20200119歷史長龍慈濟情The Long History of Tzu Chi’s Love
National Hemei Experimental School is children with physical disabilities. Our students come to Changhua from different counties and cities around Taiwan to study at Hemei. However, they all encounter one problem; when they get to the train station, or, they’re from Yilan, who will deliver them to school?
If they travel on Sundays, that might be fine, but our students go home on Fridays, and school is out at from 4 to 5 PM; if the parents come to pick them up from Yilan or Pingtung, then surely they would miss work that day. What can we do about that? At first, the school would seek for temporary volunteers; we might post signs at the train station, and see if anyone shows up to volunteer that week. This method was very unreliable, and this became a big challenge for our students to attend school regularly.
So, over 15 years ago we are grateful to Tzu Chi and to the volunteers in the Changhua area, for taking on this responsibility. They said, “We’ll provide a reliable service. When students need to board the train or they’re coming to Changhua from other countries, and need to get off the train then board the school buses, we Tzu Chi volunteers will help these children.”
Fifteen years ago, the station wasn’t wheelchair-accessible, so when our children were getting off the train, volunteers would enter the train and carry them off the train in their arms; this was truly remarkable. Yet, what makes me even more moved is that, they have persisted in doing this for 15 years, and have never failed to show up once.
Therefore, as I am here today, I’, actually here on behalf of the students, on behalf of the parents, and on behalf of the teachers at my school, to thank these living bodhisattvas of Changhua. Thank you, thank you.
Actually, we are grateful to the students of this school for giving all our volunteers a chance to count our blessings. Will we keep providing this delivery of love? Yes! Principal, I will promise you right here that the love of Tzu Chi volunteers in Changhua will never end. Thank you.
I’m moved that volunteers are working this way, together in unity and harmony with love, seizing the affinity to walk the Bodhisattva Path, and serving amongst people. The wealth of the Dharma that comes from serving is quite different from becoming wealthy in the secular sense. The wealth of the Dharma is blessings and wisdom; as we create blessings in the world and grow our wisdom, we experience a happiness that makes us stress-free and joyful. This is to truly cultivate both blessings and wisdom.
See how the Tzu Chengs and Tzu Chi commissioners give of themselves. Their aspiration of devoting themselves to Tzu Chi is truly precious. They truly serve with sincerity, uprightness, faith, honestly, loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. Since over 30 years ago, experienced senior volunteers have been serving with Tzu Chi. They have dedicated themselves with mindfulness and have been carrying out Tzu Chi’s work before the Jing Si Hall in Changhua was built.
It has been 30 years since I gave a talk at the Shin Min Vocational High School. They were deeply inspired by that talk. I had been her. I know that to prepare for my coming to give a talk, Tzu Chi volunteers cleaned up the whole venue. They even cleaned the corners. In the restrooms, there were tough stains. Volunteers scrubbed and wiped the place clean. They even cleaned the ceilings and walls. Such are Tzu Chi volunteers.
Since that time, we see Tzu Chi volunteers’ willingness to give of themselves selflessly. They did this for the sake of spreading the Dharma to Changhua. They truly respected their Dharma teacher and the Dharma. Even now, they still harbor a heart of respect and love.
Coming here this time, it was raining and weather was cold. Yet, there was the festivity of the Chinese New Year, with a lot of people. There was a long corridor. As I walked through it, there were many displays. It reminded me of the past, the way people lived, food people used to eat, things and toys of the past. There were so many things. They made me recall the past. I kept thinking about the image. It was very heartwarming.
A volunteers made steamed rice cakes on the site. The cake was still warm. In the old days, we could eat it, but couldn’t see how it was made. Now, the young generation can see and taste the foods with traditional flavor that the older generation used to eat. This is a good way to bring the senior volunteers and young volunteers together.
The older generation cannot turn back the clock to be young again. Young people don’t see how foods with traditional flavor are being made in the old days. They can’t feel what older people’s life was like. It is hard for the old generation to catch what it is like to be young in modern times. Therefore, by linking up the old and the young generations, history is connected.
So, I understand what Tzu Chi volunteers have experienced and the efforts that they have put forth. For the volunteers who just joined Tzu Chi and with less experience, they do not know what Tzu Chi was like in the old days. The senior volunteers can share their experiences with the younger volunteers; such as how Tzu Chi started in Changhua, who were the first seeds of volunteers and how they have spread Tzu Chi’s work and inspired many people to join Tzu Chi till now.
Volunteers, the reasons we create blessings for the world are not only to help people in need or on suffering, but in fact to protect our planet and stop air pollution so that the planet can be passed on to our future generations and they will take good care of the Earth where we will be reborn and live in our future lives. Now, we need to find ways to stop damaging the Earth.
For the things we need, we should make them from recycled materials; this is cherishing our blessings and creating blessings. We have seen so many suffering occurring around the world. In order to face future crises, we have to raise our awareness. So, everyone, please be mindful.
Every day, my heart is very heavy for all people in the world. We should try our best to be a person who lends a helping hand to others and create blessings to help protect our Earth. This is what living bodhisattvas do in the world.
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