20130903除暗化明歸清淨Bringing Hope to People and Society Through giving with Love
Around the world, everyone is concerned about the ongoing conflict in Syria. Right now in Syria, not a single day is peaceful, so people there suffer every day. Among the country’s 23 million people, one-third of them has been displaced. The alleged use of chemical weapons on innocent civilians has also shocked the world
People there could have lived a peaceful life. But due to the disharmony in a few people’s minds, innocent civilians have to suffer like this. It’s been more than two years now. How can the people continue living like this? Seeing their plight, my heart truly goes out to them. There are also natural disasters, which are very frightening to see as well.
In the U.S. state of California, the wildfire in Yosemite National Park has been burning for over two weeks. More than 5,000 firefighters have been sent to battle the blaze, but the fire has yet to be fully contained. So far, the fire has raged over an area of around 900 square kilometers.
We also see the nuclear crisis in Japan. About 300 tons of highly radioactive water have leaked from a nuclear power plant in Fukushima. This can contaminate the land and water. Also in Japan, yesterday, a tornado ripped through parts of eastern Japan, causing great devastation there. We’ve received word from Tzu Chi volunteers in Japan that they’ll go to the affected areas today to survey the disaster situation.
We also see Sri Lanka I still remember that in 2008, our volunteers there came upon two young girls who suffered from se3vere scoliosis. Seeing how their backs were seriously hunched, our hearts went out to them. So, our volunteers brought them to Malaysia to have surgery there. Both of them recovered well. However, one of the girls has grown taller over the years, so one metal rod in her back broke.
Therefore, last month, our volunteers in Sri Lanka brought this girl to Malaysia again to have another surgery. See, since the Asian Tsunami in 2004, we have been continuously caring for the locals with love. In our hospital in Hualien, we also have two patients from Indonesia and China respectively. The one from Indonesia suffers from elephantiasis. After two surgeries, about 70 kg of tissue were removed from his right leg.
He’s recovering very well now. As the patient is only 19 years old, we hope he can fully recover and embrace his future like other youths.
The other patient is Mr. Yang from Xiamen, China. Yesterday, Honorary Supt. Chen told me that he is doing very well and can now stand on his feet. As his permit to stay in Taiwan will expire soon, we’ll help to renew it for another three months. Having had all the necessary surgeries, he now needs physical therapy to strengthen the muscles in his lower body.
So, we plan to apply for a renewal of his permit for another three months so he can do physical therapy here. This is how we continue to care for these two patients from Indonesia and China with love.
We also see our recycling volunteer, Mr. Guo. Once, he had lost his will and was very depressed. But after he chanced upon Da Ai TV and heard Master’s words, he changed completely. See how the light in his heart has been lit. Now, he’s very dedicated to doing recycling and helping the needy. All this is because of a good thought that he gave rise to.
We also see one of our recycling points, which is only about six square meters, in front of a jewelry shop. The shop owner has offered the space for our volunteers to do recycling for many years. I still remember that when I visited two years ago, I saw many volunteers busy doing recycling there. Although many people had wished to rent the space, the shop owner refused. It’s a very good location and the owner could’ve rented it out to collect high rents, but he didn’t want to as he wanted to save it for Tzu Chi.
Many people here support Tzu Chi because we came to their aid and brought them boxed meals after a typhoon in 2004. In the aftermath of a typhoon years ago, Tzu Chi volunteers went there to give out boxed meals to those affected. Having received help from Tzu Chi, the owner was very grateful and provided the space for Tzu Chi to do recycling. Seeing that, I truly feel that this world is filled with warmth and love
That said, we also see people who are ungrateful to those who have offered them help in their time of need. When there’s a conflict of interest, they forgot what others have done for them. This is what frustrates and worries us the most. As I said earlier, due to the disharmony in a few people’s minds, many disasters have been brought about, affecting society or even a whole country.
Indeed it is because some people are not content or are ungrateful that many conflicts between people have erupted. That’s why I often say that in these times we live in, we truly need to tell right from wrong. Looking around the world, we’ve seen many heartwarming stories about how people work to better others’ lives by shedding light on the darkness in their hearts and helping them to become spiritually wealthy. When everyone is spiritually wealthy, society will be filled with hope.
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