The world of Tzu Chi (Vol.109)

we were walking bare-footed in the compound covered with grass, sand and pebbles. And yes, I mentioned pebbles, and those were small pebbles! That was when I walked softly with each step, just like how Master told us to walk softly to avoid hurting the earth. I thought I was taking the Master’s words well, practising the Dharma in life and abiding by rules and regulations. But being one with obsessive compulsive disorder, the devil in me awakened right before I stepped into the toilet. With other volunteers queuing behind me, and the urgency of the call of nature, I battled the devil in me and put my bare foot on the toilet floor. The first step was really hard to take, but I was glad I fought my aversion. One day, our team had the opportunity to make a visit to the villagers’ homes. As usual, we hopped on the single-cabin truck and made our way through the small and bumpy road. There were times we needed to get off the truck and walk through a short distance alongside the truck due to the bad road conditions. When we finally made it to the home of the village chief, some villagers had gathered there and welcomed us with their 5-star hospitality – their home-grown fruits, especially watermelons, and most importantly, their sincerity. We were then arranged to visit other homes on motorcycles ridden by the villagers. My brain was sending signals to me to not get on the motorcycle, as I developed a phobia of motorcycle-riding after being involved in an accident more than ten years ago. However, my heart was fighting against it as I knew clearly that I must send love and care to the other villagers. You must have guessed the answer – yes, my heart won! I was going around to different homes, on the back of a motorcycle. At one home, while I was playing around with the toddlers, a young father came to me holding his baby. He gave me a look – one which I only understood later. When I took the baby from him, the baby was floppy. I instantly understood that the father was trying to seek blessings from us for the baby. I held the baby for a while and smiled to both the father and the baby. I felt sorry that there was nothing much I could do at that moment. Later, when I shared this with a Taiwanese volunteer, she comforted me and told me that all we could do for now was to bless the baby. The baby might not have a healthy body, but we hope he could one day understand the words of wisdom and follow the Bodhisattva Path. The home visit trip was definitely a fruitful one for me, especially the interactions with the villagers. We did not understand each other’s language, yet, we felt for each other. A smile, a hug or just holding each other’s hands, was enough to deliver the love and care across. The joy from such simple interpersonal bonding was more than words, and I would say, one of the most amazing moments in my life. In a nutshell, this trip to Myanmar was like a Conjured City, as described in the Lotus Sutra, on my pursuit of the Bodhisattva Path. It is a revitalizing getaway from my routine Tzu Chi work. All the challenges we faced during the trip had, in fact, brought me to reflect on various matters and Dharma principles. Physically, I might be covered with dust, but my intention to serve the Myanmarese villagers was pure and simple. Not only had we planted the seeds of love in their hearts, but also in ours. While helping the villagers, I was also cultivating my wisdom-life. Again, I am grateful for all the affinities formed in this trip, and I shall continue my Bodhisattva journey in finding the treasure land with more strength and courage. TZU CHI 109 31 Rice Seeds for 40,000 Farmers in Myanmar