20190822價值人生留史跡Remembering Our Initial Aspiration
News reports on Da Ai TV show that many countries around the world have suffered from drought and water shortage, while in many other countries, torrential rains have kept pelting down, incurring landslides, damaging bridges, and bringing about various considerable losses. (The root cause) is the imbalance of Nature's water element.
We see a landslide (in India.) There were many tourists reportedly nearby and all of them were screaming when the incident happened. Seeing the landslide, I thought that the mountain had been damaged as people had ceaselessly extracted natural resources. Why did people do that? And why did the tourists go to the mountainous area regardless of the heavy rains? It was because they went there that they came across the landslide.
People are sometimes very hard to understand. See how climate change and damage to the mountain have brought about the landslide. Yet, many people neither heighten their vigilance nor keep their desires in check. Is sightseeing really a must?
Look at our Tzu Chi members. They are truly admirable. They bring aid and care to the needy every day, witnessing the suffering of birth, aging, illness, and death. Serving as living bodhisattvas, they are determined to go to the aid of the needy. In doing so, they've witnessed people's suffering in many different places.
"I also went through poverty and suffering. As Tzu Chi volunteers, we truly bring casre and warmth to the needy and lend a helping hand to lift them out of suffering."
"It's nearly one year since I joined Tzu Chi. Feeling the great love of Tzu Chi volunteers, I also wish to pass on love and warmth to those around me."
"Only by going amongst people to serve can we live a fulfilling life, change ourselves for the better, and realize that there's nothing we can't achieve."
For more than 50 years, Tzu Chi members have truly been seizing every second to work for the greater good. Those who joined Tzu Chi in the early days are our very senior volunteers. Ever since then, they've been giving of themselves to bring aid and care to the needy. Our Tzu Chi members, no matter when they joined Tzu Chi, have been upholding their initial aspirations and putting them into action. So, recently, they've been recalling and sharing Tzu Chi's work they've carried out.
"Tzu Chi founded in 1966. Six years later, on Renai Street, Hualien City, we began to offer free clinics to the poor."
"In 1972, at the hospital where I served, Ms. Deng Shu-qing and Ms. Lin Bi-qi told me that Tzu Chi was to hold free clinics and asked me if I could help. I said, "No problem." So, I helped with the free clinics from twelve to two o'clock every Tuesday and Saturday.
What impressed me the most was that every bit of money donated to Tzu Chi was used to help the needy. When ill, Tzu Chi members would never use any medicine from the free clinics because the medicine was bought with people's donations. Also, when I offered to provide medical care for free, they turned it down resolutely. This was why many people became confident in and got a very good impression of Tzu Chi back then.
I also remember that the construction and operation of our hospital in Hualien was truly not easy. Whenever there are people suffering in the world, Tzu Chi members are often the first to help. The best wishes from Tzu Chi members always bring people joy."
Dr. Zhang and Dr. Zou visited the Abode the other day. Seeing them, I asked why Dr. Zhu and Dr. Huang didn't come along. Thankfully, I learned that they are both in good health. Dr. Zhang told me that he is already 80 years old. See how young he looks. I told him, "We are all advanced in age, but you do not look like an 80-year-old." He also told me that it's been over 40 years since the free clinics were launched.
It was our charity work that inspired us to hold free clinics. Seeing many elderly people who lived alone and people who were ill or disabled, we wished to hold free clinics so that the poor could receive medical care before their conditions deteriorated. Back then, many doctors offered us great support. I'm truly grateful to them. We also see Supt. Tu's wife and Supt. Tseng. Dr. Tu and Dr. Tseng also helped with our medical outreach back then.
Whenever we'd hold medical outreach in Guangfu, Yuli, Fenglin, or other rural areas, they'd always head south and pitch in to help although they still served at National Taiwan University Hospital at the time. With their support, we began our medical mission. And as we'd launched free clinics, I thought that we should also build a hospital because there were scarce medical resources in Hualien for those with severe illnesses. With the support of doctors from Taipei, we began to build the hospital.
That truly took much hard work and I really have many stories to share with you. Many Tzu chi members have been doing Tzu Chi's work for most of their lives, and what they've done has been recorded down. To serve the world and all humanity is to truly live out one's value in life. So, may all of us be mindful always.
We see that the imbalance of Nature's elements has caused many disasters around the world. For example, drought and flood are a result of the imbalance of the water element. So, we must be very vigilant of (potential disasters.) A while ago, didn't I often mention that we must live with vigilant care and sincere piety? We truly must do so at all times. May this world be at peace without any disasters.
This is possible only when everyone harbors sincere piety and mindfully works to sow blessings. I'm grateful that our Tzu Chi members always give with love, which can mitigate disasters. May we all work mindfully to bring about peace.
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