20180423自度度人不空過 Cultivating Ourselves and Inspiring People to Help Others
Yesterday I met a group of young volunteers. They are so adorable! They had rehearsed with much patience in an open space. Seeing them patiently and orderly standing in lines, I was happy.
Yet, I felt for them to be under the hot sun. I asked them whether they felt hot and tired. They said, “No.” They were very patient. They are young, between age 4 and 15. I met some of them when they were newborns.
Jing Si Bookstore junior volunteer Liu His Kuan, “I want to be Qing Xiu Shi, a doctor, and a Tzu Cheng Faith Corps member. I want to protect the Abode and be a doctor to help people.”
They are determined to be Qing Xiu Shis. They are all future Qing Xiu Shis. For many years, I have asked them if they still want to be Qing Xiu Shis. They insisted they do.
Yesterday, I asked, “Where are my Qing Xiu Shis? Many of them came up to me. They said to me, “Master, you have to keep living till we are 35.” How can I live that long?
I kept silent and said nothing. Still, they kept telling me to wait for them. Now I see them in elementary school or junior high school. I see them remain firm in their aspirations. This gives me much hope.
We should really seize the moment to make aspirations. Going through the cycle of rebirth in the six realms is scary. I keep telling people that we need to transform our consciousnesses into wisdoms.
We must use this lifetime to cultivate ourselves, rather than delay it until another lifetime. We should make use of our body to cultivate ourselves this life.
The footage we saw is from Mozambique. On February 19, 2018, in an urban area of Mozambique, a mound of garbage collapsed, destroying many houses nearby and killing seventeen people.
Such suffering was indeed hard to bear. Tzu Chi has a group of local volunteers. Although they are poor, their hearts are full of love. They understand Tzu Chi’s value that love can inspire immeasurable strength.
They quickly gathered for relief work. At that time, the government had rules. They followed the government’s rules to carry out relief work in a disciplined way.
When the government saw Tzu Chi volunteers working with self-discipline and efficiency, they were touched. So they let Tzu Chi volunteers provide care to affectees at the shelter.
Because Tzu Chi has a piece of land donated by an entrepreneur Mr. Chen, the volunteers have used it to grow vegetables. This time, they were able to use the vegetables for relief effort.
In addition to the vegetables, volunteers also used the rice that they have for periodic rice distributions. For two whole months, the volunteers provided hot meals at the shelter every day, and distributed mosquito nets, and daily necessities to them.
They gave their sincere love, and encouraged those affected to stand up again. Tzu Chi volunteers have been caring for a young man for several years.
His whole body was stiff, and he was unable to move. He could only lie on the ground. Under Tzu Chi’s care, he can now stand up and talk to people. He can also walk. This young man was invited to the shelter to give encouragement to the affectees.
Care beneficiary Sidalio, “At the time when Tzu Chi volunteers found me, I couldn’t even stand up on my own or get up by myself.
Tzu Chi volunteers have cared for me with love and filled my heart with strength. So, I can now stand up like this with my own strength.
I am grateful to Tzu Chi volunteers for fulfilling their promise of taking me to a hospital. I once thought that since I am ill, I might as well bury myself in a coffin.
I made home visits with Tzu Chi volunteers and saw people without limbs whereas I still have mine. Love is the best medicine. If I did not receive love, I wouldn’t help others. Now that I have received love, I know how to love others.
Although I am impaired, I no longer worry about my conditions. As soon as I get better, I’ll volunteer more with love. If it weren’t for Tzu Chi’s love, I will not be standing here today.”
He encourages the affectees and let them know he is still alive now because Tzu Chi volunteers have cared for him. Volunteers give these affectees heir sincere love and hope that they can stand up on their own.
The affectees saw the young man who serves along with Tzu Chi volunteers to benefit others.
Director of Mabuto Province Fatima, National Emergency Rescue Center, “Let’s thank Tzu Chi again for their help, shall we? Yes. We are truly grateful for the support they have given. We are very grateful. We should keep such love in our heart.”
Volunteers shared with the affectees that doing charity is not the privilege of the rich; the poor can also free themselves from afflictions, and ignorance and know that they have the strength to help others. Volunteers encourage them to donate coins.
Accumulated together, these little bits can be of significant help. A coin can’t do much or buy much. But, when pooled together, they can be of great use.
Tzu Chi’s aid distributions provide help that suits their need. It has been two months now, and volunteers provided over 9,000 meals.
Volunteers also communicated with a local supermarket about vouchers for affectees. The voucher can only be used on daily necessities, but the affectees can choose the things they need.
We give them a certain amount and let them choose to buy what they need. This is meeting their needs. No one has done this before there.
For two months, the volunteers were there with them every day. Trust has been developed between them. The affectees are people who live in hardship.
Actually, the volunteers who helped them are not better off than them. Yet, they can give of themselves because they have spiritual wealth.
We need to seize the moment and put our life to good use. If we don’t engage in spiritual cultivation in this life, when will we do it? Making use of our body to help and give is the value of our life.
首頁 