20131014深入苦境祈安康Bodhisattvas Going to the Aid of People in Suffering
From the news, we see people suffering from flooding caused by inclement weather. Typhoon Fitow made landfall in China and flooded Yuyao City of Zhejiang Province. It has been many days, but floodwaters remain. However, people should remember that the disaster will eventually pass if they can keep themselves calm. This is a natural disaster and we can’t do much about what has happened. However, our volunteers acted quickly to help.
A few days ago, we received reports back that our local Tzu Chi volunteers there are providing timely care, hot meals, and other aid to disaster areas they could manage to reach. The floodwaters still present a major challenge, making assessment of hardest-hit areas difficult. Seeing people’s suffering, I very much hope the floodwaters can recede right away so our volunteers can reach the survivors and comfort them. However, as of now, our volunteers have been to all the places they could reach to carry out all possible work in such a vast flooded area. This is what’s happening in Zhejiang now.
In addition, an unusually powerful cyclone caused large-scale destruction in some states in India. Twelve million people are expected to be affected by the storm. Also in India, there was a stampede. Over 50,000 worshippers. When they were crossing a bridge, suddenly someone yelled that. People panicked and they all rushed to get off the bridge. Actually, the bridge didn’t collapse. But when people heard the rumor, everyone panicked. They pushed and shoved one another and many died in the stampede.
The stampede left close to 100 people dead and more than a hundred injured. This is the result of people panicking and the bridge being too crowded. People should cross the bridge in an orderly way, moving forward step by step with calm and steadiness. Then, wouldn’t all cross the bridge safely?
So, normally, when we’re in group situations, we should learn the discipline of moving calmly, in orderly lines, to keep the crowd calm and orderly. This is very important. We also saw Haiti Tzu Chi volunteers from Canada and the U.S. have gone to Haiti to distribute rice aid as well as to provide free medical services and to conduct volunteer training. These series of programs. We saw that local Tzu Chi volunteers in Haiti have been helping a hospital there by regularly providing meals to patients to supplement their nutrition. They have been doing this since October last year.
This year, doctors from Haiti came to attend our TIMA convention. After they returned to Haiti, they invited other local doctors to take part in this time’s free clinic held in conjunction with a rice distribution. From the footage we see that it was very heartwarming. The local people have been. They cannot always afford to see a doctor and when they do see a doctor, services and medication are sometimes limited. This time’s free clinic event enabled them to receive the care they need. It was very heartwarming. They also distributed rice to the patients.
It’s even more heartwarming to see our Taiwan TIMA in action. It has been 10 to 20 years since TIMA started in Taiwan. On their off days, our TIMA members will participate in medical outreaches. We saw our care recipient, Mr. Huang, who lives by himself. For many, many years, he suffered from open sores. Mr. Huang became very tired of living. Living by himself with such an illness is an unbearable misery. He tried to kill himself several times.
But, as karmic affinity would have it, he was not successful. His attempts only caused him to end up with more pain and suffering. But, he did not want to get treatment at the hospital. Our Dr. Hsu wanted him to be hospitalized for treatment, but it was not something he wanted to do. Even our Asst. Supt. Chien went to persuade him to go to the hospital. Finally, Mr. Huang agreed to go. Our doctors were so happy he agreed so they could finally properly take care of him.
When our doctor shared this on our Da Ai TV program, we could see how happy it made him Dr. Hsu said: We always encouraged him to seek treatment, but he’d refuse. We didn’t have what it took to change his mind. It worried him. Isn’t this like caring for a family member? When our family member refuse to seek treatment, we would be very concerned and distressed. So, when they heard that he was willing to get treatment, they were very happy and relieved as it meant that his condition could now be treated and improved.
With people hiving me care, I feel better and won’t think about negative stuff. I would think about how there are so many people caring about me, giving me supplies and things, and encouraging me Asst. Supt. Chien, Dr. Hsu and Dr. Yang from the medical outreach, and Dr. Hsu Honda from the surgical dept. serve patients very well. Besides saying Thank you, I want to bow to them to express my gratitude.
Though so many people are suffering all around the world, yet there are bodhisattvas going to the aid of the people in suffering, be it doctors, nurses, or other volunteers. They all sincerely care for the people and try to help. It is truly precious and rare. Such love is very moving. Every day, we encounter people in suffering and feel for them deeply. Seeing them in pain and hardship, we also feel their pain and suffering. But, seeing the heartwarming care they receive, we should also be happy for them that they have the karmic affinity to finally encounter someone who can relieve their suffering. Of course, we also hope very much that there will be even more people willing to go to others’ aid, so more people can be reached and helped.
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