The world of Tzu Chi (Vol.109)

TZU CHI 109 13 Glad to have you by my side “I used to idle my days away in a dreamlike trance, indulging in hedonistic pleasures. But after suffering a stroke and kidney failure, I felt my life had lost all meaning, as if I was living on borrowed time. I initially thought that instead of burdening my family with my deteriorating health, it would be better for me to disappear from this world. Fortunately, Tzu Chi volunteers came along and showed me the meaning of life,” recounted wheelchair-bound care recipient, Yoh Kim Peow, looking back on an agonizing episode in his past. By Yap Chai Hoon Translated by Wong Mun Heng Photograph by Sam Pin Fook A young Yoh Kim Peow worked as a cook, while operating an illegal gambling den on the side to earn a quick buck. He had no qualms splurging on lavish social outings with his friends – spending as much as RM10,000 on a night’s entertainment was not unusual. As money flowed freely in, he led a hedonistic, reckless lifestyle that ended up jeopardizing his health. At the end of 2013, he suffered a stroke and was required to undergo dialysis treatment. He recovered well and was soon back in action on his motorcycle, but tragedy struck when he met with an accident while ferrying his friend to a rehabilitation session, leaving him wheelchair-bound. Kim Peow and his wife have two daughters and a son. The family lives in a double-storey terrace house with Kim Peow’s mother, younger brother and sister. But Kim Peow, who exudes Serve from the Heart Ever eady to