The world of Tzu Chi June 2021 (Vol.135)

TZU CHI 135 27 his educational toys on the table, and compete with his sister to see who can blow away the toys at the fastest speed. The children’s laughter reminded us of our blissful childhood days, but here, there was a vague sense of anxiety in the chuckles. “Can you give me a red toy?” I could not help teasing him when I saw how his eyes sparkled with joy and mischief. His hands were patched with plaster. He thought for a while, picked the right toy, and handed it to me with his somewhat deformed fingers, scarred by old burns and scratches. His middle and ring fingers could barely move. I felt choked; the lump in my throat was suffocating, emotionally. “Good job! Did you go to school?” He did not reply but instead, ran away. “He used to go to school, but he could not do so after the incident. He probably did not understand your question,” explained his father Dal En Lam, moving his old rattan chair. Brutal brush with death Dal En Lam is a Christian from Tuipi, Myanmar. He grew up helping his father in the fields. He had a simple childhood but when he was 16, he witnessed the nightmare of seeing his mother lying in a pool of blood. He touched her icy cold body and for a moment, his mind froze. Anger and sadness swelled in his heart, and his father started confronting the assailant. His father shouted to him to run. Dal En Lam took to his heels and kept running, clueless as to where he was heading. He was on the streets for seven days until he reached a nearby village where he met an agent who helped him flee to Thailand, and then to Malaysia. “Sometimes we walked, sometimes we took the bus. At worst, I did not eat for a whole week. When I arrived here, my friends from my hometown told me that my dad was dead.” He worked as a farmer in Cameron Highlands for three years to pay off the cost of illegal migration. Finally, he settled in Taman Chi Liung, Klang. “They said it is easier to make a living in big cities.” He held many jobs. He has worked as a stall assistant and a dishwasher. He grabbed every job opportunity, and learned to speak Malay. Later, he met his wife, who is also from Myanmar, and they have three children. Thang is the oldest son, followed by a sister and a little brother who just turned one. With a family and some income, they thought they could live peacefully, but an explosion changed their lives. When the Malaysia MCO was enforced in March last year, Dal En Lam lost his job and was forced to stay at home. His family of five had to live frugally. He recalled the fateful day of May 3, when Thang asked for instant noodles. He took Thang to the kitchen and started cooking. However, the gas exploded, and both were caught in the fire. After they were rushed to the hospital, the doctor said Thang had no more signs of life! “My wife and I kept praying to save our child’s life.” Miraculously, Thang started breathing faintly again, and he was rushed to Selayang Hospital that same night for treatment. Thang spent two months in the intensive care unit of Selayang Hospital and was transferred to the general ward of Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang after his condition had stabilized. After another month, I Was Told to Run, and to Run Quickly