The world of Tzu Chi August 2020 (Vol.125)

2020 • 08 14 eature Thriving in uncertainty “The rent for the office still had to be paid, but I’ve lost my source of income. We don’t know when the situation will improve either. How should I secure the funding to repay my loans after six months?” lamented travel agency owner Ong Kar Ling, who refused to give in to despair despite the trying circumstances. O ng Kar Ling’s day started at 4:00 a.m. as she busied herself in the kitchen in preparation for the Mee Jawa to be delivered to her customers. She brought a pot of water to boil and peeled the sweet potatoes and potatoes – already rinsed clean the night before – before leaving them to cook in the pot. Later, the tubers would be simmered into a thick broth. Then, she steamed some potatoes and eggs while waiting for the tubers to cook. Beads of sweat started to form on her forehead as she perspired from the heat of the steaming pot. Time is of the essence as she had to fulfil 50 orders across two locations. Her mother, Tan Saw Keok, who is her trusty assistant, awoke in time to lend her a helping hand. A family affair As Kar Ling rinsed and chopped the vegetables and mixed the batter for the Photograph by Ho Wei Mee