The world of Tzu Chi (Vol.108)

2019 • 03 36 T he Chinese mark the beginning of the Spring Festival by celebrating Chinese New Year on a grand scale. Most celebrate it either by visiting family and friends, or by travelling elsewhere. However, a group of Tzu Chi volunteers in Xiamen, China, had other plans. Since July 2018, whether it is the Mid- Autumn Festival, Chinese New Year or any other festive holiday, they have been willingly braving the cold weather every day to collect recyclables from each outlet of the Lin Jia chain of restaurants. Volunteer Xu Xin Juan, who is usually occupied with a busy schedule, chose to remain in Xiamen over the festive season in order to participate in the CNY recycling sessions. Starting from the day before CNYeve, she had been heading to the Lin Jia outlet in Jimei district daily to collect recyclables. Sometimes, she would even rush over to the Wushipu outlet as well. She shared, “Being able to serve over the CNY holidays is more meaningful than indulging oneself in the festivities. I am grateful for this opportunity.” Besides volunteering herself, Xin Juan had also invited her daughter Lan Chen, who is in her third year of university, to join her. Ever since joining Tzu Chi, Xin Juan has stopped loitering in shopping complexes, and spends most of her time volunteering instead. Lan Chen has been influenced by her mother’s example, and now has a diminished desire for shopping compared to her peers, in addition to refraining from impulsive online shopping. Volunteer Zhou Qing Sen, a retiree, decided not to return to his hometown to celebrate CNY, and instead devoted himself to collecting recyclables from the restaurant as usual. He vowed to do his part for environmental protection, saying, “I hope to preserve a beautiful Earth for our future generations. Therefore, I have to start contributing now to avoid regretting later in life. Engaging in recycling efforts makes me feel good; when I feel good, all is well!” As the seasons passed, the volunteers remained diligent in gathering recyclables from the Lin Jia outlets. Touched by their persistence, the recycling station owner even handed over the recycling station’s keys to Qing Sen, whom he particularly trusted, for safekeeping throughout the holidays. His faith in the volunteers spared them from the inconvenience of not having access to the recycling station for transporting and storing the recyclables collected when he was away. Moreover, he went out of his way to allocate some indoor space for storing cardboard scraps to prevent them from exposure to rain. The volunteers in Xiamen have indeed demonstrated unwavering determination and drive to serve, fuelled by their selfless love for the environment. China 2019.02.03 – 02.10 Recycling Efforts Continue Over CNY lobal News