20130912戰火疾苦‧受助回饋Spreading the Power of Love Amid Fighting and Suffering
With people’s hearts out of balance, they have created violent unrest in society, which is making life a real struggle for the people there. There is a group of people in Zamboanga, Philippines fighting the government for independence. Since the early 1970s, they have frequently fought with the government.
According to local estimates, as a result of years of active fighting, 6,000 innocent citizens have lost their limbs.Our volunteers went to Zamboanga for the first time 15 years ago, in November 1998, for a large-scale free clinic. They found a lot of poor people there, many of them disabled.
Patients who came lived in serious hardship. That first medical outreach established a lasting affinity. A young man in Zamboanga, Dr. Anton Lim, believed that Tzu Chi as an organization can work in Zamboanga to bring constant love and care and let the power of love take root locally.
So, he made a vow to be the local Tzu Chi contact person. With that, our volunteers from Manila began giving their continued support and care. Therefore, ever since then, our volunteers often go there to provide free clinics relief aid distributions, and other services.
Such power of love started to take shape locally. Next, they carried cut a local needs assessment. They learned that many locals had lost limbs and this was causing severe hardship in their daily life. So, they established a physical rehabilitation and prosthesis manufacturing center because a prosthesis normally cost 60,000 to 70,000 TWD Taiwanese Dollars. while their average daily income is only 33 TWD.
With such a low income, just imagine how difficult it is for them to get a prosthesis. So, our volunteers took the initiative to manufacture prostheses themselves. They make very good prostheses. Every patient who receives the prosthesis and finishes physical rehabilitation can function like an ordinary person.
There is Mr. Rico. Because of his excessive smoking habit, his blood vessels became blocked.Therefore, both his feet gradually turned block. At that time, the sole of my foot was all black. I even took a razor. A razor?Yes, to scrape off the black part. Then, my toe fell off.
Because of this, he went to see a doctor, who said both of his feet needed to be amputated. As his legs were amputated (and he couldn’t work), his oldest child, who was 13 years old at the time, had to go to Manila to work as a child laborer to support the family.
When Tzu Chi volunteers heard about it, they started to learn more about their situation. They were very poor and lived in hardship. Our volunteers helped him with prosthetic feet. Besides helping him to learn how to walk with it, they also hired and trained him to make prosthetic limbs.
He is now working very attentively, volunteers in Tzu Chi, and is able to provide for his family. In a word, as long as there is love in people’s hearts, those who are in hardship and suffering will have a chance to come out of their suffering.
Last month, Tzu Chi volunteers from Manila, including doctors and nurses of TIMA. Tzu Chi’s medical association, went to Zamboanga for a free clinic. You see how, before the free clinic, local volunteers went to the site to clean up and prepare the place for surgery, such as install electricity wires.
Two volunteer who wear prosthetic limbs took up the task of setting up the place. “In 2004, Tzu Chi provided med a prosthesis so I can walk. Without Tzu Chi, I wouldn’t be who I am now. So, I love Tzu Chi.”
See how they can move about freely to perform all the tasks needed. This free clinic took place last month and many residents came. It was a whole day free clinic, starting at 8 A.M. and lasting until 10 or 11 P.M.
When our volunteers asked the doctors if they were tired, standing all day long, they replied, “Yes, very tired”. But, asked if they would come again, they said “yes”.
“When I help at Tzu Chi’s free clinic, every time when a patient wakes up after surgery, they smile. It’s the most beautiful smile. Every time I see their smile, it forever stays in my mind.”
Though they were tired because they were able to help patients and relieve them of their suffering they were very happy and willing to give of themselves. It’s the strength of love that is supporting them to do this. It is truly touching.
There was a special feature at this free clinic. Before the patients went home, our volunteers would comb their hair and clean their face and hands with a towel so that they went home feeling refreshed.“Thank you very much”.
That was last month. The volunteers were very happy giving of themselves and many locals were very touched. But in the early hours of Sept. 9 with the first firing of gunshots the peace was shattered. The stand-off is still ongoing. It is truly worrying.
Over the past three days, Tzu Chi volunteers have delivered supplies of bread, hot meals, and other foodstuffs. They are continuing to send more supplies. When can this conflict come to an end? In life, only when society is peaceful can we people be safe and well. We sincerely hope and pray that the people involved can soften their hearts and come to a peace agreement so that the society can have peace and security and everyone can return to a normal life. The situation now is very tense and fragile.
In conclusion, this is how one thought can lead to so much suffering for so many. This is why we need to reach out to more people and inspire everyone to have love for others.
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