Shih Cheng Yen's Blog, page 21

Memorial Concert for Role Model Lin Ben-Yuan

Lin Ben-yuan (林本源), a Changhua industrialist and Tzu Chi volunteer, devoted his life to public welfare. On October 22, he passed away due to illness, at the age of 69. On November 24, a memorial concert was held at the Jing Si Hall in Changhua to celebrate the lifelong dedication of this model volunteer.

Volunteering Makes Dong-lin a Better Person

Taoyuan tutoring courses have been working hard to plant good thoughts in children’s hearts. The supplementary courses are held twice a month. The students come from Tzu Chi's care households. They are serious about learning, which is very gratifying.

Distribution, Medicine, and Hot Meals for Victims of Earthquake in Indonesia

At noon on November 21, 2022, a 5.6-magnitude super-shallow earthquake struck Cianjur County in West Java Province, Indonesia. By the fourth day of the disaster relief of November 24, the number of deaths had climbed to 271, with more than 2,000 injured and 40 people missing. In addition, more than 56,000 buildings were damaged, and over 61,000 people forced to take refuge.

Take Recycling Station As Cultivation Ground and Rediscover Happiness

While the climate’s condition has reached an emergency, protecting the Earth is everyone’s obligation. Will you give up your high salary and devote yourself to environmental protection?

Tzu Chi Volunteers Set up Supply Stations for Cycling Trip in Taiwan

What do you do after you regain your life? How about a cycling trip around Taiwan?

Tzu Chi Indian Volunteers Learn New Ways to Help Their People

In early November, two Indian volunteers, Vivek Kumar and Abhishek Kumar, came to Taiwan to learn the work of the Tzu Chi work in Taiwan. They vowed to bring back what they learnt to their homeland to help their fellow countrymen live a better life.

Tzu Chi Distributes Supplies to Earthquake Survivors in Indonesia

After an earthquake on the afternoon of November 21 in West Java Province, Indonesia, Tzu Chi volunteers in Jakarta, Bandung, and Cianjur immediately made contact and worked together how to prepare supplies that would be urgently needed in the disaster-hit area.

South African Industrialist Asks Employees to Distribute Poverty Relief

In Johannesburg, South Africa, volunteer Li Qing-long (李慶隆) called on his employees to organize a year-end distribution, to help homeless people.

Affinity

Johannesburg is a metropolis with a wide gap between rich and poor. It has a prosperous urban area. But, in the suburbs, there are many homeless people and those who come from all over southern Africa to try to make a living.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy deteriorated, and the number of unemployed people in South Africa increased sharply. Johannesburg, the most populous city in the country, saw a sharp increase in the number of homeless people. In response, Tzu Chi volunteers purchased daily necessities and distributed them to the poor to save them from starvation.

Near the company of Tzu Chi volunteer Li Qing-long, there are two gathering places for homeless people. Recently, although the pandemic has eased and people have begun to resume their previous economic activities, there are still many people who cannot find a job. Therefore Li held a distribution of daily necessities in the square in front of his company's warehouse.

 

The Power of Love

From the case visits and preparatory meeting before the distribution to the  work on the distribution site, everything was planned and completed by the local Tzu Chi Youth team. What about the Tzu Chi certified volunteers? They accompanied the young volunteers throughout the process; everyone was full of joy. At the scene, these young people fully demonstrated the power of passing on love.

From 2017, Li Qing-long's company, Sterling, started to hold a distribution at the end of each year. He is very grateful to Tzu Chi for providing Sterling employees such an opportunity to learn to give and become blessed people.

At the scene, Li told care recipients the meaning of Tzu Chi: “‘Tzu’ is compassion and ‘Chi’ is giving with love. We are disciples of the Buddha, and what we practice is gratitude, respect and love.”

Local volunteer Tichasangana Taudzayi said gratefully: “I am very grateful to Master Cheng Yen, the founder of Tzu Chi, for giving us this opportunity to help the residents.”

Although there are not many materials in the bags for the care recipients, there is a lot of love from the volunteers. Tzu Chi hopes to accompany everyone through the difficulties.

 

Regardless of age, as long as there is a heart, everyone can benefit others. Join Tzu Chi and we can spread love wherever there is need.

 

 

 

 

Documentary Team Hou Qi-lin and Chen Mei-juan report from South Africa.

In Malaysia, Tzu Chi Holds Tuition Aid Awarding Ceremonies

Tzu Chi Seremban Liaison Office in Malaysia (10/15) and Kota Tinggi Liaison Office (10/29) each held three tuition aid awarding ceremonies. Parents accompanied their children to participate in promoting environmental protection. They also brought coin banks to give back.

 

Spiritually Rich

Wan Heman, parent of a student who received tuition aid, said: "I trust Tzu Chi's aid. Tzu Chi helps me regardless of race, religion, or country. I am a Malay Muslim, and, even if I just donate a little money, it also can help people in need of different races and countries.”

 

Joy and Gratitude

Shen Yu-han (沈雨涵), a tuition aid winner, said: "It's the first time I got this bursary, and I feel very happy because it helps my mother reduce her burden."

Another tuition aid winner, Savini, said: "With this bursary, I can buy school supplies. Thank you, Tzu Chi, for your help.”

 

At Tzu Chi Kota Tinggi Liaison Office, they helped 113 students. At Seremban Liaison Office, 529 students received aid. Each held three tuition aid awarding ceremonies.

At Seremban Tzu Chi, volunteers planned an area outside the ceremony to promote environmental protection and guide parents and students to do recycling. Tzu Chi volunteers seized the good opportunity to spread the idea of how to care for the earth.

Everyone can be rich in spirit as long as they have a broad mind to be grateful to the earth and respect and love all living beings. Let us open our hearts to embrace Mother Earth with love and protect her through our actions.

Documentary Team report from Malaysia

Spiritual Gardeners in Fort Myers After Hurricane Ian

Everyone is their own spiritual gardener. After Hurricane Ian, Tzu Chi U.S. volunteers heard many inspirational and touching stories during their third distribution in Florida on October 22. It benefited 413 households -- a total of 1,324 people.