 