20190717歲月累積愛傳承Lending a Helping Hand in Times of Need
I remember that when the air crash happened, our volunteers were taking part in a training camp in Taoyuan. So, they quickly went to help.
As soon as our volunteers in Taoyuan went to buy food materials, I prepared six big pots. Our volunteer, Ms. Luo Mei-zhu, asked us to cook ginger soup and noodles. They bought a lot of food materials. Rescuers and people from the airport all ate the food we prepared.
At the disaster site, our volunteers comforted the families of the deceased. Some laid their heads on our shoulders and cried, and after we patted them on their backs and they let out their grief, they continued to identify the victims bravely. Master guides us by saying: “There is no one that I do not love in the world.” master also teaches us to care for those in need as if they were our own parents, siblings, or children.
When carrying out disaster relief, we must harbor a grateful heart because we come to understand life is impermanent after we witness the loss of lives. Our relief work truly leaves us deeply moved. Also, what supports us in carrying out relief is our donating members’ trust and Master’s teachings. We strive to relay Master’s love and compassion to everyone when we carry out our relief work.
One of the purposes of my tour this time was to remind every Tzu Chi member to bear witness to the times and record the history of humanity in carrying out Tzu Chi’s missions. For that, we must all recall Tzu Chi’s history and share it with one another. By sharing Tzu Chi’s history, our Tzu Chi members have also prompted one another to recall more of the work we’ve done.
Our Tzu Chi volunteers never forget that an air crash happened in 1998. They shared about it when I was in Taipei this time. This disaster, which happened in Taoyuan of the then-Taoyuan County, was really horrendous and tragic. Upon learning of it, our volunteers launched relief work even though it was midnight. Waiting at the airport, the families of the deceased also learned of the air crash.
When they saw our volunteers arrive at eth place where the air crash happened, they said, “Please help us find our family members who may have lost their lives to the disaster.” Indeed, it pains me greatly to hear our volunteers’ sharing of the air in 1998.
No matter what help was needed, our volunteers did their best to help, such as helping with the culinary work, comforting the families of the deceased who cried out loud with deep grief by embracing them with open arms, etc. Our volunteers carried all this out bravely and have shared their experiences with everyone. We’ve been carrying out Tzu Chi’s work in Taiwan for more than half a century. We should often recall the work we’ve done and share it with everyone.
On April 24, 2003, the SARS epidemic broke out at a hospital in Taipei. Two days later, we set up a service center to provide one-on-one care for the families of those isolated in the hospital. During the day, we sent up two balloons that read: “Here are our most sincere care and blessings. Tzu Chi volunteers are always with you.”
On the previous day, we’d invited our volunteers and community residents to write blessing cards at our office on Xichang Street. After we pasted the blessing cards onto a heart-shaped poster, we sent it to the hospital. The poster was then hung on the wall. The head nurse told us that the blessing cards were truly helpful because every day, the patients would read them and shed tears. So, we handed other blessing cards to the head nurse so the patients could continue to receive blessings.
Our lives were also threatened by the epidemic. There is a Tzu Chi song on embracing all living beings. Without great benevolence, wisdom, and courage, how could we embrace all living beings? So, we were under great stress during the SARS outbreak. I even wrote a letter to my children, saying, “If I’m infected and you must be quarantined, please do not blame it on Tzu Chi, for I’ve learned a lot from Master and I like doing Tzu Chi’s work the most. Please be proud of me.”
When we serve with great compassion, we’ll be brave to shoulder the responsibility to relieve suffering in the world. This is what I learned from Tzu Chi at that time. I was in great suffering back then. Thankfully, Tzu Chi volunteers cared for me. I’m very grateful to them and Master. Tzu Chi gave me two audio players. I had one at first, but it was broken.
I couldn’t fall asleep even if I took three sleeping pills. It’s easy for a doctor to get sleeping pills, but I simply couldn’t fall asleep. Every day,I had to remain calm and pretend that SARS was not horrifying. So, I could only cry at night. Later, by listening to Tzu Chi songs on the player, I could fall asleep. I also listened to Master’s Dharma talks. Although I couldn’t really understand what Master was saying, just listening to Master brought me peace.
I’m very grateful that Tzu Chi volunteers cared for me. Without them, I couldn’t have got through the hard times.
When SARS broke out, the situation was tense and critical. We turned our old office in Kaohsiung into a temporary clothing factory. The isolation gowns for hospitals across Taiwan were made with the help of our volunteers working at our old office in Kaohsiung. Indeed, our volunteers across Taiwan all did best to help at the time. I’m deeply moved indeed.
As to the work we’ve done over the past half a century and more, there is indeed much to recall. May everyone keep recalling our history and mindfully turn it into written texts. This is how we document our history to bear witness to the times and record the history of humanity. Every passing second can accumulate to form a large period of time. We’ve been walking the Tzu Chi path for nearly 54 years.
We must not forget our history, our Tzu Chi members, our initial aspirations, and the work we’ve carried out. We must often recall our history so that our memories will not fade away. I saw many volunteers during my tour this time. I’m full of gratitude to them. They’ve all vowed to give of themselves life after life, and I believe that they must have formed good karmic affinities with me in many previous lives. I’m very grateful to them.
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